Cross Island Line Phase 3 revealed: Four stations, two interchanges, and up to 50 minutes saved for western commuters

SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority has unveiled the alignment and station locations for Phase 3 of the Cross Island Line (CRL), the final stage of Singapore’s eighth and longest fully underground MRT line, extending the CRL westwards from Jurong Lake District to Gul Circle across approximately 10 km.

CRL3 will comprise four underground stations (CR20, CR21, CR22, and CR23) with two serving as interchange stations. CR21 will connect to the Jurong Region Line at JS12 station, while CR23 at Gul Circle will connect to the East-West Line. When completed, commuters travelling to and from the western parts of Singapore can expect travel time savings of up to 50 minutes.

Construction is expected to commence in 2027, with stations targeted to open by the late 2030s. Together with other ongoing rail expansion projects, CRL3 will bring Singapore’s total rail network to more than 360 km.

As part of CRL3, a second CRL rail depot of approximately 23 hectares will be built at the former Raffles Country Club site, co-located with a multi-storey bus depot providing parking, charging, and maintenance facilities for public buses.

To facilitate construction and related road works, the Government will acquire seven industrial properties in full, with eight others partially acquired, largely affecting ancillary features such as green verges and boundary fences. The Singapore Land Authority has gazetted the acquisitions and will work closely with affected parties through the process.

Noise and vibration impact studies will be conducted before construction begins, with LTA committing to work with stakeholders to implement mitigation measures addressing construction noise, dust, safety, and traffic concerns.

The full CRL picture

CRL3 completes the full Cross Island Line, which at approximately 67 km will be Singapore’s longest fully underground MRT line when finished. The line will serve major hubs including Changi, Punggol Digital District, Jurong Lake District, and Tuas, while providing additional travel options that reduce crowding across the broader rail network. Daily ridership is projected at at least 600,000 in the initial years, growing to one million over time.

Phase 1, spanning 29 km with 12 stations, is on track for completion by 2030. The CRL-Punggol Extension and CRL Phase 2 are both targeted for 2032. An approximately 6 km extension from CR2 to Changi Terminal 5 is also underway.

Minister Jeffrey Siow, who unveiled the plans, noted that the full line would bring meaningful benefits to residents and workers in Taman Jurong and the western industrial estates, and reflected on the years of work across multiple teams that a project of this scale requires.

Netizens react

The announcement drew warm responses from commuters, particularly those who remember what western connectivity looked like before the MRT era.

“This is amazing news for commuters! Can’t wait to see the full line open and enjoy the 50-minute travel time savings,” one commenter wrote.

Another shared a historical perspective that put the improvement in sharp relief: “Just imagine our time when we had to take more than two hours by bus to get to work at Tuas in the 1990s. Really a great improvement and time savings for workers.”

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