North East MRT line

North East Line
An Alstom Metropolis C851E train at Punggol station, the NEL's north terminus.
Overview
Native name	Laluan MRT Timur Laut 东北地铁线 வடக்கு கிழக்கு எம்ஆர்டி வழி
Status	Operational
Owner	Land Transport Authority
Locale	Singapore
Termini	HarbourFront Punggol Punggol Coast (10 Dec 2024)
Stations	16[a] 1 (under testing)
Service
Type	Rapid transit
System	Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)
Operator(s)	SBS Transit (ComfortDelGro)
Depot(s)	Sengkang
Rolling stock	Alstom Metropolis C751A Alstom Metropolis C751C Alstom Metropolis C851E
Daily ridership	527,000[2][3]
History
Planned opening	10 December 2024; 17 days' time (2024-12-10) (Punggol Coast)
Opened	20 June 2003; 21 years ago (2003-06-20) 15 January 2006; 18 years ago (2006-01-15) (Buangkok) 20 June 2011; 13 years ago (2011-06-20) (Woodleigh)
Technical
Line length	20 km (12 mi) (Operational) 1.6 km (0.99 mi) (under construction)
Track length	20 km (12 mi)
Character	Fully underground
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	1,500 V DC from overhead catenary
Operating speed	limit of 90 km/h (56 mph)
Route map Legend  NE18  Punggol Coast Punggol Waterway ■ Punggol LRT West loop│East loop  NE17   PTC   CP4  Punggol ■ Cross Island Line to Pasir Ris ■ Punggol LRT West loop│East loop Tampines Expressway ■ Sengkang LRT West loop│East loop  NE16   STC  Sengkang ■ Sengkang LRT West loop│East loop Sengkang Depot  NE15  Buangkok  NE14  Hougang  CR8  ■ ← to Bright Hill to Aviation Park →  NE13  Kovan  CC13  ■ Circle Line  NE12  Serangoon  NE11  Woodleigh  NE10  Potong Pasir Pan Island Expressway Kallang River Sungei Whampoa  NE9  Boon Keng  NE8  Farrer Park  NE7  Little India  DT12  ■ Downtown Line to Bukit Panjang  NE6  Dhoby Ghaut  CC1   NS24  ■ ← to Jurong East to Marina South Pier → Singapore River  NE5  Clarke Quay  DT19  ■ Downtown Line to Expo  NE4  Chinatown  TE17  ■ ← to Woodlands North to Bayshore →  EW16  ■ ← to Tuas Link to Pasir Ris →  NE3  Outram Park Ayer Rajah Expressway  NE1  HarbourFront  CC29  This diagram: view talk edit

The North East Line (NEL) is a high-capacity Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line in Singapore. Operated by SBS Transit, the 20-kilometre (12-mile) line is the MRT's shortest.^[b] It runs from HarbourFront station in southern Singapore to Punggol station in the northeast, serving 16 stations via Chinatown, Little India, Serangoon and Hougang. Coloured purple on official maps, it is Singapore's third MRT line and the world's first fully-automated underground driverless heavy rail line.

The NEL was planned during the 1980s to alleviate traffic congestion on roads leading to the northeast suburbs of the country. However, the project was delayed due to a lack of demand at that time. After the government's decision to eventually go ahead with the project at an estimated cost of S$5 billion, its alignment and stations were finalised in 1996 and construction began the year after. The line began operations on 20 June 2003. Two mid-line stations initially did not open with the rest of the line; Buangkok station opened on 15 January 2006, and Woodleigh station began operations on 20 June 2011. A one-station extension to Punggol Coast station, under construction, is expected to be open on December 10, 2024.^[9]

The driverless line uses the moving-block Alstom Urbalis 300 CBTC signalling system. Three types of Alstom rolling stock – C751A, C751C and C851E – run on the NEL, which is powered by an overhead line. The NEL is Singapore's first Art-in-Transit line, with 18 artworks displayed across its 16 stations. The stations are wheelchair-accessible, and most of them are Civil Defence shelters designed to withstand airstrikes and chemical attacks.

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