8 Facts About The Jurong Regional MRT Line That’ll Start Operating From 2026

Jurong people, I’ve got some really good news for you.

News that can, possibly, make Jurong the awesome-est place to stay at in Singapore.

And finally get us out of the bottom rankings for accessibility, and to remove us from that “eh-you-stay-in-factory-arh” stereotypes.

Yes, we’re talking new MRT lines. Or to be more exact, the Jurong Regional Line.

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Here are 8 facts about this new MRT line that’ll make Jurong-ers cheer.

1. New MRT Line Serving Choa Chu Kang, Boon Lay and Tengah People

On 9 May, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan unveiled the plans for a new MRT line, the Jurong Region Line (JRL).

The 24 km line will have 24 above-ground stations and it will start operating in three phases from the year 2026.

The line will serve 5 key areas in the west: Jurong East, Choa Chu Kang, Boon Lay/Jurong West, Jurong Industrial Estate and Nanyang Technological University.

So we have to wonder: would this line be operational first, or would aliens land on earth first?

I mean, 2026 is like soooooooooo far away, no?

But read on, because it’s not just 2026.

2. Three different phases of opening

The JRL will open in three phases starting from 2026, then in 2027 and 2028.

In the first phase, the stations between Choa Chu Kang to Boon Lay and Tawas will open. It’s expected to serve up to 200,000 riders for the first phase.

In the second phase, the seven stations between Tengah and Pandan Reservoir will start operating.

And lastly, three stations within NTU plus Boon Lay to Jurong Pier will open in the last phase.

The entire line is expected to serve more than 500,000 riders daily when the Jurong redevelopment is completed.

3. The Seventh MRT Line

In case you’re wondering, how many lines does Singapore have ah? Why like non-stop one?

The Jurong Region Line (JRL) will be the seventh.

Apparently, yes.

The JRL is estimated to put about 60,000 households within a 10-minute walk of an MRT station.

The 24km line will connect the North-South Line (NSL) and East-West Line (EWL) via Jurong East, Choa Chu Kang and Boon Lay.

The three stations will be the interchange stations for the JRL.

And this is amazing news because…

4. It’ll help lighten the train load between Jurong East and Choa Chu Kang

If you stay in Bukit Batok and work at Raffles Place, you’ll dread going home by MRT.

Because the platform is crowded AF, especially during peak hours.

True, things were better after the second platform for the NSL was opened at Jurong East MRT station, but trains are still crowded.

With the JRL, this might be a thing of the past.

The JRL will provide alternative routes for people transferring from Jurong East, lightening the load for trains running between Jurong East and Choa Chu Kang.

5. Three MRT stations within NTU

In case you missed it, there will be not one, not two but three MRT stations within the university campus.

They’re Nanyang Gateway, Nanyang Crescent and Peng Kang Hill.

Future students who are going to study in NTU, you won’t get to experience the troublesome journey from Pioneer MRT station to your school in the future.

Nor will you have to wait for the campus buses to access different parts of the campus. Or worse, walk.

But here’s the bad news: the NTU stations will only open in the third phase of the JRL. In 2028.

So yeah, it’s for your kids.

6. Travelling Time Cut Down by Almost Half in the West

Without the JRL, an individual living in Woodlands and working at Jurong Island will take about 80 minutes to reach Jurong Island Checkpoint.

However, when you add the JRL into the equation, the travel time for the same individual will be cut down to 45 minutes.

7. Bigger Than LRT, Smaller Than Circle Line

Now, here’s the bad news. It can still get pretty crowded on the JRL trains.

LTA’s chief Ngien Hoon Ping said that they will be using three-car trains on the JRL, which will be powered by the third rail system.

However, there’s a bit of good news: when ridership increases on the JRL due to the developments in the area, they’ll upsize the trains to four-cars train.

The stations will be built to accommodate four-car trains, according to him.

So think of it as a mini MRT instead of the usual long MRT trains.

8. Jurong will be a waterfront business hub nestled in greenery, with good transport and amenities

If you remembered, the government announced an ambitious project last year.

They want to create a second Central Business District (CBD) in Singapore, and they’ve designated the Jurong Lake District as the place to develop.

Works are well underway, and the MRT is meant to help develop the area as well.

With the JRL and the KL-Singapore High-Speed Rail, they aim to make Jurong not just accessible within the west of Singapore but to Malaysia as well.

“Jurong will be a waterfront business hub nestled in greenery, served by good public transport connections, as well as amenities to support active mobility.”

I don’t know about you but I hope they succeed. This means the price for my flat will skyrocket.

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