Shorter MRT hours begin at 10 stations on the eastern leg of East-West Line

Shortened hours took effect at the eastern leg of the East-West Line (EWL) on Friday night, part of ongoing closures to facilitate rail maintenance and upgrading works. In all, 10 stations on the EWL - from Paya Lebar to Pasir Ris, and Changi Airport and Expo stations - will have shorter operating hours on weekends this month (January), including full day closures on two Sundays - 21^st and 28^th January.

Shorter operating hours have begun on 10 stations of the East-West Line

This is the second round of planned closures. Last month (December), 17 stations on the western part of the EWL and two North-South Line stations also had shorter weekend operating hours and full-day closures on two Sundays.

At Paya Lebar station, some commuters were spotted running for the last train, which set off at 11:07pm, while others were caught off-guard by the early closure.

However, SMRT staff were on hand to direct them to shuttle buses. Among those who missed the last train was administrative assistant Chong Lee Ching, 45, who wondered if the shorter operating hours would be enough for SMRT to carry out its intended maintenance works.

Despite the inconvenience, most commuters interviewed by The Straits Times said the frequent shuttle buses, as well as clear instructions from SMRT staff, were helpful.

SMRT doubled the number of ground staff to 600, including traffic controllers, crowd marshals and station personnel to guide commuters to alternative travel options, such as shuttle buses. Also, up to 300 buses have been deployed to run four shuttle bus routes.

But manager Lim H.C., 60, said SMRT should find a way to 'push' notices of train disruptions or closures to commuters' handphones. "Not everybody is a regular commuter, and some people are travellers. If you can push the info to handphones, which everyone carries, it would help people plan their route better," he said.

The shuttle bus routes are located at the MRT stations between Pasir Ris and Aljunied, where train services will be available; and between Tanah Merah and Changi Airport stations. A one-way service will also be available from Aljunied to MacPherson stations, where commuters can take the Downtown or Circle Line; as well as an express shuttle between Changi Airport and Bugis station, running in both directions.

There is also a dedicated shuttle bus pickup and drop-off area at Gate 8 of Changi Airport Terminal 3's Departure Hall.