Getting Around by MRT: Lines, Interchanges & Hours
Singapore's MRT is one of the easiest metro systems in the world to learn — six colour-coded lines, bilingual signage, and trains every few minutes. Here's everything you need to navigate it confidently.
The network at a glance
The MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) network spans over 200 km and serves the vast majority of the island. Trains typically run every 2–3 minutes during peak hours and every 5–7 minutes off-peak. Three light-rail (LRT) loops — Bukit Panjang, Sengkang and Punggol — feed residential estates into the main network.
Every line has a colour and a letter code, and every station has a numbered code (for example, Orchard is NS22 / TE14). If you can't remember a station's name, the code on any network map gets you there.
The six MRT lines
NS North-South Line (Red)
Jurong East → Marina South Pier. The oldest line, running through Woodlands, Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Orchard, City Hall and Marina Bay. Your line for the Orchard Road shopping belt and the northern suburbs.
EW East-West Line (Green)
Pasir Ris → Tuas Link, with a branch from Tanah Merah to Changi Airport. The workhorse of the network — it links the airport, the eastern estates, the CBD (Raffles Place, Tanjong Pagar) and the western industrial belt.
NE North East Line (Purple)
HarbourFront → Punggol. Fully automated and driverless. Connects Chinatown, Little India, Serangoon and the north-eastern towns; the direct route to VivoCity and Sentosa's doorstep.
CC Circle Line (Orange)
An orbital line looping around the city centre, linking almost every other line without going through it. Great for cross-town trips — think Bishan to Buona Vista without changing at City Hall. The final stage closing the full circle is opening in phases.
DT Downtown Line (Blue)
Bukit Panjang → Expo. A deep-tunnel driverless line through Bukit Timah, Little India, Bugis, Chinatown and the Marina Bay financial district — the fast way in from the north-west.
TE Thomson-East Coast Line (Brown)
Woodlands North → the East Coast, via Upper Thomson, Orchard, Outram Park and Gardens by the Bay. The newest line, still being extended in stages towards the airport.
Interchanges worth memorising
You rarely need more than one transfer to get anywhere. These are the interchanges you'll use most:
| Station | Lines | Useful for |
|---|---|---|
| Dhoby Ghaut | NS · NE · CC | Biggest interchange; Orchard ↔ north-east |
| Outram Park | EW · NE · TE | Chinatown area, three-line hub |
| Jurong East | NS · EW | Gateway between the west and north |
| City Hall / Raffles Place | NS · EW | Cross-platform transfer in the CBD |
| Bishan | NS · CC | North ↔ orbital trips |
| Bugis | EW · DT | East ↔ Downtown line |
| Botanic Gardens | CC · DT | North-west ↔ orbital |
| Orchard | NS · TE | Shopping belt, Thomson corridor |
| Marina Bay | NS · CC · TE | Waterfront district |
| HarbourFront | NE · CC | VivoCity & Sentosa |
Operating hours & frequency
Trains generally run from about 5:30 am to around midnight, with exact first- and last-train times varying by station and direction. On the eves of major public holidays (New Year, Chinese New Year), services are usually extended past midnight.
If you're catching a late train, don't cut it close: the "last train" time shown at a station is for the final destination reachable from that platform — intermediate transfers may already have stopped connecting. Plan one transfer earlier than you think you need.
Beating the crowds
- Peak windows are roughly 7:30–9:00 am and 6:00–7:30 pm on weekdays. If your schedule is flexible, shifting 30 minutes either way makes a real difference.
- The ends of the platform are usually emptier than the centre, where the escalators deposit everyone.
- Check live crowd levels before you go — SGHere's MRT tab shows station-by-station crowd density from LTA's real-time feed, so you can pick a calmer boarding station or time.
- During disruptions, look for free bridging buses — when a line segment goes down, operators run parallel shuttle buses between the affected stations.
Check line status before you leave
SGHere shows the live status of every MRT and LRT line, plus station crowd levels, for free — no app download needed.
Open live MRT statusInformation correct as of July 2026. Line extensions, timetables and service patterns change — for official announcements check LTA and the operators (SMRT, SBS Transit).