Hume MRT station opens on Downtown Line, shortening trips to city centre

As early as 45 minutes before Hume MRT station on the Downtown Line (DTL) was due to open at 3pm on Feb 28, about 40 people were already waiting in anticipation outside.

Among them was Primary 6 pupil Cayden Goh, 12, who rushed over after classes ended at his school in Punggol. He arrived at the station at 2.20pm and was among the first to enter the station.

He had been looking forward to the opening of Hume station since January, when the opening date was announced.

Cayden told The Straits Times: "I'm here to chant 'open, open, open, o-p-e-n'."

The crowd outside one of the two entrances at the station grew steadily to more than 100 closer to 3pm, when the station opened for service.

Auxiliary police officers were on site to control the crowd.

Excitement filled the air as the crowd moved towards the platforms once the shutters at the entrance were lifted on the dot at 3pm.

Some boarded the first train that arrived at around 3.04pm. Others stayed to explore the station's interior.

Hume MRT station, between the Hillview and Beauty World stops, is the last station on the second stage of the DTL to be ready. DTL Stage 2 had started operations in December 2015.

The station has two entrances, one facing Upper Bukit Timah Road and the other facing Hume Avenue.

Speaking at its opening on Feb 28, Minister of State for Transport and Law Murali Pillai said work on the station - a shell structure built in 2014 - came with its unique challenges.

Workers had to deliver construction materials from Gali Batu depot and Hillview station to Hume via the DTL as there was no above-ground entrance when work started.

Thanking residents for their patience, Mr Murali said they will now have a faster and more direct way to their destinations.

It is now more convenient for residents to travel to the city centre, with a trip from Hume station to Downtown station in Central Boulevard taking around 30 minutes, down from about 45 minutes previously.

Residents can also get to Botanic Gardens station in 15 minutes, halving the time it previously took to get there by bus.

Madam Maria Bautista, 51, who lives in Hume Park 1 condominium next to the station, said she is thankful that there is now an MRT station a few minutes from her home on foot.

Previously, she had to take a 10-minute bus ride to either Hillview or Beauty World MRT station to get on the DTL.

For Bukit Gombak resident Marina Nawi, 71, Hume station is now the closest DTL stop to her home.

The retired cashier said it takes her only 15 minutes to get to the station via a free shuttle bus service for Bukit Gombak residents.

Madam Marina, who was at the opening to explore routes from the new station, is looking forward to travelling via Hume to shopping areas such as Tekka Centre in Little India and Suntec City near Promenade station.

Addressing the audience at the station's opening, Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, as well as Culture, Community and Youth, thanked residents for being patient and persuasive in convincing the authorities to build Hume station.

The Chua Chu Kang GRC MP said the Hume area is home to a growing population, and is a locale with historical significance.

"We are excited to see how the... potential in our estate will continue to be unlocked, to be unleashed also, by the ease of travel and easy commute brought about by today's opening of Hume station," she added.

With Hume station, the Land Transport Authority said more than 220,000 households will be within a 10-minute walk from a station on the DTL, which is run by SBS Transit.

Attractions such as the Former Ford Factory, a national monument, and the Rail Corridor in Bukit Timah are a short walk from the station.

Mr Murali noted that the new station is fitted with fresh features similar to those on newer MRT lines, such as a mirror at the back of the lift to help wheelchair users reverse out easily, as well as wayfinding signs.

Works to fit out the long-empty station began in 2021 after years of lobbying by residents. Its opening had been delayed because the Government said developments in the area and ridership growth did not warrant the station opening.

However, this changed after plans to redevelop the Rail Corridor and the former Bukit Timah Fire Station. The fire station is being turned into a mixed-use development featuring co-living spaces.

There are four upcoming MRT stations that will be built on the DTL. They are Xilin and Sungei Bedok stations that will open in the second half of 2026, and two more that will extend the north-western end of the line from Bukit Panjang station to a new interchange station in Sungei Kadut, which will be ready in 2035.

Mr Murali said these new stations are examples of how the Government is trying to improve not only connectivity for passengers, but also the resilience of Singapore's rail network.

"Having more stations and interchanges not only helps to provide better distribution of the load across the MRT network, but it also provides alternative routes in the event of rail disruptions," he added.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.