Singapore’s MRT network went nine consecutive months without a service delay exceeding 30 minutes, its longest such streak since records began in 2011.
The milestone was reached in July 2026, according to the Land Transport Authority’s latest monthly rail reliability report released on 14 August.
There is one important qualification: the figures exclude the Thomson-East Coast Line, or TEL.
MRT Reliability Remained Above 2 Million Train-Km
The MRT network’s mean kilometres between failure, or MKBF, increased slightly from a revised 2.36 million train-km in June to 2.37 million train-km in July.
This was the fourth consecutive month in which the figure remained above two million train-km.
MKBF measures the average distance travelled by trains before a service delay lasting more than five minutes occurs. LTA calculates it using data from a moving 12-month period, rather than from July alone.
A higher number generally indicates better reliability. Singapore’s target is at least one million train-km for both the overall network and each individual MRT line.
All five mature lines either improved or maintained their MKBF in July.
The North East Line recorded the highest figure at 4.47 million train-km, followed by the Downtown Line at 4.2 million. The Circle Line improved from 2.4 million to 2.45 million train-km.
The East-West Line remained at 2.02 million train-km, while the North-South Line stayed at 1.65 million.
LTA attributed the recent results to work by rail employees and operators, as well as measures recommended by the Rail Reliability Taskforce.
Why Is the Thomson-East Coast Line Excluded?
TEL’s own MKBF improved from 355,000 train-km in June to 373,000 train-km in July. It also recorded no delay exceeding 30 minutes during the month.
However, its results are not included when calculating the overall network’s MKBF or the nine-month streak.
LTA said the line remains under construction while extension and system-integration work takes place alongside regular passenger operations.
New rail lines can also operate fewer trains and cover less mileage than mature lines. This can make their reliability figures more sensitive to individual incidents.
TEL’s fifth and final stage, which includes Bedok South and Sungei Bedok stations, has yet to open as of 14 August.
Not Every Reliability Indicator Improved
While the main MKBF figure rose, two other measures declined slightly in July.
Train service delivery, which compares the distance trains actually travelled with the distance scheduled, fell from 99.82 per cent in June to 99.71 per cent.
Overall train punctuality also slipped from 99.32 per cent to 99.29 per cent. A train is considered punctual under this measure when it completes its trip within two minutes of the scheduled time.
In other words, the network avoided lengthy disruptions and trains travelled further between delays, although slightly fewer services ran exactly as planned or finished on time.
