Downtown MRT Line

Not to be confused with the Downtown MRT Station, which the Downtown Line trains stop at.

DTL  Downtown MRT Line Laluan MRT Pusat Bandar 滨海市区地铁线 டவுன்டவுன் எம்ஆர்டி வழி
The Downtown Line is coloured blue on system maps.
Overview
Type	Rapid transit
System	Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)
Status	Operational (Stages 1 & 2) Under testing (Stage 3) Under construction (DTL3e)
Termini	Bukit Panjang Chinatown Expo (2017) Sungei Bedok (2024)
Stations	18 (Operational)[1] 18 (Under construction)
Services	1
Daily ridership	234,000 (Q3 2016)
Operation
Opened	22 December 2013 (Stage 1) 27 December 2015 (Stage 2) 2017 (Stage 3) 2024 (Stage 3e)
Owner	Land Transport Authority
Operator(s)	SBS Transit DTL[2] (ComfortDelGro Corporation)
Character	Underground
Depot(s)	Gali Batu Kim Chuan Changi (Future)
Rolling stock	C951
Technical
Line length	19.6 km (12.2 mi) (operational)[1] 23.2 km (14.4 mi) (U/C)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	750 V DC Third rail
Operating speed	limit of 80 km/h
Route map Legend Gali Batu Depot  DT1  BP6  Bukit Panjang  ■ Choa Chu Kang – Via Senja/Petir   DT2  Cashew  DT3  Hillview  DT5  Beauty World Pan Island Expressway  DT6  King Albert Park Bt Timah Canal  DT7  Sixth Avenue  DT8  Tan Kah Kee Farrer Road  ■ HarbourFront – Bishan   DT9  CC19  Botanic Gardens  ■ Sungei Bedok – Woodlands North   DT10  TE11  Stevens  DT11  NS21  Newton  ■ Marina South Pier – Jurong East  Central Expressway  ■ HarbourFront – Punggol   DT12  NE7  Little India  DT13  Rochor Loop  ■ via Bencoolen – via Jalan Besar   ■ Joo Koon – Pasir Ris   DT14  EW12  Bugis  ■ HarbourFront   DT15  CC4  Promenade  ■ Dhoby Ghaut   DT16  CE1  Bayfront  ■ Marina Bay   ■ Jurong East – Marina Bay   DT17  Downtown  ■ Pasir Ris – Joo Koon   DT18  Telok Ayer  DT19  Chinatown  ■ Punggol – HarbourFront  Singapore River Stage 3: Open 2017  DT20  Fort Canning  ■ HarbourFront – Punggol   ■ Marina South Pier – Jurong East   ■ Bishan – Dhoby Ghaut   DT21  Bencoolen Loop  ■ via Bugis – via Rochor   DT22  Jalan Besar  DT23  Bendemeer Kallang River  DT24  Geylang Bahru Pan Island Expressway  DT25  Mattar  ■ Dhoby Ghaut/Marina Bay – Bishan   DT26  CC10  MacPherson  DT27  Ubi Kim Chuan Depot  DT28  Kaki Bukit  DT29  Bedok North  DT30  Bedok Reservoir  DT31  Tampines West Canal  DT32  EW2  Tampines  ■ Pasir Ris – Joo Koon   DT33  Tampines East Pan Island Expressway  DT34  Upper Changi  DT35  CG1  Expo  ■ Tanah Merah – Changi Airport  Stage 4: Open 2025  DT36  Xilin  DT37  TE31  Sungei Bedok  ■ Woodlands North

The Downtown Line (DTL) is the fifth Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. The 4.3-kilometre (2.7 mi), Stage 1 section of the line opened in 22 December 2013.^[3] Stage 2 began operations in 27 December 2015.^[4][5] Stage 3 is due to be opened in 2017, while stage 3e to be completed in 2024. The line will connect the North-Western and Central-Eastern regions to the downtown of Singapore.

The Downtown Line currently interchanges with the North East Line at Chinatown and Little India, with the East West Line at Bugis, with the Circle Line at Bayfront, Promenade and Botanic Gardens, with the North South Line at Newton, and with the Bukit Panjang LRT at Bukit Panjang. Future extensions of the Downtown Line will interchange with the East West Line at Tampines and Expo, with the Circle Line at MacPherson, and with the Thomson-East Coast Line at Stevens and Sungei Bedok.

This line is the third in Singapore to be entirely underground. When fully completed, the line will be about 44 km (27 mi) long with 36 stations and will serve more than half a million commuters daily.^[6] It will also be the longest driverless rapid transit line in Singapore,^[1] surpassing the record set by the Circle Line. Travelling from one end to the other will take around 70 minutes. Travelling from Expo to Bukit Panjang is better by changing at Tanah Merah and Bugis. The line is coloured blue in the rail map.^[2]

The Downtown Line intersects itself at the junction of Bencoolen Street and Rochor Canal Road, near Sim Lim Square. However, there is no interchange station at the intersection.

History

LTA's Downtown Line (Stage 1) project office next to Bugis MRT station.

On 14 June 2005, the Land Transport Authority announced the Downtown Extension of the Circle Line to serve the Downtown at Marina Bay area, where an integrated resort (Marina Bay Sands) and Singapore's second botanical garden (Gardens by the Bay) was to be located. The 3.4-kilometre fully underground line was estimated to cost S$1.4 billion. Construction of the extension began in January 2008. During the construction of the North East Line at Chinatown station, platform provisions were built to facilitate an interchange station. In August 2011, SBS Transit won the bid and was appointed to be the operator of the Downtown Line, under a new framework which would see the authority remaining the owner of the line.^[7]

Stage 1 of the Downtown Line began service on 22 December 2013,^[8] with its official inauguration made on the day before by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.^[9]

Stage 2 of the Downtown Line was first conceptualized and announced as the Bukit Timah Line. It was supposedly a 20-kilometre line that would connect the new downtown with the Bukit Panjang, Upper Bukit Timah and Bukit Timah corridor, alleviating the heavy traffic travelling along the sector, but a full route was released. Provisions were provided at Nicoll Highway station which would have seen the line terminating there and interchanging with the Circle Line.^[10] However, the Nicoll Highway collapse and subsequent feasibility works and deemed the old station unusable.^[11] The former Downtown Extension of the Circle Line was subsequently amalgamated into the Downtown Line and was revamped as part of Stage 1, a 4.3-kilometre (2.7 mi), 6 station segment connecting Chinatown to Bugis stations.^[1] Stage 2 is now 16.6-kilometre (10.3 mi) long , consisting of twelve stations,^[1] including three interchange stations.

Construction for Stage 2 began on 3 July 2009 with a groundbreaking ceremony at Beauty World Station and became operational on 27 December 2015.^[12][13][14]

Stage 3 of the Downtown Line consists of the original Eastern Region Line that was announced in 2001. The route goes from Chinatown to Expo. The station locations and finalized route were unveiled on 20 August 2010.^[15] Stage 3 of the Downtown line will be 21-kilometre (13 mi) long and serve 16 stations.^[1] It is expected to be completed in 2017.

To serve the line, the Gali Batu Depot was opened in December 2015 to stable 42 trains. It is situated at part of the former Kwong Hou Sua Teochew Cemetery off Woodlands Road.^[16] Also in February that year, the Land Transport Authority announced that the capacity of the depot will be expanded to stable 81 trains by 2019.

Final costs of building the line may reach an estimated about S$20.7 billion, up more than 70% from an initial estimation of S$12 billion.^[17] In January 2013, plans for a southern extension which will run from Expo through the East Coast area, interchanging with the Eastern Region Line were announced for completion by 2025.^[18]

DTL3e was announced on 15 August 2014, in conjunction with the announcement of the Thomson-East Coast MRT Line.^[19] Two stations, Xilin MRT Station and Sungei Bedok MRT Station will be added to the Downtown Line, with Sungei Bedok as an interchange station with the Thomson-East Coast Line. It will add an additional 2.2 km to the line with the extension.^[19] Due in 2024, Stage 3e will join the current East West and future Thomson-East Coast lines that runs through Marine Parade.^[20]

In October 2014, it was announced that Stage 2's opening would be pushed back to the first quarter of 2016. It had to be delayed when main contractor Alpine Bau went bankrupt in mid-2013.^[21]

On 28 June 2015, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew announced that the delay caused by Alpine Bau's insolvency was "completely resolved" by the authorities and Stage 2's opening date was reverted back to 27 December 2015.^[22]

Stations

Active Route Map Information System of Downtown Line

Station Number	Station Name	Interchange/Notes
DT1  BP6	Bukit Panjang	Change for the Bukit Panjang LRT
DT2	Cashew
DT3	Hillview
DT4	Reserved Station	Located at Hume Avenue; Shell Station; Not In Operation
DT5	Beauty World
DT6	King Albert Park
DT7	Sixth Avenue
DT8	Tan Kah Kee
DT9  CC19	Botanic Gardens	Change for the Circle Line
DT10  TE11	Stevens	Change for the Thomson-East Coast Line (2021)
DT11  NS21	Newton	Change for the North South Line
DT12  NE7	Little India	Change for the North East Line
DT13	Rochor
DT14  EW12	Bugis	Change for the East West Line
DT15  CC4	Promenade	Change for the Circle Line
DT16  CE1	Bayfront	Change for the Circle Line
DT17	Downtown
DT18	Telok Ayer
DT19  NE4	Chinatown	Change for the North East Line
Stage 3 (Opening by 2017)
DT20	Fort Canning
DT21	Bencoolen
DT22	Jalan Besar
DT23	Bendemeer
DT24	Geylang Bahru
DT25	Mattar
DT26  CC10	MacPherson	Change for the Circle Line
DT27	Ubi
DT28	Kaki Bukit
DT29	Bedok North
DT30	Bedok Reservoir
DT31	Tampines West
DT32  EW2	Tampines	Change for the East West Line
DT33	Tampines East
DT34	Upper Changi
DT35  CG1	Expo	Change for the East West Line (Changi Airport Branch)
DTL3e (In 2024)
DT36	Xilin
DT37  TE31	Sungei Bedok	Change for the Thomson-East Coast Line (2024)

Rolling stock

A view of the Chinatown station on the Downtown Line platform.

The rolling stock consists of Bombardier MOVIA C951 cars,^[23] running in a three-car formation. They are stabled at Gali Batu Depot after it opened with Stage 2 of Downtown Line on 27 December 2015. For the period between the operation of Downtown Line Stage 1 and Downtown Line Stage 2, trains were stabled at a maintenance facility that was built at Marina Bay as part of the Circle Line project. Kim Chuan Depot housed the Operations Control Centre for the Downtown Line Stage 1 until Gali Batu Depot was ready to be used.^[24]

On 12 October 2012, the first of 11 trains for the Downtown Line Stage 1 arrived at Jurong Port. It was transported to Kim Chuan Depot to undergo testing by LTA before it was handed over to SBS Transit.^[25] As of 28 February 2013, Bombardier had delivered five of the 11 trains for Downtown Line Stage 1.^[26] LTA together with the operator, SBS Transit, conducted the necessary tests to ensure safety standards, functional performance and systems compatibility requirements were met before revenue service began on 22 December 2013.^[3]

Testing on the Downtown Line Stage 2 has begun during operational hours since 25 October 2015 and rolling stock that was delivered to Gali Batu Depot have commenced service on Stage 1 starting on 21 October 2015. Kim Chuan Depot will continue to operate on a minor capacity until new Changi Depot opens.

Train control

The Downtown Line is equipped with Siemens (previously Invensys before Siemens acquisition) Trainguard SiriusCommunications-based train control (CBTC) moving block signalling system with Automatic train control (ATC) under Automatic train operation (ATO) GoA 4 (UTO).^[27][28] The subsystems consist of Automatic train protection (ATP) to govern train speed, Controlguide Rail 9000 Automatic Train Supervision (ATS) to track and schedule trains and Trackquard Westrace MK2 Computer-based interlocking (CBI) system that prevents incorrect signal and track points to be set.

A fall-back signalling system, relying on conventional track-circuit occupancy detection, is included to ensure fully automatic operation and train protection independent of the radio system.

Platform screen doors by Invensys Westinghouse Rail Systems^[29] provide safety for passengers, offering protection from arriving and departing trains.

External links

• Downtown Line

References

1. "Projects - Downtown Line - Stages". Land Transport Authority of Singapore. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
2. "Company Announcement – Incorporation of a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary" (PDF).
3. "Land Transport Masterplan: Downtown Line Stage 1 to open on Dec 22". The Straits Times. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
4. "The Rail Report: 12 Stations of Downtown Line 2 to Open on 27 December". Land Transport Authority. 6 August 2015.
5. "Downtown Line 2 to open ahead of schedule in December: Transport Minister Lui". Channel NewsAsia. 28 June 2015.
6. "MORE TRAINS, MORE CAPACITY, MORE OFTEN", Land Transport Authority
7. LTA Appoints SBS Transit Limited to Operate Downtown Line under New Rail Financing Framework Land Transport Authority – 29 August 2011
8. "Downtown Line". Land Transport Authority. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
9. "Downtown Line Stage 1 officially opened by PM Lee". The Straits Times. 21 December 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
10. Land Transport Authority (24 January 2014). "Circle Line Linking All Lines". The Straits Times. p. 50.
11. "Govt approves S$12b MRT Downtown Line to be built by 2018".
12. "Groundwork begins for new MRT lines", Christopher Tan, The Straits Times, 13 March 2006
13. "LTA unveils locations of DTL stage 2 stations", Christopher Tan, The Straits Times, 15 July 2008
14. "Work on MRT Downtown Line Phase 2 Starts", Tyler Thia, Channel NewsAsia, 3 July 2009
15. Downtown Line 3 Station Locations Unveiled. Land Transport Authority, 20 August 2010
16. "Downtown Line depot to be located off Woodlands Road", Margaret Perry, Channel NewsAsia, 26 February 2008
17. "Downtown Line costs soar by more than 70%", Christopher Tan, The Straits Times, 30 October 2012
18. "TWO NEW RAIL LINES AND THREE NEW EXTENSIONS TO EXPAND RAIL NETWORK BY 2030". Land Transport Authority. January 17, 2013.
19. "Thomson-East Coast Line, connecting North and East, ready by 2024", Saifulbahri Ismail, Channel NewsAsia, 15 August 2014
20. "Downtown Line 3 Extension". Land Transport Authority. 15 August 2014.
21. "Stage 2 of Downtown Line to open in first quarter 2016". TODAYonline. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
22. "Thumbs Up For Downtown Line's Earlier Opening". The Straits Times.
23. LTA Awards 6 Downtown Line Contracts Totalling $1.13 Billion
24. Contract 901QP: Terms of Reference, Land Transport Authority, 9 November 2007 (tender document from www.gebiz.gov.sg)
25. "First Downtown Line train lands in Singapore". Land Transport Authority. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
26. "Shorter Waiting Time With 15 More Trains For Downtown Line". Land Transport Authority. March 28, 2013. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
27. "Invensys Rail secures signalling contract for Singapore's new Downtown Line" (PDF). Retrieved 21 August 2016.
28. "Press Releases > Siemens-equipped driverless underground metro line in Singapore starts operations for Downtown Line 1 > Siemens-equipped driverless underground metro line in Singapore starts operations for Downtown Line 1". Retrieved 21 August 2016.
29. https://www.lta.gov.sg/apps/news/page.aspx?c=2&id=2040