Marking the start of a new year, let’s check out what 2025 has in store for public transport!
Travel Smart Journeys
Travel Smart Journeys Schemes will be relaunched in January 2025, offering up to 80% fare discounts to encourage morning-peak commuters to switch from the North East Line (NEL) to alternative bus routes.
Opening of Singapore Rail Test Centre
Projected to open in this year, Singapore will be home to the first railway testing facility in Southeast Asia – The Singapore Rail Test Centre. The facility will be used to test rolling stock and rail subsystems for the Singapore MRT network and free up engineering hours on active rail lines.
New MRT Stations and Integrated Transport Hubs
Hume MRT Station along the Downtown Line will open in the 2nd Quarter of 2025.
Construction work of the RTS Link to link Woodlands North MRT Station with the new RTS Link station will commence in 2025. Installation of rail systems, including trackwork, signalling, power supply and communication systems, are ongoing. New RTS Link trains, which are built by CRRC Zhuzhou, may also arrive in 2025.
TE30 Bedok South, TE31DT37 Sungei Bedok and DT36 Xilin stations have been delayed to open in 2026 due to challenges brought by the pandemic, and other construction challenges brought about by tunnelling close to existing critical infrastructure. Similarly, Kim Chuan Depot Extension is also delayed until 2026.
Pasir Ris Integrated Transport Hub is slated to open in 2025. The new air-conditioned interchange is integrated with Pasir Ris Mall.
While Woodleigh Bus Interchange and Punggol Coast Integrated Transport Hub appear substantially complete, no firm opening dates have been announced for these interchanges.
Upgraded Commuter Infrastructure
The LTA will invest around $1 billion over the next decade in support of Walk, Cycle, Ride journeys. Part of this upgrade will be spent on upgrading and implementing senior-friendly features at more bus stops – such as additional seats with arm and backrests. To improve barrier-free access, more covered linkways will be built near MRT stations, and more pedestrian overhead bridges will be retrofitted with lifts.
New Trains
The delivery of Hyundai Rotem J151 trains for the Jurong Region Line is anticipated to begin this year, having been delayed from 2024. 62 trains, each consisting of three cars, have been ordered.
New Mitsubishi Crystal Mover (C810D) light rail vehicles for the Sengkang/Punggol LRT will enter service in Q3 2025. These 3rd-generation vehicles will eventually replace the existing 1st-generation C810 vehicles.
Other Rail Projects
LTA is currently refitting all Downtown Line C951 trains with upgraded Dynamic Route Map Displays. Works will be completed in 2025. [Link]
On the Circle Line, all 64 1st- and 2nd-generation trains (Alstom Metropolis C830 / C830C) trains will be fitted with platform gap fillers by 2025. [Link]
Works to connect the existing East West Line with the East Coast Integrated Depot are still ongoing. Another long closure of the EWL will take place in 2025, similar to the 4-Day Closure in December 2024. In addition, works are still ongoing to construct a new platform and additional rail viaducts at Tanah Merah station (Contract T315), which was originally projected for completion in 2024.
New 3-door Electric Buses
As the Government aims for 1 in 2 public buses to be electric by 2030, this bold electrification target has set the stage for a rapid intake of electric buses over the next few years.
New BYD BC12A04 and Zhongtong N12 electric buses are being delivered and will continue to be progressively deployed for passenger service in 2025. While BYD buses entered service in 2024, the Zhongtong buses have yet to enter service.
Several new electric demonstrator bus models spotted in Singapore earlier could also enter revenue service trials in 2025, as more bus manufacturers aim to establish a presence in Singapore in line with LTA’s aggressive bus electrification rollout:
- BYD B12DS
- CRRC eD12
- Zhongtong LCK6126EVGS (N12D)
- King Long XMQ6127
LTA will also complete the ongoing mid-life refurbishment of 630 diesel buses in 2025.
New Bus Services
Under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP), the Government plans to speed up the introduction of new bus services. More new bus services are expected to be launched in 2025.
City Direct 675, 676, 677, and 678 will be launched on 2 January, and Bus Service 967 will be launched on 12 January. Bus Service 230 will also be extended to Caldecott and Toa Payoh Lorong 7/8 from February.
Bus Contracting
The second tendered package term for the Seletar Bus Package (PT219) will commence on 16 March 2025, with SBS Transit continuing as the incumbent operator. SBS Transit was awarded the contract in July 2024.
LTA will also likely award the Tampines Bus Package in 2025. The package was put up for tender in December 2024, in which the tender will close in April 2025 (subject to any extensions).
New Bus Depots
Sengkang West Bus Depot will be commissioned in 2025. The five-storey bus depot is Singapore’s first depot outfitted to support the large-scale deployment of electric buses, and includes on-site staff quarters that provide accommodation for transport workers. The depot will also replace part of the operations at SBST Ang Mo Kio Bus Depot, which is slated for demolition.
Construction of Gali Batu Bus Depot will also likely be completed in 2025.
Lorong Halus Bus Depot will begin construction in 2025. The LTA will likely also award construction contracts for Pasir Panjang and Simpang Bus Depots in 2025.
C151 Train Decommissioning
SMRT aims to decommission all remaining first-generation Kawasaki Heavy Industries C151 trains by Q3 2025, as mentioned in a Facebook Post in December 2024.
Retiring Buses
Mercedes-Benz OC500LE buses operated by SMRT Buses and Tower Transit will commence retirement in 2025, at the end of their 17-year statutory lifespan.
Retirement of SBS Transit’s Scania K230UB (Euro IV) buses are ongoing, and will continue in 2025.
Here’s to a wonderful 2025 ahead!
You made it this far, don’t forget to check out our 2024 Year in Review!
Mandai Depot will be fitted with electric chargers at the underground of the depot…Probably just 25 lots and maybe the main ground will be fitted with another 50 chargers for the EV buses that will replace the OCs
2025 will mark the beginning of the retirement of the OC500LE as well as the Euro IV Batch 2 Scania K230UB, with the arrival of the new EV buses, i think those Euro IV Batch 1 Scanias that receive lifespan extention can retire fully already, dont need to wait till 2026. I noticed on the first day of revenue for the BYD B12 buses they were a handful of issues and faults, hopefully they all get resolved as its going be mass deployment of them soon. More Depots need to be fitted with those EV chargers as well.