Several train service disruptions occurred on Singapore’s MRT network between November and December 2025, but were not reported through official public communication channels. These incidents coincided with the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) revised approach to reporting what it classifies as “less severe” disruptions.
Recent Incidents
On 11 November 2025, a track point fault on the East West Line (EWL) near Pasir Ris caused additional travel time of up to 25 minutes between Tanah Merah and Pasir Ris during the evening peak period.
On 18 November 2025, an engineering vehicle fault on the Thomson–East Coast Line (TEL) resulted in delays of up to 30 minutes between Caldecott and Gardens by the Bay during the morning peak.
On 2 December 2025, a track point failure near Aljunied on the EWL at around 7.50 pm led to the deployment of a shuttle train service between Lavender, Kallang, Aljunied and Paya Lebar. An additional 20 minutes of travel time was announced across the affected stretch.
Communication Channels
These incidents were not reported on official channels, namely:
- Land Transport Authority (LTA)’s official MyTransport.SG app
- Social media channels (X / Facebook) of the train operator – SMRT Trains
Notifications were instead limited to station information boards and in-train announcements. Free regular bus boarding was made available near affected stations during the disruptions, although dedicated bridging bus services were not activated.
The most recent disruption previously reported by SMRT Trains through official social media occurred on 17 September 2025, relating to a signal fault on the TEL. A signal fault and an additional 15 minutes of travel time were announced, along with the activation of the free regular buses & free bridging buses.
The absence of official reporting drew public attention following remarks by Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow in Parliament on 22 September 2025. During that session, it was stated that rail operators must inform commuters of delays exceeding ten minutes, though the exact definition of what constitutes sufficient communication was not specified.
An independent advisory panel supporting the rail reliability task force also issued recommendations in late November 2025, encouraging operators to improve communication with passengers during service disruptions. The panel highlighted the need for more customer-focused messaging tailored to different groups of commuters.
LTA’s Position
On 3 December 2025, following the EWL disruption the day before, LTA outlined its rationale for the revised communication approach. The LT stated that minor and localised disruptions will be communicated primarily to commuters in the immediate vicinity of the affected stations. This change follows feedback that system-wide announcements—especially those stating maximum additional travel time—may not accurately reflect the experience of most passengers, and could lead to unnecessary or costly detours, or changes in travel plans for those not directly impacted.
LTA also added that the new approach is aligned with recommendations from the task force working to enhance the reliability of the MRT and LRT networks.
Public Dissatisfaction
LTA’s response drew criticism from commuters, as documented on social media and news reports by the Straits Times.
Critics argue that station-only alerts come too late for planning purposes. A majority of those interviewed by The Straits Times said they prefer timely updates across multiple online platforms (social media, apps), not just on-site announcements. Broad, system-wide alerts help commuters make informed decisions ahead of time — from choosing alternate routes to planning departure times.
Some noted that discovering a disruption only after arriving at a station can lead to wasted trips, forced transfers, or even expensive alternatives such as private hire transport — especially during peak periods. Experts interviewed by the Straits Times highlighted said the approach risks undermining transparency
The LTA also did not address commuters’ unhappiness with the new approach or clarify its plans for handling disruptions lasting more than 30 minutes.
- Timely information is critical to prevent confusion when MRT services are down | The Straits Times
- MRT passengers say info on minor delays will reach them too late with new ‘localised’ alerts | The Straits Times
References:
- Reddit Post on r/smrtrabak [Posted 11 Nov 2025]
- Reddit Post on r/smrtrabak [Posted 18 Nov 2025]
- More accurate public info on rail disruptions among fixes being looked at: Jeffrey Siow – The Straits Times [Published 22 Sep 2025]
- Rail operators to prioritise ‘localised’ announcements at affected train stations during minor delays: LTA – CNA
- Rail operators to prioritise alerting commuters at affected stations for minor MRT delays: LTA | The Straits Times
- SMRT under fire after poor comms in confusing EWL delay: ‘Just useless at this point’ | STOMP
SMRT again, they should just stop operating the train all together.
I hate to say this but…SMRT again
Thanks for highlighting such issues and keeping them in check. We need to demand more transparency and open communication especially as many people including workers depend on public transport for commute and allow workers to plan their commute properly. Otherwise it will detrimentally impact Singapore status as a business hub.