A Review of Singapore’s MRT Lines
The Singapore MRT - a system of trains coursing through the country like an intricate network of veins. This decades-old development has been breathing life into our nation since 1987, and has since become an inextricable part of most Singaporeans’ lives. It currently boasts nine lines stretching across different parts of the island, with more lines and stations being constructed as we speak. With so many lines making up the MRT, they each offer a unique commuter experience. And with so many of us dotted all over the island with different travel routines, we naturally develop vastly different perspectives on which lines we favour over the others. Today, I’ll be sharing my (humble and highly-subjective) perspective on which lines outshine the others, by rating them based on cleanliness, reliability, aesthetic appeal and overall experience. *(BP, Punggol and Sengkang LRT lines left out)
Thomson-East Coast Line
Starting off with the new kid on the block, we have the TEL, more commonly referred to as the brown line. Being the newest addition to the MRT, the trains are the newest among the entire rail network, and so are its toilets and its gantries. The toilets, partly due to reduced foot traffic and partly due to more recent installation, are generally pristine and well-maintained. The gantries open like butter. Station design and architecture is really pretty as well, with newly-polished floors and refreshing design.
There are still some problems with the TEL, however. The more apparent one is unclear signage. The exits to stations on the TEL are numbered and the signs are easily misinterpreted. It could also just be that I have a poor sense of direction, my bad. Another point to note, which may be a problem to some, is the layout of the trains servicing the line. TEL trains are built with more doors and fewer seats, making room for more standing space over sitting space.
That being said, this would be my rating for the TEL:
Cleanliness: 9/10
Reliability: 8/10
Aesthetic appeal: 9/10
Overall experience: 8/10
Honourable mention: Woodlands North station, for its reflective high ceilings and clean toilets
East-West Line
Next up, we have the green line, the EWL. It traverses the entirety of Singapore, connecting Tuas Link in the west to Changi Airport in the east and holding the title of the longest train line of the MRT. Being one of the two original lines unveiled when the MRT debuted in 1987, the other one being the North-South Line, its infrastructure tends to the older side, although still decently maintained. A lot of its train stations are open-air and overground, and on a hot day this poses a problem. Since the route is built upon overhead train tracks, the commute is, albeit coming with aggressive swaying, a pleasantly scenic experience. I’m a fan. It’s worth it to note though, that because of its extensive nature, the sheer number of people on the EWL trains can be overwhelming all-day-round, and that just kind of adds to the general heat and stuffy discomfort I associate with the EWL. The toilets tend to be unsanitary too.
Overall ratings:
Cleanliness: 5/10
Reliability: 7/10
Aesthetic appeal: 6/10
Overall experience: 6/10
Honourable mention: Expo Station, for its unique and heat-dissipating architecture
North-East Line
The purple North-East Line, or NEL for short, was built to connect the developing neighbourhoods of Singapore’s, well, north-east. It bridges these neighbourhoods to the central area of the Central Business District as well. Based on my limited experience riding the North-East Line, it’s not my favourite. The direction of the incoming trains aren’t indicated along the platforms, and neither are the trains’ arrival times. Commuters like me who are unfamiliar with the line would have to refer to the map or our phones, which is an issue when a train is about to leave and you have to make the split-second decision of whether to rush onto it or not. Like the East-West Line, it’s also incredibly crowded 24/7, but in this case this could be attributed to the fact that the NEL is much shorter. In terms of facilities, the toilets are decently maintained.
Overall, I would give the NEL:
Cleanliness: 7/10
Reliability: 7/10
Aesthetic appeal: 7/10
Overall experience: 6/10
Honourable mention: Chinatown station, for its iconic appearance and proximity to sights
North-South Line
Moving on to the North-South Line, we’ve covered more than half of the train lines at this juncture. The NSL, the EWL’s bosom buddy, is equally old, but much better maintained than its aged counterpart. Due to recent renovation and train upgrades, the NSL now features up-to-date technology, with screens in the trains displaying next stops and their corresponding exits. If I’m not mistaken, the entirety of the NSL has transitioned to using trains with this feature, which bolsters the commuter experience greatly. I tend to take the NSL for long distances, and I’ve come to the conclusion that it has the comfiest seats out of all the MRT trains. Like any old line, its toilets range from passable to downright diabolical, depending on the time of day more than anything else. It serves a great sum of people, but trains come often so crowding is not as big an issue as it is in the EWL. And like the EWL, a decent portion of the NSL is overground, allowing for scenic routes. The air-conditioning is notably weak on the NSL though, and if you travel on it long enough on a sunny day it’s possible to break into a sweat.
As such, the NSL gets:
Cleanliness: 7/10
Reliability: 8/10
Aesthetic appeal: 6/10
Overall experience: 7/10
Honourable mention: Canberra station, for its futuristic architecture and connectivity on foot
Circle Line
Here we are at the Circle Line (it’s yellow), the moment I have been waiting for. I see the vision for the CCL, I really do. But realistically that vision never came to fruition. As a loyal commuter of the CCL, I have been let down by it too many times to count. The most apparent issue people tend to point out is that it’s called the circle line, but it isn’t a circle. The LTA is working on completing it this year though, as they so kindly point out on the PA system every two minutes. Apart from that, there are bigger concerns. The trains are tardy, and often fail to abide by the stated arrival time on the platform screens. The trains move really slowly and come at long intervals, which result in more delays than prompt arrivals. The trains are shorter too, so to cope with the sheer number of people travelling on the line, CCL trains stop alternately at stations earlier than the end of the line and switch directions from there. Because of this, travelling on the CCL is complicated, especially if your destination is a stop beyond the designated end points. As if this isn’t a dire enough situation, the station will announce the end destination for the arriving train at the platform, only for you to realise they announced it wrongly after you’ve already left the station on the wrong train. And last but not least, the trains are outdated. While other lines have already lapsed out their old trains and replaced them with swanky new ones with comprehensive electronic screens to display stops, CCL trains are still using plain stuck-on route maps, and at most, route maps with those indicative blinking lights.
There are some good things about the CCL, at least - the air-conditioning is strong and the toilets are sanitary. All in all, it’s a draining experience travelling on the CCL, and this line is absolutely sputtering trying to keep up with the demands of its commuters.
I give the CCL:
Cleanliness: 8/10
Reliability: 3/10
Aesthetic appeal: 6/10
Overall experience: 4/10
Honourable mention: Marina Bay station, for its implementation of natural-lighting
Downtown Line
Saving the best for last, we have the Downtown Line! The DTL runs true and blue, truer and bluer than the blood in my veins. In stark contrast to the CCL, the DTL has never let me down once. I speak from experience as well, having had to take it almost every day for the past 4 years. The stations are modern and clean, and train directions and arrival times are very clearly indicated along the sides of the platforms. And on the DTL, when a train is stipulated to arrive in 2 minutes, it will arrive in 2 minutes. The trains are fast yet smooth, the station announcements clear. The toilets? Spotless (kind of). The air-conditioning? Cool, comfortable. The trains’ electronic display system? Up to date. Not to mention, although it may get crowded during peak hour, the DTL is hardly ever crowded.
There is one drawback though, and that is the downtown loop. It facilitates transportation within the Central Business District but becomes a hassle for those travelling beyond it, especially since changing lines to surpass it makes no difference to overall travel time. Nevertheless, if this does not convince you of the absolute superiority of this line, I don’t know what will.
And thus I give the DTL:
Cleanliness: 8/10
Reliability: 10/10
Aesthetic appeal: 7/10
Overall experience: 9/10
Honourable mention: Botanic Gardens station, for its charming interior design
The Results
So, which MRT line is the best? I’ve calculated the average of all ratings and compiled them below.
TEL: 8.5/10
EWL: 6/10
NEL: 6.75/10
NSL: 7/10
CCL: 5.25/10
DTL: 8.5/10
TEL = DTL > NSL > NEL > EWL > CCL
There you have it - the TEL and the DTL tie as the best of the Singapore MRT lines. As aforementioned, this ranking is subject to my personal experiences, and are made all in good humour. Ultimately, each train line plays an integral component of our train system connecting all of us individuals. Together, they allow us to come together both in person and in spirit, amidst both their strengths and their flaws. As time goes on, we can look forward to greater lines, greater trains, and greater possibilities ahead. Thank you for taking the time to read my review. Do you agree with the conclusion?
Thanks for reading
Written by: Brenda
Edited by: Yu Kang and Katelyn
Designed by: Cayden
Komentáře