Reduced Circle Line Services for Tunnel Maintenance Works (Jan–Apr 2026)

Reduced train services along the entire Circle Line (CCL) will take place from Saturday 17 January 2026 to Sunday 19 April 2026 to facilitate essential tunnel strengthening works between Mountbatten, Dakota and Paya Lebar stations.

Modified Train Services

During the affected period, Circle Line train services will be modified as follows:

• CC29NE1 HarbourFront ↔ CC9EW8 Paya Lebar
  Longer Intervals – 3 mins during peak hours & 5 mins during off-peak hours
  (2 mins frequency during peak hours prior to works)
• CC9EW8 Paya Lebar ↔ CC7 Mountbatten
  Single platform Shuttle Train Service – 10 mins frequency
  (3 mins frequency prior to works)
• CC7 Mountbatten ↔ CC1NS24NE6 Dhoby Ghaut / CE2NS27TE20 Marina Bay
  Longer Intervals – 10 mins frequency
  (6 mins frequency prior to works)

Shuttle Bus Services

Shuttle Bus Services will be provided during peak hours on weekdays, except public holidays. Fares for the Shuttle Bus Services are equivalent to the distance travelled by train.

These Shuttle Bus Services will commence operations from Monday, 5 January 2026, 12 days before the planned tunnel closures. This is to allow commuters to familiarise themselves, according to the Land Transport Authority.

Tunnel Strengthening Works

From LTA Press Release:

The works are required due to a common phenomenon, known as tunnel squatting, which may lead to disruptions in train operations and structural defects in the tunnel in the long term if left unaddressed. The tunnel squatting is caused by the soft marine clay that some stretches of CCL tunnels are built in. We have been monitoring the situation over the past decade. Based on our comprehensive scan since the earlier works in the tunnels between Promenade and Nicoll Highway stations were carried out in 2023, we have identified three localised sectors of the CCL tunnels between Stadium and Paya Lebar stations that are more affected by tunnel squatting.

LTA has engaged expert consultants to carry out detailed assessments. They have confirmed that train operations can continue safely in the affected CCL tunnels, while LTA closes each tunnel in turn at the three localised sectors of the CCL tunnels between Stadium and Paya Lebar stations (~450 metres in total length) to carry out tunnel strengthening works.

This requires heavy machinery and several work teams to be deployed to install steel plates along the circumference of the affected tunnel segments. As such, longer blocks of engineering hours are required to ensure that strengthening works can be carried out safely and effectively. LTA aims to complete these works before the opening of CCL6.

Affected MRT Stations

Circle Line

• CC1NS24NE6 Dhoby Ghaut
• CC2 Bras Basah
• CC3 Esplanade
• CC4DT15 Promenade
• CC5 Nicoll Highway
• CC6 Stadium
• CC7 Mountbatten
• CC8 Dakota
• CC9EW8 Paya Lebar
• CC10DT26 MacPherson
• CC11 Tai Seng
• CC12 Bartley
• CC13NE12 Serangoon
• CC14 Lorong Chuan
• CC15NS17 Bishan
• CC16 Marymount
• CC17TE9 Caldecott
• CC19DT9 Botanic Gardens
• CC20 Farrer Road
• CC21 Holland Village
• CC22EW21 Buona Vista
• CC23 one-north
• CC24 Kent Ridge
• CC25 Haw Par Villa
• CC26 Pasir Panjang
• CC27 Labrador Park
• CC28 Telok Blangah
• CC29NE1 HarbourFront
• CE1DT16 Bayfront
• CE2NS27TE20 Marina Bay

Gallery: (Infographic)

See Also:

• Shortened Operating Hours for Rail Renewal Work
• Circle Line Single Platform Service between Telok Blangah & HarbourFront Stations (Jan–May 2024)
• Reduced Circle Line Service on Late Nights (June 2023)

External Links & References:

• Train Service Adjustments to Circle Line for Tunnel Works – Land Transport Authority [1 Dec 2025]