Punggol Coast MRT station opens, enabling commuters to save 15 minutes when travelling to city centre

SINGAPORE: Punggol Coast MRT station opened on Tuesday (Dec 10), taking the total number of MRT stations on the 22km North East Line (NEL) to 17 in total.

A launch ceremony was held on Tuesday morning to mark the opening of the new station which will begin passenger service at 3pm. 

Punggol Coast station has two entrances: one along New Punggol Road and the other within Punggol Digital District. It features more than 300 bicycle parking lots and is within walking distance of Punggol Coast bus interchange. 

Speaking at the launch ceremony on Tuesday, Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said the upcoming 7.3km Cross Island Line-Punggol Extension, which began construction in 2023 and is expected to open by end-2032, will tap on the provisions for an interchange with an additional rail line at Punggol MRT station.

These were catered for and safeguarded earlier, well before the completion of the North East Line more than 20 years ago, Mr Chee pointed out.

“This fact may not be so well-known to the public, but … it shows the long-term planning that goes behind our transport infrastructure development.

“The thinking was to keep open options for the future because in Singapore, we care not only about the current generation but also our future generations, so that when the time came, we could design the connection between the North East Line and the Cross Island Line more easily,” he said. 

“This is how, over the past decades, the government has progressively and systemically built up Singapore’s infrastructure – we deliver on our plans for the generation of today, while always keeping the next bound of development in mind for our children and our grandchildren,” he added. 

“We do this for infrastructure development; we also do this when it comes to safeguarding our reserves and preparing for future challenges
such as climate change.” 

During his speech, Mr Chee highlighted ongoing projects that are currently underway including the Cross Island Line, which will open in phases from 2030, and ongoing works to close the loop of the Circle Line in the first half of 2026.

“These projects reflect our firm belief and commitment to Singaporeans that accessible public transport is essential for enhanced connectivity and a more liveable city,” he said.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in October that commuters travelling from Punggol North to Outram Park will take about 45 minutes on the North East Line, as compared to about 60 minutes before the opening of the new station.

Senior Minister & Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean, who also attended the launch ceremony, said the new station improves Punggol’s connectivity and makes the town more vibrant.

“Our residents living in the new station’s vicinity will enjoy savings of 15 minutes per trip when travelling to destinations on the North East Line like Orchard Road and Outram Park,” he said.

Mr Teo, who is also member of parliament (MP) for Pasir Ris-Punggol, said several buses that serve the town have extended their routes and increased capacity. New bus services have also been introduced. 

“All of this improved connectivity will benefit our residents, and support the JTC Business Park and the new SIT campus, benefitting workers and
students as well,” he said. 

“Beyond the benefits to commuters, LTA’s design team took special care to make the station the heart of a vibrant precinct that will draw people together,” he said. 

“We have a sheltered community plaza above the MRT station and this will be a bustling place for the entire precinct.”