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Commuters to tap in and out at interchange stations along DTL2

SINGAPORE — When the second phase of the Downtown Line (DTL2) officially opens on Dec 27, commuters changing trains at the Newton and Bukit Panjang interchange stations will need to tap out of one section and re-enter to catch their train at the connecting line.

The fare gates at Bukit Panjang Station on the Downtown Line (DTL), taken on 1 Dec 2015. Commuters at Bukit Panjang Station are require to tap out of the station before tapping in again at the other station when connecting between the DTL station and the LRT station. Photo: Ooi Boon Keong

The fare gates at Bukit Panjang Station on the Downtown Line (DTL), taken on 1 Dec 2015. Commuters at Bukit Panjang Station are require to tap out of the station before tapping in again at the other station when connecting between the DTL station and the LRT station. Photo: Ooi Boon Keong

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SINGAPORE — When the second phase of the Downtown Line (DTL2) officially opens on Dec 27, commuters changing trains at the Newton and Bukit Panjang interchange stations will need to tap out of one section and re-enter to catch their train at the connecting line.

But the fare system at these stations will be configured such that commuters will still enjoy distance-based fares, as long as they make the connection within 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, commuters will be considered to be starting a new trip. 

Newton Station connects the North-South Line (NSL) and DTL, while Bukit Panjang Station connects DTL and the Bukit Panjang LRT line. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the two stations have site constraints that make it difficult to build a more direct link between the lines. 

The underpass linking the NSL and the DTL at Newton Station is also used as a 24-hour public underpass under Scotts Road. 

“At Newton Station ... we would have to close the existing underpass during the whole five to seven years of construction. This would have greatly inconvenienced commuters who use the underpass daily to cross Scotts Road,” said Mr Tan Kian Thong, who is the project director for the Rochor to Tan Kah Kee stations for DTL2. 

It would also have been a complicated project, as it would have affected the Newton Flyover that was built in the late 1970s, the busy Newton Circus, and a canal.

At Bukit Panjang Station, the DTL is linked to the Bukit Panjang LRT line by a sheltered bridge, which is also intended for use by the public even when the stations are closed. For example, pedestrians will be able to walk from Choa Chu Kang Road to Upper Bukit Timah Road via the bridge, which will be open 24 hours, without tapping into the MRT station.

Signs and notices will be placed at the fare gates to inform commuters to tap out and re-enter the other line’s fare gate. At Newton MRT Station, the distance between the DTL and NSL is 56m. At Bukit Panjang MRT Station, the LRT line is 235m away from the DTL. 

The LTA will hold an open house at the 12 DTL2 stations on Saturday, where visitors can ride the trains for free along any DTL2 station, and there will also be various activities at each station, like a food-themed memory matching game at Newton Station.

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