MRT line will have 16 new stations over 16km linking suburbs to city

The Paya Lebar interchange station on the CCL will allow commuters to bypass City Hall and Raffles Place interchanges to get to the city and northern parts of Singapore. --PHOTO: LTA

THE next leg of the MRT Circle Line, which connects the suburbs to the downtown area, will open on April 17.
Transport Minister Raymond Lim made the announcement on Tuesday morning at a visit to the line's Stadium and Paya Lebar stations. The 11km stretch from Tai Seng in Paya Lebar to Dhoby Ghaut via the Suntec area consists of 11 stations. They join a 5km, five-station leg linking Marymount to Bartley which opened last year.
Minister Lim said with this half of the Circle Lim opened, commuters will enjoy significant time-savings. The latest stretch of the orbital line offers train commuters a new interchange: Paya Lebar, which links the Circle Line to the East-West Line.
This allows residents living in the north, north-east and east to head to the city and back without having to pass the busy City Hall and Raffles interchanges. Likewise, commuters travelling between satellite towns can bypass the two hubs, opting to change trains at either Dhoby Ghaut or Paya Lebar. Other operational interchanges on the Circle Line the Serangoon and Bishan stations.
Mr Lim said the rest of the 33km Circle Line will open next year. This final stretch links the northern and western parts of Singapore, with stops at notable places such as Botanic Gardens, Holland Village, and HarbourFront.
The Land Transport Authority expects Circle Line ridership to soar from April 17: from an average 30,000 rides per day today to 200,000.