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The only choices of public transport available in Singapore during the 1965 were buses, taxis and trishaws and the lack of seamless connectivity of these transport system lead to inconvenient journeys.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_MRT_(Singapore)#:~:text=At%20the%20time%2C%20it%20was,mooted%20in%20the%20late%201960s.

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History of the MRT (Singapore) - Wikipedia

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Singapore started to make changes to their transport systems by the consolidation of bus services, the introduction of bus priority lanes. This help Singapore to have a more united bus system

The trains system were also being planed at this time by Singapore .(phase 2)

https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=319cadae-e684-41bc-b7b6-3bd4b06437d2#:~:text=Phase%20two%20of%20the%20study,to%20an%20all%2Dbus%20system.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0739885904090092#:~:text=Section%20snippets,THE%20VEHICLE%20QUOTA%20SYSTEM

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the introduction of air conditioning in buses and one-man operations made it a more comfortable way of transportation and lesser people to operate the bus.

The first MRT station to be completed, Toa Payoh, had already been topped out on August 5, 1985.

https://landtransportguru.net/bus-operators/sbs-transit/

https://www.roots.gov.sg/stories-landing/stories/the-mass-rapid-transit/story

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Fueling the future

Just 2 years after Singapore's independence, in 1967, a study was done by the Singapore State and City Planning Department and the United Nations Development Programme. It projected a population of 3.4 million by 1992 and that called for a better road network, and an efficient public transport system to cope with the increasing population.

The Singapore Mass Transit Study

As Singapore entered a new decade, traffic congestion had worsened and it became crucial to find solutions to ease the congestion. In 1972, the government sent a team of consultants and officers to start the Singapore Mass Transit Study. In its first phase, the team recommended an investment in public transportation, in particular for a rail mass transit, as the best solution to cope with the travel demands.

The second phase of the study showed that a bus-rail system was far superior to an all-bus system - economically, financially, and technically. However, whether or not to construct an MRT system was a difficult decision to make, due to the high costs and possible impacts on land use and economic activities.

The final phase of this study, conducted between 1979 and 1980, provided the first designs for the recommended transit system. With this blueprint, a Provisional Mass Rapid Transit Authority was appointed in 1980 to start the first preparations for building a possible MRT system.

Light at the end of the tunnel

In May 1982, after an extensive study, the government was convinced that Singapore would greatly benefit from an MRT system and decided to build and completely finance the S$5-billion project.

Then Minister for Communications, Ong Teng Cheong, announced the decision and revealed that the MRT system would not only improve public commuting significantly, but also draw in more investors in the long run, and increase the land value in the country.

On the right track

In 1983, MRT Corporation replaced the Provisional MRT Authority and took charge of constructing and operating the MRT system. In 1987, the operations of the system were handed over to a new company called Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) Ltd.

The initial MRT system was to be 67 km long, across three lines with 42 stations: North-South Line from Yishun to Marina Bay; East-West Line from Pasir Ris to Boon Lay; and the Western Line between Jurong Town and Bukit Panjang.

The North-South Line was the first section to be constructed because this part of the city had the most commuters and congestion.

All aboard!

On 7 November 1987, a five-station segment from Toa Payoh to Yio Chu Kang opened its doors to the first passengers. Thousands of curious Singaporeans came to try out the MRT on the first day alone. A month later, on 12 December 1987, nine more stations were added from Novena to Outram Park.

Then Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, officially launched the MRT system on 12 March 1988. By April, the MRT had already become a daily mode of transport for at least 200,000 people.

Connecting every corner of Singapore

In 1996, a 16-km extension to Woodlands began serving passengers. The North East Line from Punggol through busy downtown to Harbourfront opened in 2003. The Circle Line opened all its stations in October 2011 and the Downtown Line was completed in October 2017. The Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) is projected to be completely up and running by 2023.

The government announced in 2020 that a total of S$87.5 billion had been set aside for new rail projects in the next decade, which will include even more lines and stations to boost the transport system even further.

It's hard to imagine Singapore without this world-class public transport system. MRT stations have now become their own landmarks, featuring avant-garde architecture, international art installations from renowned artistes, and even serve as unique Instagram-worthy public spaces.

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It's hard to imagine Singapore without the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT). With over 148 km of rail across 106 stations, an estimated 3 million people commute to work, school and other destinations on a daily basis.

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Singapore made more direct routes for their buses and also made a cut in the waiting time also.

The opening of the east-west line and the north-south lines in the 1980s and 1990s was to improve the efficiency of the mrt transport systems across Singapore

https://www.irbnet.de/daten/iconda/CIB5864.pdf#:~:text=The%20main%20story%20of%20the%20MRT%20development,to%20a%20world%20class%20land%20transport%20system.

https://telescope.gov.sg/transcript/17245#:~:text=This%20PQ%20from%201995%20addresses%20improvements%20to,better%20driving%20and%20service%20from%20bus%20drivers.

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Trains : the were was an opening of Punggol LRT expanding the network to 15 stations.this lead to the expansion of more stations.

Buses: the first 150 wheelchair-accessible double-decker buses were ordered in 2005.

https://www.sbstransit.com.sg/milestones#:~:text=Service%20160%20was%20launched%20as,were%20opened%20for%20passenger%20service.

https://blog.sgtrains.com/2024/12/2024-year-in-review/#:~:text=Teck%20Lee%20(PW2)%20station%20on%20the%20Punggol,since%20the%20station%20was%20built%20in%202005.&text=These%20R151%20trains%20will%20eventually%20replace%20all,first%20launched%20in%201995%20and%202000%2C%20respectively.

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Buses : Singapore introduced about 80 new bus services and added 1000 buses, aiming to increase service frequency and cover more areas.

Trains:

New, more spacious trains were introduced, and existing trains underwent refurbishment. Creating newer and more comfortable trains.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_MRT_(Singapore)#:~:text=Since%20the%202000s%20and%20beyond,elderly%20or%20people%20with%20disabilities.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/3-new-bus-services-in-toa-payoh-tampines-and-whampoa-to-be-rolled-out-by-june#:~:text=A%20total%20of%2043%20existing%20services%20have,of%20bus%20trips%20or%20expanding%20their%20coverage.

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SINGAPORE - Three new bus services that will ply the estates of Tampines, Whampoa and Toa Payoh will be launched by June, under a bus service enhancement programme to better connect residents to transport nodes and key amenities.

These services are being rolled out under a $900 million initiative to improve public bus connectivity launched in July 2024.

Service 299 will operate daily between Tampines North Bus Interchange and Tampines Street 96 from April 27, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a statement on April 7.

This will provide residents with a direct connection to the interchange and key amenities, such as Our Tampines Hub, and call at bus stops at Tampines MRT station, St Hilda's Secondary School and Temasek Polytechnic.

In a Facebook post on April 7, Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said the introduction of service 299 will benefit residents of the new housing developments in Tampines South, taking them to Tampines Bus Interchange and MRT station, and amenities in the town centre.

The other new service is 21X, which will operate between Whampoa and Novena from April 28. The service will provide a faster connection to Novena MRT station for residents in the Whampoa area, LTA said.

The loop service will start and end at St Michael's Bus Terminal, with stops along Jalan Bahagia, Kim Keat Road, Thomson Road - where Novena MRT station is located - and Jalan Tenteram. It will supplement service 21 and serve selected stops, LTA added.

Service 21X will operate on weekdays, excluding public holidays, during the morning and evening peak periods.

Both services 299 and 21X will be operated by SBS Transit.

The third new service, 230M, will serve residents of Kim Keat Avenue. The route will take them to Toa Payoh Bus Interchange and MRT station, LTA said.

Mr Chee, an MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, said the introduction of service 230M will make it more convenient for Kim Keat Avenue residents to travel to Toa Payoh Bus Interchange and MRT station.

The launch of the service is based on feedback from residents and fellow Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MP Saktiandi Supaat, Mr Chee said.

LTA also announced additional trips on City Direct service 671 between Sengkang and the Central Business District, and adjustments to an existing service, 292, to ply Tampines Street 11 in both directions.

It said the adjustments to services 671 and 292 will be made by June. Service 230M is expected to be rolled out around the same time. More details will be shared closer to the implementation of these changes, LTA added.

Residents living in these areas mostly welcomed the new services, although some suggested further improvements.

Tampines North resident Elliszuwani Mohamad Ali, 27, said the new service 299 may shorten the time needed to travel between her home and Tampines MRT station.

The journey, which covers four stops, currently takes close to 10 minutes on existing bus services 129 and 298. In comparison, the nurse will be able to reach Tampines MRT station in just one stop on the new service 299.

But Ms Elliszuwani pointed out that service 299 does not go into Tampines Bus Interchange, and the route for pedestrians to get to the MRT station or bus interchange is not completely sheltered.

Ms Rene Koh, 50, agreed, adding that the bus stops near Tampines MRT station - which the new service 299 will call at - are "too small" and cannot adequately shelter passengers from heavy rain.

Whampoa resident Jeffrey Lim, 60, said the supplementary bus service 21X would be very helpful for residents in the area, especially the elderly, as it could potentially reduce the time taken to travel to Novena MRT station.

The restaurant manager said he currently prefers taking other buses that ply more direct routes to the MRT station, instead of the existing service 21, which loops around the Whampoa estate.

He hopes the new service 21X will cut down the current journey time of 20 minutes, as the number of bus stops has been reduced.

The authority said it will continue to spend its resources "prudently" as it continues to grow the bus network.

"LTA will monitor travel patterns and feedback from the community, and adjust bus services as needed to serve commuters across different parts of Singapore."

So far, 11 new services have been launched under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme since July 2024 to improve connectivity to estates across the island, Mr Chee noted.

Services 299 and 21X are among the first of 15 bus services that will be added in 2025.

A total of 43 existing services have also been enhanced, Mr Chee noted, by increasing the frequency of bus trips or expanding their coverage.

Vanessa Paige Chelvan is a correspondent at The Straits Times. She writes about all things transport and pens the occasional commentary.

Esther Loi is a journalist at The Straits Times, where she covers transport issues.

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3 new bus services in Toa Payoh, Tampines and Whampoa to be rolled out by June

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They are the first of 15 new bus services expected to be launched in 2025. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Trains : Plans are in the works for new MRT lines, including the Tengah and Seletar Lines, which could be operational in the 2040s.

Buses :Singapore aims to improve bus connectivity, reduce crowding, and shorten waiting times. And make newer routes that cover more distance.

https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/newsroom/2025/4/news-releases/more_improvements_under_bcep.html#:~:text=Planned%20Enhancements%20under%20the%20BCEP,across%20different%20parts%20of%20Singapore.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/two-new-mrt-lines-under-study-jurong-region-line-extension-in-west-coast-to-proceed#:~:text=It%20will%20also%20add%20to,still%20at%20an%20early%20stage.