Just by looking at the map, the Jurong Region Line (JRL) train lines already looks like veins wrapping into the heart of Jurong.
This will be Singapore’s seventh MRT line, serving only the West side of Singapore.
The JRL will connect both existing and future developments in the region, and the area is expected to be the largest commercial hub outside of the Central Business District.
The JRL is set to boost connectivity for workers staying and working in Jurong, as commuters can be better connected to key business and education institutes, such as the Jurong Industrial Estate (JIE), Jurong Innovation District (JID), and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
Image Credit: LTA
The Jurong Regional Line
The construction of JRL officially began on 13 Jan 2023, with a ground-breaking ceremony.
The new MRT line builds on Singapore’s LRT concept to ensure connectivity to smaller nodes within an area.
According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the JRL will put 60,000 households in Jurong within a 10-minute walk from a train station.
Image Credit: LTA
The JRL was first announced in 2013, and set to open in stages from 2027 to 2029. The MRT line is to run from Choa Chu Kang, crossing Boon Lay and Tengah, Jurong East, JIE, and Jurong West, following plans to develop Tengah New Town.
| Date | JRL Project | Stations |
| 2027 | Stage 1 | Chua Chu Kang – Boon Lay/Tawas (10 stations) |
| 2028 | Stage 2 | Tengah – Pandan Reservoir (7 stations) |
| 2029 | Stage 3 | Boon Lay – Jurong Pier & Tawas – Peng Kang Hill (7 stations) |
| By 2030 to 2035 | West Coast Extension | Completion of the West Coast Extension (TBC) |
It will also connect to main activity nodes in Jurong – JIE, JID, NTU, and also serve the Jurong Lake District (JLD), supporting plans to transform the area into Singapore’s western business district.
Certain schools and locations were shifted to facilitate the building of the line, including a HDB multi-storey car park with shops. Part-lots of land and pockets of air space will be acquired to build the JRL.
The MRT line has 24 stations and will be 24 kilometres long. There will be 62 fully-automated and driverless car trains for the JRL and the first train is expected to arrive in Singapore around mid-2024. It will be the first MRT line to be fully elevated and the fifth MRT line to be completely automated and driverless.
The JRL will also connect three interchange stations – Choa Chu Kang, Boon Lay, and Bukit Panjang. Feasibility studies for an extension to connect the east branch to the Circle Line at Haw Par Villa are currently ongoing.
Jurong Region Line (JRL) MRT stations’ estimated construction stages
| JRL Stage 1, 2027 | JRL Stage 2, 2028 | JRL Stage 3, 2029 |
| JS1: Choa Chu Kang | JE1: Tengah Plantation | JS9: Enterprise |
| JS2: Choa Chu Kang West | JE2: Tengah Park | JS10: Tukang |
| JS3: Tengah | JE3: Bukit Batok West | JS11: Jurong Hill |
| JS4: Hong Kah | JE4: Toh Guan | JS12: Jurong Pier |
| JS5: Corporation | JE5: Jurong East | JW3: Nanyang Gateway |
| JS6: Jurong West | JE6: Jurong Town Hall | JW4: Nanyang Crescent |
| JS7: Bahar Junction | JE7: Pandan Reservoir | JW5: Peng Kang Hill |
| JS8: Boon Lay | ||
| JW1: Gek Poh | ||
| JW2: Tawas |
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JRL Stage 1 – Choa Chu Kang, Choa Chu Kang West, Tengah, Hong Kah, Corporation, Jurong West, Bahar Junction, Boon Lay, Gek Poh, Tawas
ETA: By 2027
The JRL will be supported by an integrated rail and bus depot in the Tengah area. The rail depot will house the Operations Control Centre and provide stabling and maintenance facilities for about 100 JRL trains.
Artist’s impression of the rail depot at Tengah / Image Credit: LTA
It will only take 2 stops for a commuter who lives in Tengah (JS3) to travel to Choa Chu Kang station (JS1) where he/she can also change train lines to the North-South Line (NSL) (MRT) and the Bukit Panjang LRT line.
Meanwhile, the new Bahar Junction (JS7) will be the main connector of JS and JW stations. JW stations include stations at NTU and JS stations include Jurong West Station (JS6).
Image Credit: LTA
Artist’s impression of Jurong West Station / Image Credit: LTA
Tawas (JW2) is located at CleanTech Park, and it will only take three stops for those from JTC CleanTech park to reach Boon Lay (JS8) recreational area, which has the Jurong Point mall, the SAFRA Clubhouse (Jurong), and Pioneer Polyclinic.
Image Credit: LTA
Image Credit: LTA
Commuters can also commute easily to Jurong Innovation District instead of relying on other modes of transport previously.
Image Credit: LTA
JRL Stage 2 – Tengah Plantation, Tengah Park, Bukit Batok West, Toh Guan, Jurong East, Jurong Town Hall, Pandan Reservoir
ETA: By 2028
At this stage of development, the stations are under JE symbol stations, which are on the east side of the JRL. Commuters in the east side of the JRL will be able to take a quicker journey from Tengah to Pandan Reservoir via the MRT.
JE2 is Tengah Park and it is close to Millenia Institute and Dulwich College (Singapore). This means that students who study further away can easily access the MRT to attend these schools once the JRL stations are ready.
Image Credit: LTA
Those at Bukit Batok West (JE3) and Toh Guan (JE4) will be one to two stops away from Jurong East Station (JE5), which is a main line to interchange for the NSL, East-West Line (MRT), and JRL.
Image Credit: LTA
Residents in the JRL region will be closer to the Jurong recreational and healthcare area at Jurong East Station (JE5), which holds large malls like Westgate, JEM, and Big Box. Ng Teng Fong General Hospital is also close to the Jurong East Station.
Those working near Jurong Town Hall MRT (JE6) such as workers in Acer Building, Iquest, German Centre and the International Business Park will be one MRT stop away to Jurong East (JE5), bringing them closer to amenities and food locations.
Image Credit: LTA
Those who are staying at West Coast area, like Pandan Gardens and Teban Gardens Road will now have the Pandan Reservoir Station (JE7) to connect them closer to Jurong and other parts of Singapore.
Image Credit: LTA
JRL Stage 3 – Enterprise, Tukang, Jurong Hill, Jurong Pier, Nanyang Gateway, Nanyang Crescent, Peng Kang Hill
ETA: By 2029
In stage three of the development, the JRL will be extended into NTU and towards Jurong Pier.
Industrial buildings near Enterprise Station (JS9) will be one stop away to Boon Lay (JS8), which is connected to the EWL and JRL. Some firms that are there currently include Neo Garden Catering, Glaxo Smith Kline, Australian Fruit Juice(s), and Auric Pacific.
Image Credit: LTA
At Tukang station (JS10), there are companies like JTC MedTech Hub, Biosensors Interventional Technologies, and UTOC Engineering. Similarly, the workers there will have easier access to the recreational area at Boon Lay (JS8).
Image Credit: LTA
Perhaps the final piece to the puzzle, Jurong Pier (JS12), will connect workers near Jurong Island to be closer to Singapore’s entire MRT network ecosystem, making the whole of Singapore more accessible for professional workers who work at Jurong Island, and vice versa.
Image Credit: LTA
The Jurong Pier Station (JS12) is close to Jurong Island checkpoint, and will provide time savings for workers working there.
Jurong Island houses over 18,000 energy chemical professionals and is the world’s top five refinery export hub. It is the heart of Singapore’s chemical and energy industry and acts as the operational base for leading petroleum and petrochemical firms such as DuPont, Shell, Exxonmobil, Celanese Chemicals and Chevron.
Gazetted as a Protected Area, Jurong Island is safeguarded by a comprehensive security framework. All vehicles and people entering the island require passes, and are screened at a dedicated security checkpoint. Private-hire vehicles are not permitted into Jurong Island, and for taxis, commuters have to alight at the Admin Building Thoroughfare. Shuttle services 715, 716, and 718 transport commuters within the island.
JRL Expected To Serve More Than 500,000 Commuters Daily When The Region Fully Develops
The JRL is expected to serve more than 200,000 commuters daily in the initial years. This figure would rise to more than 500,000 when the JID, JLD, and Tengah area are fully developed.
The JRL is also expected to improve the resilience of Singapore’s rail network and provide commuters with alternative travel routes.
For instance, a commuter staying in Woodlands and working in Jurong Island will be able to reach Jurong Island Checkpoint in 45 minutes, which is 35 minutes faster than the 80-minute journey on public transport today.
Image Credit: LTA
Image Credit: LTA
By connecting to Choa Chu Kang and Boon Lay MRT Stations on the North-South and East-West Lines, commuters travelling from the northern region of Singapore will be able to access the Jurong region using the JRL, without going through the heavily-used Jurong East MRT Station.
As with the introduction of other new rail lines, LTA said that it will review the bus services in surrounding areas to optimise connectivity to JRL and the rest of the rail network.
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