Sengkang West LRT line resumes full service on Oct 4 after six-month closure for upgrades
The inner loop was to facilitate upgrades to the Sengkang-Punggol LRT depot.
Full train service on the Sengkang West LRT line will resume two weeks sooner than planned on October 4, six months after the inner loop underwent upgrades to the Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) depot. The depot, originally spanning 3.5 hectares, has been under expansion since 2022 and will eventually reach 11.1 hectares by 2027 to accommodate a larger fleet of light rail vehicles for increased ridership.
In the meantime, a free off-peak ride scheme for north-eastern Singapore commuters will be extended until December 26, 2027.
First introduced in December 2025, the scheme enables passengers to board for free during off-peak hours at SPLRT stations or six North East Line (NEL) stations. While the initial goal was to encourage a 7% shift in travel times, 10% of commuters already took advantage of the offer. Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling expressed hope that the extension would further incentivize off-peak rail travel to address capacity issues.
The NEL is one of Singapore's busiest rail lines, connecting residents in the north-eastern part of the island to the city center. SBS Transit reported a 1.5% increase in daily passenger trips on the line, averaging 602,000 rides each day, compared to 151,000 on the SPLRT. As the populations of Sengkang and Punggol swell to over 450,000 people, both rail lines frequently experience crowding during peak hours.
To alleviate congestion and enhance network capacity, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced plans to add eight third-generation, two-car light rail vehicles to the SPLRT fleet. By 2030, this addition will bring the total number of two-car vehicles to 41, increasing the line's capacity by 30%. Currently, there are 25 third-generation vehicles being delivered to replace the aging first-generation fleet, which consists of 25 one-car models and eight two-car variants. The remaining eight second-generation, two-car models will continue to serve passengers.
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