Circle MRT Line

Circle MRT Line

The Circle Line (CCL) is Singapore's fourth Mass Rapid Transit line, operated by SMRT Corporation. This underground line is 35.7 kilometres (22.2 mi) long with 28 stations (excluding Bukit Brown) and is fully automatically operated. It takes about one hour to travel from one end to the other. The line is coloured orange on the rail map.

As the name implies, the line is an orbital circle route linking all radial routes leading to the city. It also covers many parts of the Central Area. From Promenade, the line branches with one branch terminating at Dhoby Ghaut and the other terminating at Marina Bay. Transfers to the North South Line are provided at Bishan, Dhoby Ghaut and Marina Bay stations, East West Line at Paya Lebar and Buona Vista stations, and North East Line at Dhoby Ghaut, Serangoon and HarbourFront stations. The future Downtown Line will interchange with the Circle Line at Bayfront, Promenade, Botanic Gardens and MacPherson stations and the future Thomson Line will interchange with the Circle Line at Caldecott and Marina Bay stations.

The Circle Line is the first medium capacity line in Singapore. As a medium capacity line, each Circle Line train has only three cars instead of the six-car configuration as seen on current MRT lines. Half a million people are expected to use the Circle Line each day. The line reduces travelling time for commuters by allowing them to shorten trips between north to east or north to west and vice versa, bypassing busy interchange like City Hall and Raffles Place.

Currently, the Circle Line is not a full circle yet, as there is no through service on the section between HarbourFront and Marina Bay or Dhoby Ghaut. Passengers will need to transfer onto the North East Line to get to Dhoby Ghaut instead. However, a branch passing through the Marina District has been built, and a "Stage 6" that would complete the circle has been mooted but is not officially planned.