CRL - A snapshot in July 2026

A compilation of the various sites across Phases 1 and 2 in July 2026.

With the announcement of the Cross Island Line (CRL)'s final phase on 31 July 2026, we now know that the line will stretch for 67km, making this line the longest in the country - beating out the East-West Line (EWL)'s record of 54km by a fair bit. This means that the CRL is a really big project, spanning end-to-end across the entire country. While the EWL also crosses the island from east to west, it mostly sticks to the southern section of the island. In comparison, the CRL swings further north and south than the EWL, making its route much more varied and spread out. This translates into it being much more difficult to easily visit and keep track of all contract sites.

For this update, we tried to cover as much ground as we could to give you an idea of where the line stands in progress. As phase 3 was only announced right at the end of the month, we won't be yet including that section in this update. Nonetheless, all the previous phases of the line that were officially announced are covered in this update in some way, form or manner. There's a lot to unpack, so jump right on in after the jump.

CR151 - Preview of the CRL trains

 

31 July 2026 - The first two train sets for the Cross Island Line during the unveiling ceremony
at the Singapore Rail Test Centre.

Interior colours chosen from the online poll conducted during the public design consultation.
Cars 1 and 6 will feature light blue, Cars 2 and 5 will feature green & Cars 3 and 4 will feature
dark blue schemes respectively.

Today, SgMC was at the Singapore Rail Test Centre (SRTC). The visit was premised under the pretext of the Transport Minister's visit to view the testing of Cross Island Line (CRL) trains in Singapore. During his opening speech for the visit, the Minister also unveiled the alignment and locations of stations & depot for the final phase of the CRL. There will be a separate post on that. In this post, we'll tackle the things that we're sure you're eagerly awaiting for - the design features of the CRL trains. You may recall that the LTA had solicited for the public's opinion on certain design features for the CRL trains. We're bringing you along on this visit to the trains that were on display in static mode at the SRTC today.

Special thanks to Land Transport Authority (LTA) for the invite.

CRL1, CPE & CRL2 - Tunneling update for June

January 2026 - Factory Acceptance Test for contract CR203 tunnel boring machines in China.
Source: LinkedIn

June was quite a significant month for the Cross Island Line (CRL)'s tunneling works. Significant progress has been made along Phase 1 and along the Punggol Extension. We take a look at the some of the contracts where tunneling works made progress in the month of June.

CR151 - The first train arrives

Source: Land Transport Authority (LTA)

Today, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced that the first Cross Island Line (CRL) trainset under contract CR151 had reached Singapore's shores. Upon arrival, the train will be transported to the Singapore Rail Test Centre (SRTC) in Tuas for testing & integration works. Similar tests were conducted there for the Circle Line (CCL)'s new batch of third generation trains under contract 851E. Did you manage to catch some of the details from the video that LTA put up? Here's what SGMC has uncovered after a closer look (after the jump).

CRL2 - A snapshot in March 2026

Overview of CRL2 stations CR19 - CR15 & contract CR210 & CR207 sites as at March 2026.
Top (L - R): CR19 - Jurong Lake District, CR210 launch shaft
Middle (L - R): CR18 - West Coast, CR17 - Clementi, CR207 launch shaft
Bottom (L - R): CR16 - Maju, CR15 - King Albert Park

Phase 2 of the Cross Island Line (CRL) is fast approaching road diversion season. In fact, this section of the line may have already crossed the threshold into the road diversion territory, with the first major diversion having taken place at the Maju station site. Nonetheless, other sites are likewise gearing up for their diversion-eras as well. Which sites are these and which roads will be diverted? Find out all that & more after the jump!

CRL - A snapshot in August 2025

Overview of CRL1 stations CR3 - CR10 as at August 2025.
Top (L - R): CR3 - Loyang, CR4 - Pasir Ris East
Middle (L - R): CR5/CP1 - Pasir Ris, CR8 - Hougang
Bottom (L - R): CR9 - Serangoon North, CR10 – Tavistock

Overview of CRL1 station CR11 & CRL2 stations CR17 - CR19 as at August 2025.
Top (L - R): CR11 – Ang Mo Kio, CR207 - Launch shaft
Middle (L - R): CR17 - Clementi, CR18 - West Coast
Bottom (L - R): CR210 - Launch shaft, CR19 - Jurong Lake District

Roughly about three-quarters into the year, how has progress been along the Cross Island Line? We take a closer look at some of the key sites along the line in both phases 1 and 2 in this August look-back.

CRL - A snapshot in July 2025

Overview of CRL1 works under contracts CR106 - CR117 as at July 2025.
Top (L - R): CR106 - Loyang, CR4 - Pasir Ris East, CR5/CP1 - Pasir Ris, CR6 - Tampines North
Middle (L - R): CR110 – Large diameter tunnel, CR7 - Defu, CR8 - Hougang, CR9 - Serangoon North
Bottom (L - R): CR10 – Tavistock, CR11 – Ang Mo Kio, CR12 - Teck Ghee, CR13 - Bright Hill

There's a fair bit to update in this snapshot of the Cross Island Line (CRL) for July 2025. This update will mainly focus on progress along phase 1 of the line, the section with the most progress thus far due to the section's earlier announcement, contract award and commencement in general. Nonetheless, tunneling is also underway across all announced phases thus far, so we will touch a little on the progress made on that front thus far. All this & more after the jump.

CRL2 Groundbreaking ceremony

7 July 2025 - A group photo with contractors of CRL2.

Today, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the official commencement of construction on phase 2 of the Cross Island Line (CRL). Connecting 6 stations over 15km of track, the section of line will see the expansion of Singapore's rail network reach areas in the west currently not well covered by the system. Notably, the future housing estate on the site of the former turf club will be served by the MRT and residents at West Coast will have a station to call their own. Also standing to benefit, students at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) will be served by the upcoming Maju station. Stations along this section of the line are Turf City, King Albert Park, Maju, Clementi, West Coast and Jurong Lake District. King Albert Park and Clementi stations will connect to the existing Downtown and East-West lines respectively, allowing convenient transfers for commuters.

Early works under the 9 contracts that make up phase 2 have already commenced, thus today's ceremony is more symbolic in nature. Some of the works that have begun include the demolition of existing structures at the project sites, utility diversions and construction of diaphragm walls for sections where excavation works will be required. The 9 contracts consist of 3 contracts for tunneling between stations and 6 contracts for the construction of stations, some which also include the construction of connecting tunnels.

A total of 11 tunnel boring machines (TBMs) will be required to complete tunneling works along this section of the line, one of which is already busy at work under contract CR202. TBM Jane, launched in May 2025, is a large diameter TBM that will construct the tunnels connecting Turf City station with Bright Hill station on phase 1 of the line. This tunnel will undercross the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) without disturbing the surface, a decision that was not undertaken lightly when the line was first planned. Due to concerns from nature groups and other communities, studies were initiated to weigh the benefits of pursuing the direct route over an alternative route avoiding the CCNR entirely. Ultimately, following the studies conducted, the direct route through the CCNR was selected, albeit with some adjustments to the work areas to mitigate impact to the flora and fauna found within the reserve.

In addition to the symbolic start of construction along the second phase, the Minister for Transport - Mr. Jeffrey Siow - also officiated the opening of the phase's Project Information Centre (PIC). Located in Clementi and next to the project site, the PIC serves to allow the community to learn more about the project and its development. On display is a model of the upcoming Clementi station and exhibits of the contracts under this phase of the line. Similar PICs exist in Hougang for Phase 1 of the line and in Punggol for the Punggol extension section.

7 July 2025 - Opening plaque

The PIC will be open to the public from 8 July 2025. Operating hours will be 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday. Walk-ins are allowed, but booking an appointment through a link to be released is encouraged.

We look forward to the continued progress along CRL2 with the phase officially underway. May the project be completed safely & in a timely manner.

CR208 - Clementi EWL A&A works for paid transfers

Brochure for contract CR208's Clementi station.

A common hot topic question that has been asked many times has been - will Clementi station feature paid transfers between the East-West Line (EWL) and Cross Island Line (CRL)? The answers are simple and yet complex at the same time. If one were to look at the system map, the interchange symbols at Clementi station indicate an integrated interchange that does not require a tap out transfer, unlike those clearly demarcated at Riviera, Tampines, Newton and Bukit Panjang stations. Now that we've gotten that first clue out of the way, we come to the more complex question - how will the paid transfers be done then?

CRL2 - A snapshot in January 2025

A view of the various contract sites for Cross Island Line phase 2 in January 2025.
Top: Contract CR207 along Clementi Road
Middle (L - R): CR17 - Clementi station, CR18 - West Coast station
Bottom (L - R): Contract CR210 site near Jurong Town Hall station, CR19 - Jurong Lake District

Our last summary update for phase 2 of the Cross Island Line (CRL) was some time ago. With the recent public holidays in the previous month, we managed to make a few visits to some of the sites along the southern section of this line. Do check out the updates to find out more on the progress of the contracts thus far after the jump!

CR202 - A large TBM for a large tunnel

 

A view of the front of the TBM.
Source: Herrenknecht

Recently, German tunnel boring machine (TBM) manufacturer - Herrenknecht - uploaded several images of the machine numbered S-1365 onto its website. The TBM will be used for contract CR202 to construct the large diameter single bore tunnel through the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, connecting Cross Island Line (CRL)'s phases 1 and 2. The contract, won by a joint venture between Obayashi & Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co, was the first of several CRL2 contracts to be awarded.

CR108, CR115 & CR205 - Traffic diversions & temporary road closures

A compilation of diagrams detailing upcoming road diversions, temporary road closures &
changes to the road networks over the weekend of 16 & 17 November near 3 CRL work sites.

The weekend of 16 & 17 November will be a busy one for the Cross Island Line (CRL) with various traffic diversions, temporary road closures & changes to road schemes taking place across three different projects over 2 phases of the line. The works in particular will affect residents in Pasir Ris at the site of contract CR108, in Ang Mo Kio near site CR115 at Tavistock station and at King Albert Park at the site of CR205.

CR211 - Further information

A screenshot from the webinar, showing Jurong Lake District station's Exit 3 design.

A recent webinar held online by the Bentley to market building information modeling software Synchro allowed viewers to obtain some additional information on Jurong Lake District station under contract CR211. The Cross Island Line (CRL) phase 2 station will be built with an initial 3 exits and two cut & cover tunnel sections on either side of the station. These are known as the Western Cut & Cover Tunnel (WCCT) and Eastern Cut & Cover Tunnel (ECCT).

CR211 - Telegram channel launch, CR115 - TBM launch & CR112 - TBMs named

 

A render of the Jurong Lake District station being built under contract CR211.
Source: LTA

20 September 2024 - The launching ceremony for tunneling under contract CR115.
Source: LinkedIn

Tunnel boring machines for contract CR112.
Source: Forms.sg

We have a quick update on some developments along the Cross Island Line (CRL) to share: The launch of contract CR211's Telegram channel & TBM #1 for contract CR115 and confirmed names of the tunnel boring machines (TBMs) for contract CR112. More information after the jump.

CR203 - New Turf City station renders

 

Layout of Turf City station and its exits.
Source: STEC

Contract CR203 for the construction of Turf City station was one of the last to be awarded for the second phase of the Cross Island Line (CRL). Since the contract's award in May 2024, contractor Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co (STEC) has since uploaded some images of the station onto its website, including new renders of the station's exterior & interior.

CR202 - Cross Island Line Biodiversity Training Centre

 

27 July 2024 - A view of the front of the training centre with the project site behind the white
noise barriers.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) launched visits to the Cross Island Line (CRL)'s contract CR202 Biodiversity Training Centre (BTC) on 16th July 2024. The team subsequently made a visit to the BTC where one could learn a bit more about the contract and the special training that workers undergo before being deployed to the project. The contract for the construction of the large diameter single bore tunnel involves tunneling through the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR), an environmentally sensitive section of the country where wildlife thrives. In view of this, additional training is required to allow workers at the site to pick up knowledge on practices to minimise impact on the environment, animals and plants near the work site.

If you're interested to visit the BTC, you can sign up here: https://go.gov.sg/crl-btc

CRL - A snapshot in July 2024

Overview of CRL1 contracts CR102 - CR115 as of July 2024.
Top (L - R):  CR102 - Tunnels at Changi East, CR4 - Pasir Ris East, CR5/CP1 - Pasir Ris
Middle (L - R): CR6 - Tampines North, CR110 – Large diameter tunnel, CR7 - Defu
Bottom (L - R): CR8 - Hougang, CR9 - Serangoon North, CR10 – Tavistock 

Overview of CRL1 contracts CR116 & N109A, CPE contracts P102 - P103 & CRL2 contracts
CR205 - CR211 as at July 2024.
Top (L - R): CR11 - Ang Mo Kio, CR12 - Teck Ghee, CP2 - Elias
Middle (L - R): P103 Cripple siding, CR15 - King Albert Park, CR16 - Maju
Bottom (L - R): CR17 - Clementi, CR18 - West Coast, CR19 - Jurong Lake District

July was a momentous month for the Cross Island Line (CRL). All civil contracts for the construction of stations across phases 1, 2 and the Punggol extension were awarded. Along phase 1, several contracts were in the midst of Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) assembly and subsequent launch as well. In this update, we take a brief look at the progress made across the line's first few phases.

CRL2 - Contract CR211 awarded

 

A render of one of the station's three exits.
Source: LTA

A render of the station's concourse level.
Source: LTA

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) today announced the award of contract CR211 for the construction of Jurong Lake District and cut & cover tunnels on either end of the station to KTC Civil Engineering & Construction Pte Ltd. The contractor is also responsible for Maju station on the Cross Island Line (CRL)'s phase 2 as well, under contract CR206. KTC successfully beat out 6 other contractors that bid for the contract, including 1 that was not shortlisted.

CR206 - Preparation works for Maju's construction

 

23 June 2024 - An aerial view to the north of the Maju station site.

23 June 2024 - An aerial view to the south of the Maju station site.

Contract CR206 was the fifth civil contract awarded for the Cross Island Line (CRL)'s phase 2 following the contracts for the large diameter single bored tunnel through the nature reserve, King Albert Park, Clementi & West Coast stations. The award of the contract was announced in end-January this year, with works expected to commence in Q2 of the year. The site has been used thus far for contract CR2016, which is an advanced works contract to relocate utility lines and pipes. The remainder of these works still appear to be going on at the main site of the station's location.

CRL1/CPE/CRL2 - Official Telegram channel listing

 

Unveiled sections of the Cross Island Line as of July 2024.
Source: LTA

With more contracts under the Cross Island Line (CRL)'s phase 2 being awarded, several new Telegram channels have been established to provide residents & stakeholders with updates on construction works. We felt that it was timely to provide a renewed update on the blog as well, for ease of reference should you wish to join the official channels. These groups allow the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and contractors to quickly disseminate information when necessary - for instance, when a road diversion is due to be implemented - allowing stakeholders time to receive the information and understand the changes coming in their vicinity.

CRL Phase	Contract	Telegram group available
CRL 1	CR101	O
	CR102	P
	CR103	P
	CR105	P
	CR106	P
	CR107	P
	CR108	P
	CR109	P
	CR110	P
	CR111	P
	CR112	P
	CR113	P
	CR115	P
	CR116	P
	N109A	P
	CR117	P
CRL Punggol Extension	P102	P
	P103	P
	P105	P
CRL 2	CR202	P
	CR203	O
	CR205	P
	CR206	P
	CR208	P
	CR209	P
	CR210	O