NEL's Punggol Coast MRT station to open for passenger service on Dec 10

SINGAPORE — Punggol Coast MRT station, an extension from the existing Punggol station on the North East Line, will open for passenger service on Dec 10 at 3pm, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Oct 10.

With this addition, Punggol Coast station will be the terminal station of the 22km North East Line, taking its total number of stations to 17.

Located in the Punggol Digital District, the new station will improve transport connectivity for more than 28,000 employees in the JTC Business Park.

It will also benefit some 12,000 students from the Singapore Institute of Technology's (SIT) Punggol campus as well as those visiting the upcoming Punggol Coast Mall, which is being completed in phases from September.

The SIT campus will have access to one of Punggol Coast station's exits at its doorstep, while the other exit will be located along New Punggol Road.

LTA added that the station, situated beneath the district's Nexus community plaza, is within walking distance of the Punggol Coast bus interchange, and will house more than 300 bicycle parking spots.

Construction of Punggol Coast station started in 2018, and the station was handed over to rail operator SBS Transit in August.

SBS Transit, which runs the North East Line, has since been carrying out operational tests to prepare for the station's opening.

With the new station, more than 200,000 households will be within a 10-minute walk from a station along the North East Line.

Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said in a Facebook post on Oct 10 that the new station will benefit Punggol residents who travel to the central region.

For example, passengers will take about 45 minutes to get from Punggol North to Outram Park on the North East Line, compared with the current 60-minute journey that includes a bus ride from Punggol North to Punggol station.

Initially slated for completion in 2023, the new station was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It was later announced that the station would be operational by the end of 2024.

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