Early Closure of North East Line (April & May 2021)

Early Closures along the North East Line (NEL) will be conducted on selected Fridays & Saturdays in April & May 2021. This is to accelerate replacement works to be carried out on the insulators of the overhead catenary system (OCS), which supplies power to the trains. This will help bring forward the replacement works for completion by May 2021 and enhance the reliability of train services for commuters.

The Early Closure on 7 & 8 May 2021 has been cancelled as the replacement of insulators for the Overhead Power System was completed ahead of schedule.

Further background to Power Fault (Click to expand)

Several weeks before, on 28 March 2021, a power fault disrupted train services for over three hours. This was traced to a damaged segment of the Overhead Catenary System at Buangkok station.

According to SBS Transit, the fault was similar to one that had occurred in February 2020, where the insulator was a two-piece design that had fractured causing it to fail. Following that incident, a new single-piece insulator design was tested, and full replacement works started only in September 2020 after delays caused by COVID-19.

SBS Transit said following the March 2021 incident that it had replaced about 30% of the 112 insulators so far, and it would be accelerating the replacement of the remaining insulators targeted for completion in June 2021, instead of September 2021 as originally planned.

A revised completion date of May 2021 was announced in April, contained within press release materials for the NEL Early Closure.

 


Affected MRT Stations & Dates

North East Line (NEL)

Dates NEL Stations Affected by Early Closure at 11:00pm
  • Friday 9 April 2021
  • Saturday 10 April 2021
  • Friday 16 April 2021
  • Saturday 17 April 2021
  • Friday 23 April 2021
  • Saturday 24 April 2021
  • Friday 7 May 2021 [Cancelled]
  • Saturday 8 May 2021 [Cancelled]

As a result, train services on the North East Line will be unavailable along the following sectors during the Early Closure at 11pm:

  • NE12CC13 Serangoon NE17PTC Punggol
    (9, 10, 16 & 17 April 2021)
  • NE1CC29 HarbourFront NE6NS24CC1 Dhoby Ghaut
    (23 & 24 April 2021; 7 & 8 May 2021)

Train services between the remaining sections of the NEL will operate at longer intervals of 9 minutes from 11pm on affected days:

  • NE1CC29 HarbourFront — NE12CC13 Serangoon
    (9, 10, 16 & 17 April 2021)
  • NE6NS24CC1 Dhoby Ghaut NE17PTC Punggol
    (23 & 24 April 2021; 7 & 8 May 2021)

Last Train Timings at Affected Stations

April 2021 — Early Closure between Serangoon — Punggol

Last Train Timings (Click to expand)
Southbound towards (6) HarbourFront

Station Last Train to
HarbourFront
NE17PTC Punggol 2301
NE16STC Sengkang 2303
NE15 Buangkok 2305
NE14 Hougang 2308
NE13 Kovan 2310
NE12CC13 Serangoon 0015
NE11 Woodleigh 0017
NE10 Potong Pasir 0019
NE9 Boon Keng 0021
NE8 Farrer Park 0023
NE7DT12 Little India 0025
NE6NS24CC1 Dhoby Ghaut 0027
NE5 Clarke Quay 0029
NE4DT19 Chinatown 0031
NE3EW16 Outram Park 0033
NE1CC29 HarbourFront

Northbound towards (7) Punggol

Station Last Train to
Punggol
Last Train to
Serangoon
NE1CC29 HarbourFront 2239 2356
NE3EW16 Outram Park 2242 2358
NE4DT19 Chinatown 2243 0000
NE5 Clarke Quay 2245 0002
NE6NS24CC1 Dhoby Ghaut 2248 0004
NE7DT12 Little India 2250 0006
NE8 Farrer Park 2252 0008
NE9 Boon Keng 2254 0010
NE10 Potong Pasir 2256 0013
NE11 Woodleigh 2258 0015
NE12CC13 Serangoon 2301
NE13 Kovan 2303
NE14 Hougang 2305
NE15 Buangkok 2308
NE16STC Sengkang 2310
NE17PTC Punggol

April & May 2021 — Early Closure between HarbourFront — Dhoby Ghaut

Last Train Timings (Click to expand)

Southbound towards (6) HarbourFront

Station Last Train to
HarbourFront
Last Train to Dhoby Ghaut
NE17PTC Punggol 2235 2332
NE16STC Sengkang 2237 2334
NE15 Buangkok 2239 2336
NE14 Hougang 2241 2338
NE13 Kovan 2244 2340
NE12CC13 Serangoon 2246 2343
NE11 Woodleigh 2249 2345
NE10 Potong Pasir 2250 2347
NE9 Boon Keng 2253 2350
NE8 Farrer Park 2255 2352
NE7DT12 Little India 2257 2354
NE6NS24CC1 Dhoby Ghaut 2259
NE5 Clarke Quay 2301
NE4DT19 Chinatown 2303
NE3EW16 Outram Park 2302
NE1CC29 HarbourFront

Northbound towards (7) Punggol

Station Last Train to
Punggol
NE1CC29 HarbourFront 2302
NE3EW16 Outram Park 2305
NE4DT19 Chinatown 2307
NE5 Clarke Quay 2309
NE6NS24CC1 Dhoby Ghaut 0036
NE7DT12 Little India 0037
NE8 Farrer Park 0039
NE9 Boon Keng 0041
NE10 Potong Pasir 0043
NE11 Woodleigh 0045
NE12CC13 Serangoon 0048
NE13 Kovan 0051
NE14 Hougang 0054
NE15 Buangkok 0056
NE16STC Sengkang 0058
NE17PTC Punggol

Extended Train Operating Hours

During periods of Early Closure, operating hours of the opened sector of the North East Line, Sengkang LRT and Punggol LRT will be extended.

April 2021 — Early Closure between Serangoon — Punggol

  • Last train timing on the North East Line from NE12CC13 Serangoon to NE1CC29 HarbourFront will be extended to 12:15am.
  • Sengkang LRT services on the East and West Loop will be extended to depart Sengkang at 1:10am.
  • Punggol LRT services on the East and West Loop will be extended to depart Punggol at 1:15am.

April & May 2021 — Early Closure between HarbourFront — Dhoby Ghaut

  • Last train timing on the North East Line from NE6NS24CC1 Dhoby Ghaut to NE17PTC Punggol will be extended to 12:36am.
  • Sengkang LRT services on the East and West Loop will be extended to depart Sengkang at 1:03am.
  • Punggol LRT services on the East and West Loop will be extended to depart Punggol at 1:05am.

Shuttle Bus Services

Shuttle 21 will be provided throughout the duration of the early closure between Serangoon — Punggol, while Shuttle 22 will be provided throughout the duration of the early closure between HarbourFront — Dhoby Ghaut.

Fares for the Shuttle Bus Services are equivalent to the distance travelled by train.

Shuttle Operating Dates MRT Stations Served
Shuttle 21 9, 10, 16 & 17 April 2021 Serangoon, Kovan, Hougang, Buangkok, Sengkang, Punggol
Shuttle 22 23 & 24 April 2021
7 & 8 May 2021 [Cancelled]
HarbourFront, Outram Park, Chinatown, Clarke Quay, Dhoby Ghaut

 


Extended Bus Operating Hours

On days of Early Closure, residential bus services will be extended to allow commuters to connect from the Shuttle Bus Services.

Extended bus operating hours only during Early Closure between Serangoon — Punggol in April 2021:

  • Hougang Central Bus Interchange
    Service 325 – Last bus at 12:50am
  • Punggol Temporary Bus Interchange
    (9 & 10 April only) Service 83 – Last bus at 1:15am
    (16 & 17 April) Service 83T – Last bus at 1:15am
    Service 382G – Last bus at 1:15am
    Service 386 – Last bus at 1:15am

Extended bus operating hours only during Early Closure between HarbourFront — Dhoby Ghaut in April & May 2021:

  • Serangoon Bus Interchange
    Service 315 – Last bus at 1:00am
  • Hougang Central Bus Interchange
    Service 325 – Last bus at 1:05am
  • Punggol Temporary Bus Interchange
    Service 83T – Last bus at 1:10am
    Service 382G – Last bus at 1:10am
    Service 386 – Last bus at 1:10am

Other Early Closures / Late Openings in 2021
See Also:
External Links & References:

Back to Shortened Operating Hours for Rail Renewal Work

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