1st new CR151 train for Cross Island Line arrives in Singapore, to be tested at Singapore Rail Test Centre

The first of 44 new MRT trains for the upcoming Cross Island Line (CRL) has arrived in Singapore, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on May 31.

This comes after Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow previewed the train for the first time on his Facebook page in April during his visit to the manufacturer.

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Contract CR151 – Trains for Cross Island Line

“Visited CRRC Qingdao Sifang and had a preview of our Cross Island Line trains, which will enter service in 2030!” (Image: Jeffrey Siow/Facebook)

LTA awarded Contract CR151, valued at around $589 million, to the consortium consisting of CRRC Qingdao Sifang Co., Ltd. and Singapore CRRC Sifang Railway Vehicles Pte. Ltd. in 2023 to provide 44 new six-car trains for the CRL.

The CR151 trains are designed and manufactured by CRRC Qingdao Sifang in Qingdao, China.

“CRRC Sifang has previously supplied trains for Singapore’s North-South-East-West Line and Thomson-East Coast Line, through a consortium formed with Kawasaki Railcar Manufacturing,” LTA previously said.

The trains will be thoroughly tested at the Singapore Rail Test Centre (SRTC) before entering passenger service when the new MRT line opens in phases, starting from 2030.

Features of the new CRRC Qingdao Sifang CR151 trains for the CRL

Image: Screengrab from LTA/Facebook

LTA said commuters can look forward to the 44 fully automated six-car trains on the CRL having wider gangway connections at 1.6 m between carriages for smoother passenger movement and a more comfortable journey.

The new CRRC Qingdao Sifang CR151 trains would also come with smart condition monitoring and diagnostic systems that help detect potential faults early and improve reliability.

Similar to the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL), the CRL and its trains would have carriages that have five doors per side.

The CRL would also be the second MRT line, after the North East Line (NEL), to use 1,500 V D.C. overhead conductor rail (OCR) for supplying power to trains via a pantograph, which LTA had said “will increase energy efficiency” compared to the 750 V third rail system.

LTA previously invited the public to vote on their preferred designs for interior features for the CR151 trains in 2024.