Cross Island Line Phase 2 officially begins construction; 6 new stations to be completed by 2032

Construction work for six new stations under Phase 2 of the Cross Island Line (CRL) has officially begun and is targeted to be completed by 2032, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Jul 7.

Engineering studies on CRL Phase 3, which will serve the Jurong Industrial Estate, are still ongoing, and more details will be shared when it is completed by the end of this year.

Interested in reading more of our future posts?
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram for the latest updates!

Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow (centre) at the site of the future CRL Clementi station for the Cross Island Line Phase 2 Groundbreaking Ceremony on Jul 7, 2025. (Image: SGTrains)

The CRL Phase 2 (CRL2) comprises six underground stations, including two interchange stations: Clementi with the East-West Line (EWL) and King Albert Park with the Downtown Line (DTL). CRL2 will extend the 29km long Phase 1 by a further 15km westwards.

Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow said on Jul 7 that the most important function of the CRL, Singapore’s eighth MRT line, is to significantly improve the resilience of the rail network.

Artist’s impression of CRL King Albert Park (CR15) station. (Image: LTA)

Mr Siow said at the groundbreaking ceremony held at the site of the future CRL Clementi station that with the Circle Line (CCL) opening in 2009, Singapore’s first orbital MRT line, it was a “game changer”, connecting all the existing radial lines, with 12 new interchanges.

He added that not only did the CCL improve connectivity with new travel routes and alternatives, but it also made our public transport network much more resilient, as passengers could still get to their destinations by train during train disruptions.

“Now, with the CRL, we are building our next orbital line, and our next outer ring,” said Mr Siow, adding that it will help to absorb the impact of train disruptions and will also open up new windows for maintenance.

Artist’s impression of CRL Clementi (CR17) station. (Image: LTA)

“Because as our rail network expands and ages, more maintenance and renewal works will be needed. At some point, we may have to schedule maintenance work during the day and not just at night,” added Mr Siow.

Mr Siow said the CRL will “probably” be Singapore’s last east-to-west MRT line, as “there is no, or not a lot more, underground space left for another line like this.” Therefore, CRL will initially begin operations with six-car trains, with future provisions to extend to eight cars.

Improved public transport connectivity and travel time savings with CRL2

Artist’s impression of West Coast (CR18) station. (Image: LTA)

With CRL2, those living or travelling to and from the west will benefit from improved public transport connectivity, said LTA.

For example, a West Coast resident travelling to Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park for work can save up to 40 minutes on their commute – from more than an hour by train and bus today, to 30 minutes on the CRL.

Separately, a student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic living at Hougang Central can save up to 30 minutes on their commute for lessons on campus – from 65 minutes by train and bus today, to 35 minutes on the CRL.

CRL2’s King Albert Park station will become deepest MRT station in Singapore

When completed, the CRL King Albert Park station will be Singapore’s deepest MRT station at 50m deep, equivalent to a 16-storey building.

It will surpass the CRL Pasir Ris station, which will be 47m deep, when completed, and Bencoolen station on the DTL, currently the deepest underground station at 43m.

MORE INFO: Figures at a glance – Station Depth »

Methods used to construct CRL2

Artist’s impression of Maju (CR16) station. (Image: LTA)

To provide commuters with seamless transfers to the CRL, there will be addition and alteration works carried out at the EWL Clementi and DTL King Albert Park stations.

LTA said these transfer links will be constructed in phases and will be monitored closely to minimise any disruptions to the existing train services.

In addition, LTA said a 5km bored tunnel between CRL Bright Hill and Maju stations through the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) will be constructed using a Large-diameter Tunnel Boring Machine, measuring 12.8m in diameter.

The machine will bore through the ground only once for the construction of the tunnel, which houses two tracks, improving productivity and construction efficiency. The tunnelling works towards the CCNR commenced in May this year, along with ongoing ground works.

LTA said the permanent structures of the CRL2 stations will be built using greener steel and concrete with less embodied carbon. The use of electric machinery, such as excavators, tipper trucks, and cranes, will also be explored to reduce construction-related emissions and noise.

The Changi East Depot of the CRL, which houses the CRL’s Operations Control Centre and maintenance facilities for up to 70 CRL trains, will also be fitted with photovoltaic solar panels to generate renewable energy for depot operations.

SEE ALSO: CRRC Qingdao Sifang CR151 trains »

Biodiversity measures with the CRL2

Artist’s impression of Jurong Lake District (CR19) station. (Image: LTA)

CRL2 passes through a number of biodiversity areas, LTA said, including Eng Neo Avenue Forest, Maju Forest, and Clementi Forest.

Since 2013, LTA said it has worked closely with nature group members to discuss the various alignment options, optimise the worksites, and co-create mitigation measures arising from the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

LTA said the partnership has yielded “significant improvements” such as the reduction in size of the worksite at Windsor Nature Park from 15,000sqm to 7,000sqm, and installing aerial rope bridges and underground culverts to facilitate safe animal movements across roads.

Comprehensive EIAs were conducted before works commenced to assess any potential impact of the construction and operations on the nearby environment, LTA said.

A robust Environmental Monitoring and Management Plan with several measures has been implemented at the sites.

These measures include opaque screens and windows at the site offices to prevent bird collisions, creation of fauna barriers and box culvert crossings to prevent traffic collisions with animals, and wildlife-proofing of food waste bins.

Artist’s impression of Turf City (CR14) station. (Image: LTA)

A new freshwater marsh has also been constructed at the CRL King Albert Park site to serve as a habitat for the fauna and flora from the existing marsh.

At the site office of Fairways Drive, a Biodiversity Training Centre has been set up to provide mandatory wildlife awareness training for site workers and promote an environmentally responsible culture on site.

LTA says it will continue to engage with nature groups throughout the construction and operation of the CRL.

Six new MRT stations under CRL Phase 2, to be completed by 2032

CR14 Turf City
CR15 DT6 King Albert Park
CR16 Maju
CR17 EW23 Clementi
CR18 West Coast
CR19 Jurong Lake District

Turf City, Maju, West Coast, and Jurong Lake District are working names.

Recent Posts
Bukit Panjang LRT line will be closed on Jan 25, 2026
Construction of Brickland MRT station along North-South Line to start in first half of 2026
Longer waits for CCL trains due to tunnel works between three stations from Jan 17 to Apr 19, 2026

Related Links
Cross Island Line – SGTrains

External Links
Construction Begins on Cross Island Line Phase 2 – LTA
Opening Remarks by Mr Jeffrey Siow, Acting Minister for Transport, at the Cross Island Line Phase 2 Groundbreaking Ceremony – MOT

Images: SGTrains, LTA.
This article first appeared on SGTrains.