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The 'Downtown Line' ('DTL') will be the fifth Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore and is currently under planning and evaluation. The line will be about 40 km long with 33 stations. It will be a fully automatic and driverless system similar to the North East Line and the Circle Lines, and will be mostly underground. The line will serve the Bukit Timah region and the Eastern region and bring commuters to the New Downtown area.
The Land Transport Authority of Singapore is currently studying final sites for the stations [1], and announced a list of interchange stations on 27 April 2007.[2] Specific locations of all stations for Stage 1 of the Downtown Line, namely Bugis, Promenade, Bayfront, Landmark, Cross Street and Chinatown have been announced. These stations will be run separately from the Circle Line. Stage 1 of the Downtown Line is targeted for completion in 2013, while Stage 2 is targeted for 2015 and Stage 3 is targeted for 2018.
For some time, Stage 1 of the Downtown Line was referred to as the "Downtown Extension" of the Circle Line.

Contents

Stage 1 (former Downtown Extension)

Stage 2 (Bukit Timah Section)

Stage 3 (Eastern Region Section)

List of Stations

Reference

Stage 1 (former Downtown Extension)

On 14 June 2005, the Land Transport Authority announced that it would construct the then-known Downtown Extension of the Circle Line, to serve the Downtown at Marina Bay (DTMB) area, where an integrated resort and Singapore's second botanical garden will be located. The 3.4-kilometre fully underground line was estimated to cost S$1.4 billion. Construction of the extension was slated to begin in 2007, with completion by 2012.
Three new stations would be constructed underground, linking the Promenade station on the Circle Line and the Chinatown station on the North East Line. Two stations, tentatively named Bayfront and Landmark, will be built to serve the DTMB area. Another station, tentatively named Cross Street, will be built along Cross Street near the Chinatown area.^[1]
On 27 April 2007, it has been announced that stage 1 of the line will now connect Promenade station with Bugis.^[2][3][4] As such, the former Downtown Extension of the Circle Line became known as the Downtown Line Stage 1, a 4.3km 6 station segment running fully underground from Chinatown Station on the North East Line to Bugis Station on the East West Line, due to be operational in 2013, a year later than originally planned.

Stage 2 (Bukit Timah Section)

In its preliminary plans, stage 2 of the Downtown Line was called the Bukit Timah Line, supposedly to a 20-kilometre line that would connect the new downtown with the Bukit Panjang, Upper Bukit Timah and Bukit Timah corridor. It was to intersect the Circle Line and some other lines along the way. When constructed, it was expected to alleviate the heavy traffic along Bukit Timah, Dunearn Road and Upper Bukit Timah. Provisions have been made at Promenade Station which would have been the line's southern interchange with the Circle Line. Preliminary work has recently begun — LTA was looking at possible station locations, soil profile and engineering challenges.
Stage 2 of the Downtown Line will be 16.6km long, consists of 12 stations and will be completed by 2015.^[5]4

Stage 3 (Eastern Region Section)

In its preliminary plans, stage 3 of the Downtown Line was called the Eastern Region Line, a 40-kilometre rectangular loop that would complement the existing East-West Line and enhance inter- and intra-town travelling in the eastern region. It would have looped around the Jalan Besar and East Coast areas, intersecting the Circle Line and other lines along the way, benefitting residents in Tampines, Bedok, Marine Parade, MacPherson and Kaki Bukit. Provisions have been made at Chinatown Station, which would have been the line's western interchange with the North-East Line and the Downtown Extension. The northern segment of the loop was to be constructed first, passing through Jalan Besar area and eastwards to parts of Bedok and Tampines. Like the Bukit Timah Line, preliminary work had begun recently by the LTA.
Stage 3 of the Downtown Line will be 19.1km long, consists of 15 stations and will be completed by 2018.⁵ The idea of the line passing through areas in East Coast has been put on hold. ⁴

List of Stations

★ Stage One

★
★ Bugis (Interchange with East West Line)

★
★ Promenade (Interchange with Circle Line)

★
★ Bayfront (Interchange with Circle Line)

★
★ Landmark

★
★ Cross Street

★
★ Chinatown (Interchange with North East Line)

★
★
★ Note: Other than Bugis, Chinatown and Promenade, all other station names are provisional names.
The following existing stations for Stage 2 and Stage 3 are the announced interchange stations.
The names and positions of other stations will be released at a later date.

★ Stage Two

★
★ Little India (Interchange with North East Line)

★
★ Newton (Interchange with North South Line)

★
★ Botanic Gardens (Interchange with Circle Line)

★
★ Bukit Panjang (Interchange with Bukit Panjang LRT)

★ Stage Three

★
★ Chinatown (Interchange with North East Line)

★
★ MacPherson (Interchange with Circle Line)

★
★ Tampines (Interchange with East West Line)

★
★ Expo (Interchange with Changi Airport Extension)

Reference

1. "Expanding The Rail Network With Downtown Extension", Land Transport Authority Press Release, 14 June 2005
2. "Govt approves Sb MRT Downtown Line to be built by 2018", Dominique Loh, Channel NewsAsia, 27 April 2007
3. "Government Approves Building Of The Downtown Line", ''Land Transport Authority''. Accessed on 27 April 2007.
4. ''"33-station Downtown Line gets go-ahead, will be ready by 2018"'', Christoper Tan, The Straits Times, 28 April 2007
5. ''"Groundwork begins for new MRT lines"'', Christoper Tan, The Straits Times, 13 March 2006