Singapore’s metro Circle Line reached completion with the launch of its final segment, Stage 6, on July 12, 2026. This 4.3 km extension connects Harbour Front and Marina Bay, adding three underground stations: Keppel, Cantonment, and Prince Edward Road.
The Circle Line now spans a total of 39 km, comprising a 35.5 km circular ring and a branch line to Dhoby Ghaut. The line includes 33 stations, with 12 serving as interchanges. Its network interconnects with all other Singapore metro lines, enabling passengers to bypass heavy transfer points at City Hall and Raffles Place stations.
Operated by SMRT, the Circle
Line’s train fleet expanded with 23 new Class C851E Metropolis trainsets supplied by Alstom from Spain. Introduced into revenue service beginning in April 2026, these units supplement the existing C830 and C830C trains, raising the fleet size to 87 trains in total.
Kim Chuan Depot underwent an expansion doubling its train capacity from 70 to 133 trains to support operational demand. The depot also integrates facilities for 550 buses, optimizing land use by combining rail and bus maintenance and storage in one location.
All stations on the Circle Line are fully accessible, featuring lifts, escalators, and tactile guidance systems. Energy-efficient
technologies are incorporated, including smart lighting with motion sensors and hybrid cooling systems. Bicycle parking and covered linkways were developed to promote active transport options.
The construction of Stage 6 presented significant engineering challenges, requiring tunneling in a dense urban area adjacent to Singapore’s port and underneath the active Keppel Viaduct. Unknown underground coastal structures also had to be removed during development. Cantonment station is integrated with the historic Tanjong Pagar railway station, a designated national monument, where original platform canopies were reinstated after construction to preserve heritage and historical memory.
Wayfinding improvements were introduced ahead of the Stage 6
opening to aid navigation of the circular route’s clockwise and anticlockwise services. Enhancements include updated signage and announcements indicating the next interchange station, initially implemented at Promenade, Esplanade, Buona Vista, and Paya Lebar stations starting late May 2026.
The completion of the Circle Line loop enhances urban mobility by providing continuous rail travel around Singapore. The full integration of this circular line reduces passenger congestion on other lines and offers alternative interchange options.
The Land Transport Authority stated the Cantonment station’s design was carried out with sensitivity to preserve the designated national monument status of the old Tanjong Pagar railway
station, retaining the heritage and memories associated with the former terminus.
