Changi Airport MRT Station

History

Changi Airport had been operating since its opening in 1981 with no rail link and with full reliance on taxi and bus connections, proven effective given the short 20 kilometre distance to the city via the East Coast Parkway and their relative affordability. Public buses also provide cheap express trips to the city, and link commuters to the MRT network at Bedok, Tampines and Pasir Ris. There was thus no pressing need to build the rail line despite regional competition, and was only given the green light when the Singapore Expo was built along the line and helping to add potential traffic.

The earlier plans had long been made for a new line branching off from the existing East West Line at Tanah Merah, with some conceptual plans showing a tentative route alignment up to the airport along Airport Boulevard, continuing beyond the airport to Changi Point, before turning southwest back towards the city along the east coast of the island. When the extension to the airport was finally announced, however, the route alignment showed a deviation from previous plans.

The final plan involved building only the first two stations, namely Expo, an elevated station directly adjacent to the Singapore Expo, and the Changi Airport station, an underground station built between Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. The alignment of the station at the airport has been switched perpendicularly to an east–west direction, such that the station leads to two of the terminals directly from either end of the station. And finally when the Singapore Expo opened in 1999, the Somapah MRT station was renamed to Expo.

Since the station's opening, passenger traffic has been moderate, as most bus routes were maintained and continue to be a popular means of cheap, direct transport for local airport/airline employees, as well as travellers not living along the East West Line. Route 34, as a peak-hour bus service was withdrawn on September 2002, together with the shortening of route 506 to Bedok (to replace the slot that is used for route 34). Route 989 was merged with 185 and cut short to Lorong 1 Geylang. A new bus service, 34 from Punggol to Changi Airport took over the slot in Changi Airport Bus Terminal to enhance connectivity along Tampines East, Tampines new town, IKEA Tampines and Punggol areas. Many air travellers also prefer to continue taking taxis or private transport as all the MRT services does not have luggage racks. Peak hours in Changi Airport Line are defined according to the flight schedules. Thus primary users of the station are usually confined to airport/airline employees, leisure visitors, well-wishers, and budget air travellers, in particular backpackers. This station receives a huge load of traffic during weekends due to the transfer point for commuters from Expo to the bus terminal.

The Tanah Merah-Expo route was initially operated as a shuttle service; through services from Boon Lay commenced after the opening of this station. However, due to low ridership, the route reverted to being operated as a shuttle service from July 22, 2003.

The initial numbering of the station was EW29, but was changed on 20 June 2003 to CG2. The original code is now used for the Joo Koon station.

Proposal of line extension

Plans were announced for a fifth terminal at the airport in the mid-2010s. Accordingly, the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) might be extended from its current terminus at Sungei Bedok MRT Station to serve this new terminal, in addition to becoming an interchange with this station, in the future.

Trivia