Singapore’s Circle Line metro network reached completion with the launch of the final 4.3 km section, Stage 6, on July 12, 2026. This extension closes the gap between Harbour Front and Marina Bay, concluding a project spanning three decades.
Stage 6 introduced three new underground stations: Keppel, Cantonment, and Prince Edward Road. Cantonment station incorporates heritage design elements through its integration with the old Tanjong Pagar railway station, a designated national monument. Accessibility features including elevators, escalators, and tactile guidance are provided across all new stations.
The Circle Line now operates as a continuous 39 km loop consisting of a
35.5 km ring plus a branch to Dhoby Ghaut. It has 33 stations, including 12 interchange stations that connect to other metro lines, enabling passengers to bypass the historically congested City Hall and Raffles Place interchanges. The line accommodates clockwise and anticlockwise services.
Since April 2026, 23 new Class C851E Alstom Metropolis trainsets delivered from Spain have joined the existing C830 and C830C fleets to create a total of 87 trains servicing the line. To support this fleet expansion, the Kim Chuan Depot was expanded, increasing capacity from 70 to 133 trains, and now also houses 550 buses to optimize
land use.
Passenger experience improvements include enhanced wayfinding developed by the Land Transport Authority. From late May 2026, new signage and passenger information systems were deployed at Promenade, Esplanade, Buona Vista, and Paya Lebar stations, featuring announcements that highlight the next interchange station for the circular route.
Stage 6 construction involved complex tunneling challenges within a dense urban setting near the port, underneath the operational Keppel Viaduct, and the removal of previously undocumented underground coastal structures. This section finalizes the Circle Line’s continuous loop after 30 years of phased development.
The Land Transport Authority reported that Cantonment station was carefully
integrated with the old Tanjong Pagar railway station, with parts of the former platforms removed and canopy structures reinstated to preserve the heritage and memory of the railway terminus.
Energy-efficient technologies have been incorporated at the new stations, including smart lighting with motion sensors and hybrid cooling systems. Dedicated bicycle parking and sheltered linkways encourage sustainable last-mile connectivity.
