Sengkang-Punggol LRT services will fully resume on Sunday, 4 October, two weeks earlier than originally scheduled.
The Sengkang West Inner Loop, which had been closed since 19 April for upgrading works, was initially expected to reopen only on 18 October.
According to Mothership, the early reopening follows an announcement by the Land Transport Authority on 2 October that the upgrading works had been completed ahead of schedule.
There is also good news for commuters who like to siam the morning peak crowd: the free off-peak travel programme on the North East Line and Sengkang-Punggol LRT will be extended for another year.
Sengkang West Inner Loop Reopening on 4 Oct
The affected loop is the Sengkang West Inner Loop via Cheng Lim station.
LTA had earlier said the closure was needed to connect new reception tracks from the expanded Sengkang-Punggol LRT depot to the existing mainline.
During the closure, commuters could still use regular bus services and the Sengkang West Outer Loop via Renjong station.
Dedicated Sengkang West shuttle buses were also provided during weekday peak periods. The morning shuttle ran from Fernvale towards Layar, Tongkang, Renjong and Sengkang, while the evening shuttle ran from Sengkang towards Cheng Lim, Farmway, Kupang and Thanggam.
The original service adjustment period was from 19 April to 18 October, so the 4 October reopening brings the full resumption forward by about two weeks.
Why the Works Were Needed
The works are part of the broader plan to upgrade and expand the Sengkang-Punggol LRT system.
LTA said earlier this year that the SPLRT fleet was being expanded from 25 one-car Light Rail Vehicles and 16 two-car Light Rail Vehicles to 33 two-car Light Rail Vehicles.
The bigger fleet is meant to meet growing demand along the Sengkang-Punggol LRT.
To house and support the expanded fleet, the SPLRT depot is also being expanded from 3.5ha to 11.1ha. When completed in 2027, the expanded depot will include additional reception tracks and workshop tracks.
In simpler terms, the network needs more train capacity, and the depot needs more space and track connections to support those trains. Unfortunately, that also meant months of inconvenience for some Sengkang commuters.
Free Off-Peak Rides Extended for Another Year
Separately, LTA said the free morning off-peak rail ride programme for the North East Line and Sengkang-Punggol LRT will be extended for another year, according to Mothership.
Under the existing programme, commuters can enjoy free travel for the first rail trip of their journey if they tap in at eligible stations before 7.30am or between 9.00am and 9.45am on weekdays, excluding public holidays.
The eligible stations include the six North East Line stations between Punggol Coast and Kovan, as well as any station on the Sengkang-Punggol LRT.
No registration is required for the free rail ride, as long as commuters tap in and out using the same fare card or payment mode.
The programme was introduced to encourage commuters to travel before or after the morning peak, which helps spread out demand on the North East Line and Sengkang-Punggol LRT.
LTA has also linked the scheme with Travel Smart Journeys rewards for some bus connections, allowing eligible commuters to get rebates on bus legs when they register through the SimplyGo app.
