Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) has announced the alignment and station locations for the Downtown Line 2 extension (DTL2e). This new line will connect the Downtown Line (DTL) from its existing terminus at Bukit Panjang Station to a new NS6/DE2 interchange station on the North-South Line (NSL).
The route length of DTL2e is approximately 4 km. Traveling towards the northwest, the first station (DE1) after Bukit Panjang Station will be an underground station located along Sungei Kadut Avenue. The new terminus for the DTL will be an underground interchange station (DE2) connected to a new aboveground NSL station (NS6) between Yew Tee and Kranji Stations.
These new stations will enhance rail connectivity in the north-western region of Singapore, providing improved access to existing and new growth areas such as Yew Tee Village and the future Sungei Kadut Eco-District, as well as amenities such as the Rail Corridor and Pang Sua Park Connector.
DTL2e will shorten travel times for commuters travelling to and from the north and north-western parts of the country. For instance, a commuter travelling from Yew Tee Village to Chinatown will enjoy travel time savings of 20 minutes – from an hour by train and bus today, to 40 minutes on the DTL.
In addition, DTL2e will improve rail network resilience in the north-western region, by providing commuters with alternative travel and transfer options for their journeys. Residents living in the region can currently take the NSL or Thomson-East Coast Line to travel to the downtown area. DTL2e will provide another MRT route for commuters to reach their destinations in the city centre.
Construction works for DTL2e are expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2025, with the stations opening by 2035. The environmental study for this line, which involved the engagement and consultation of nature groups, has been completed.
An environmental monitoring and management plan will be implemented, with mitigation measures to minimise the environmental impact of the works. These include the provision of a wildlife corridor along the Rail Corridor during construction to allow continued movement of fauna, as well as regular monitoring of sensitive habitats by ecologists for adaptive management.
When DTL2e is completed, the entire DTL will have a total of 39 stations, including the upcoming Hume Station that will open in second quarter of 2025, as well as the DTL 3 extension (DTL3e) comprising Xilin and Sungei Bedok Stations that will open in second half of 2026. Together with other rail network expansions over the next decade, DTL2e will bring Singapore one step closer to its Land Transport Master Plan 2040 target of having eight in 10 households within a 10-minute walk to a train station by the 2030s.
All images: LTA
