SMRT teams up with Chinese rail operator for joint bid to operate Cross Island Line
SMRT Trains had previously bid to operate the CRL by itself.
Rail operator SMRT Trains has teamed up with China’s Guangzhou Metro Group (GMG) to bid for the operation of the upcoming Cross Island Line (CRL) in Singapore. This joint bid comes as the authorities reopen tenders for the city-state’s longest fully underground rail line. SMRT chairman Seah Moon Ming highlighted GMG’s extensive experience in using a fixed overhead conductor rail power system, which will be utilized on the CRL.
The Chinese operator operates a network with a daily ridership of over nine million passengers, roughly three times that of Singapore’s MRT network. Both companies signed an agreement in June to collaborate for the bid. The CRL, spanning 67km across 27 stations from Changi Airport Terminal 5 to Gul Circle, will be Singapore’s eighth MRT line, with the final phase serving western industrial estates and improving connectivity across the island.
Despite previous tenders for the line’s operator in May 2023, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) opted not to award a contract in November 2024, citing insufficient reflection of uncertainties in operating the line. SMRT Trains is also partnering with GMG on a joint facility at Bishan Depot for testing new innovations before larger-scale deployment.
The lab is currently evaluating three systems developed by GMG, including one that utilizes fare gate data and artificial intelligence to manage crowds and schedule trains more proactively.
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