Tampines MRT station

Tampines MRT station is a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the East West (EWL) and Downtown (DTL) lines in Tampines, Singapore. Situated at the heart of the Tampines Town Centre next to Tampines Avenue 4, Tampines Central 4 and Tampines Central 5, it is in close proximity to the Tampines and Tampines Concourse bus interchanges. The station also serves the surrounding retail developments of Tampines Mall, Tampines One and Century Square.

Not to be confused with Tampines West MRT station, Tampines East MRT station, or Tampines North MRT station.

 EW2 – DT32 
Tampines
淡滨尼
தெம்பினிஸ்
Tampines
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station
Exit C of Tampines station.
Location20 Tampines Central 1
Singapore 529538 (EWL)
15 Tampines Central 1
Singapore 529544 (DTL)
Coordinates1°21′9.10″N 103°56′43.16″E
Owned byLand Transport Authority
Operated bySMRT Trains Ltd (SMRT Corporation) (East West line)
SBS Transit DTL Pte Ltd (ComfortDelGro Corporation) (Downtown line)
Line(s)
  East West Line
  Downtown Line
Platforms4 (2 island platforms)
Tracks4
ConnectionsTampines Bus Interchange, Taxi
Construction
Structure typeElevated (East West line)
Underground (Downtown line)
Platform levels2
ParkingYes (Century Square, Tampines 1, Tampines Mall)
Bicycle facilitiesYes
Disabled accessYes
History
Opened16 December 1989 (1989-12-16) (East West line)
21 October 2017 (2017-10-21) (Downtown line)
ElectrifiedYes
Previous namesTampines North
Passengers
October 202035,167 per day[1]
Services
Preceding station   Mass Rapid Transit   Following station
Terminus
East West Line
towards Joo Koon or Tuas Link
towards Bukit Panjang
Downtown Line
towards Expo
Location
Tampines
Tampines station

The EWL station opened on 16 December 1989 as part of the MRT eastern line extension to Pasir Ris station via this station. On 20 August 2010, it was announced that the station will interchange with the DTL by 2017. The DTL station, which isn't directly connected to the existing EWL station, was completed on 21 October 2017. The EWL station exterior has the characteristic dome-shaped segmented roof also seen on other elevated EWL stations, while the DTL station features an art piece The Big Round & The Tall Long by Studio Juju as part of the MRT network's Art-in-Transit programme.

History

East West line (EWL)
Platform level of the EWL station

In the planning stages of the MRT network, there were two proposed stations, tentatively named "Tampines North" and "Tampines South", on the EWL, with Tampines North being its eastern terminus.[2] The station was later constructed as part of the section between Pasir Ris station and Tanah Merah station, which in turn was part of Phase 2A of the MRT system.[3] Contract 306 for the construction of the stations from Changi Depot to Pasir Ris and 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) of tracks was awarded to Sato Kogyo Pte Ltd at a contract sum of S$91.89 million (US$42.2 million) on March 1986. The contract also includes the construction of the Pasir Ris and Simei stations.[4]

As announced by then-first deputy prime minister Goh Chok Tong on 4 November 1989,[5][6] the station opened on 16 December when the EWL extends to Pasir Ris.[7][8][9] The station opening was generally welcomed by residents in Tampines and Pasir Ris, who hoped for "quicker rides" to their workplaces in the city via the MRT.[10]

Tampines station was one of the first five MRT stations[lower-alpha 1] to be retrofitted with lifts and ramps in 2002, alongside enhancement works such as toilets for the disabled. These works, which cost S$81.5 million (US$45.53 million), were part of a system-wide programme to make the MRT network more wheel-chair accessible. The programme comes after lobbying by the Handicaps Welfare Association.[11] In 2009, enhanced bicycle parking facilities were installed at Tampines station (alongside Yishun and Pasir Ris) as part of a pilot programme. These improvements include greater flexibility to lock the bicycles at either the frame or the wheels and basic shelters. The contract for the bicycle parking facilities was awarded to Shincon Industrial Pte Ltd at a contract sum of S$1.43 million (US$1.01 million).[12]

In 2012, half-height platform screen doors were installed at this station as part of the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) programme to improve safety in MRT stations.[13][14][15] Later, on 30 March 2012, Tampines was the first MRT station to have high-volume low-speed fans installed above the station platforms as part of a national programme to improve ventaliation at the platforms.[16][17][18]

Downtown line (DTL)
DTL Platforms of Tampines station

On 20 August 2010, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced that Tampines station would be an interchange with the Downtown line. The station would be constructed as part of the 21-kilometre (13 mi) Stage 3, consisting of 16 stations between the River Valley (now Fort Canning) and Expo stations. The line was expected to be completed in 2017.[19][20][21]

Contract 925A for the construction of the DTL station was awarded to KTC Civil Engineering & Construction Pte Ltd at a contract sum of S$118.5 million (US$94.05 million) in July 2011. Construction of the station started that month and was targeted to complete in 2017.[22][23][24][25]

The station was constructed using the top-down method. This was to minimise movement to the existing viaducts for the EWL. As there is limited space, special low headroom machines were utilised to facilitate some of the works.[26] To prevent disruption to the operations of the bus interchange and the shops, a paid link was not constructed between the DTL and EWL stations.[27]

On 31 May 2017, it was announced that the station, together with the rest of DTL3, will be opened on 21 October that year.[26][28] Passengers were offered a preview of the station along with the other Downtown Line 3 (DTL 3) stations at the DTL 3 Open House on 15 October.[29]

Station details

Location

As the name suggests, the station serves the town of Tampines. The station is surrounded by the retail developments of Century Square, Tampines Mall and Tampines 1, in addition to commercial buildings such as the HDB (Housing and Development Board) Branch Office, AIA Tampines, the CPF (Central Provident Fund) Tampines Building and two Income buildings. It is also within walking distances to the Tampines North Community Club, Tampines Polyclinic, Our Tampines Hub and the Masjid Darul Ghufran.[30][31]

The station also serves two bus interchanges: the Tampines Bus Interchange[32] and the Tampines Concourse Bus Interchange.[31] The latter bus interchange, which opened on 18 December 2016, was built as an extension of the existing bus interchange.[33][34][35]

Services
Exit D leading to the DTL station, which is not directly connected to the EWL station.

The station is an interchange between the EWL and the DTL. The station code is EW2/DT32 as reflected on official maps.[36] On the EWL, the station is between the Pasir Ris and Simei stations.[36] The EWL station operates between 5:22 am and 11:39 am and has headways of 2 to 5 minutes depending on peak hours.[37][38]

On the DTL, the station is between the Tampines West and Tampines East stations.[36] The DTL station operates between 5:41 am and 12:35 am and has headways of 2 to 5 minutes depending on peak hours.[38][39] The DTL station is not directly connected to the EWL station and hence commuters have to exit either of the stations to transfer to the other line via a 300-metre (980 ft) sheltered walkway.[27][40] The transfer is considered a "valid transfer" of a "journey" as long as it does not exceed 15 minutes.[41]

Design
Exterior of the Tampines EWL station.

Like most EWL elevated stations on the eastern segment on the line (after Kallang station), Tampines station has the notable feature of the dome-shaped roof, segmented like a caterpillar, over the platform level. The design was an attempt by the MRT Corporation (MRTC) to give the stations on the EWL an "attractive look".[42] The colour scheme used for the station is rustic brown, reflected on the doors to the restricted areas and the ceiling trunking box at the platform level of the station.[43]

Public artwork

As part of the MRT system's Art-in-Transit Programme,[lower-alpha 2] The Big Round & The Tall Long by Studio Juju is an artwork consisting of two huge shapes – the Big Round and Tall Long – on the opposite walls of the DTL platforms. The Big Round, which is 7 metres (23 ft) in diameter, is "stripped away" from the excessiveness of "form and details", creating a singular, expressive geometry. The Tall Long, which is 9 metres (30 ft) in height, is "buoyant" and "stretches upwards".[44]

Both of these shapes reflect the dimensions of the station and "gave polarities" to the nearly symmetrical station,[44] bringing a sense of "calm and order" to the station atmosphere.[45][46] The shapes was also meant to "fill the void" between the vastness of space and commuters.[44] These shapes, enhanced by the reflecting benches on the platforms,[45] act as wayfinders for passengers travelling around the station.[46]

Notes and references

Notes
  1. The others were the Novena, Dhoby Ghaut, Outram Park and Somerset stations
  2. Public art showcase which integrates artworks into the MRT network

References
  1. "Land Transport DataMall". mytransport.sg. Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  2. "Proposed MRT stations". The Straits Times. 23 May 1982. p. 1. Archived from the original on 9 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  3. "MRT seeks design advice for next two phases". Business Times. 19 May 1984. Archived from the original on 8 December 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  4. "Time is the essence of these contracts". The Business Times. 12 March 1986. Archived from the original on 8 December 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  5. "More MRT stations". Business Times. 6 November 1989. p. 2. Archived from the original on 8 December 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  6. "The Straits Times 5 November 1989 Page 1 MRT trains to Pasir Ris from Dec 16 MRT trains to Pasir Ris from Dec 16". The Straits Times. 5 November 1989. p. 1. Archived from the original on 23 August 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  7. "3 stations open today". The Straits Times. 16 December 1989. Archived from the original on 4 November 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  8. "MRT goes all the way east". The Straits Times. 17 December 1989. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020.
  9. "Residents welcome MRT trains to eastern end of S'pore". The Straits Times. 17 December 1989. p. 20. Archived from the original on 8 December 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  10. "Residents get sneak preview of three new MRT stations". The Straits Times. 15 December 1989. Archived from the original on 12 December 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  11. "More MRT stops ready for disabled". The Straits Times. 24 December 2002.
  12. "Better Bicycle Parking Facilities Near Pasir Ris, Tampines and Yishun MRT Stations". www.lta.gov.sg. 6 October 2008. Archived from the original on 19 February 2013.
  13. "Platform screen doors for all above-ground MRT stations by 2012". The Straits Times. 25 January 2008. Archived from the original on 28 January 2008.
  14. "Speech by Mr Raymond Lim, Minister for Transport, at the Visit to Kim Chuan Depot, 25 January 2008, 9.00am" (Press release). Ministry of Transport. 25 January 2008. Archived from the original on 12 January 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  15. "LTA completes installing elevated MRT station screen doors early". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 24 September 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  16. "Connect - 2012: Special Year End issue" (PDF). www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
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  23. "LTA Awards Contracts for River Valley Station and Two Tampines Stations". Mynewsdesk. Archived from the original on 22 April 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
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  25. "Civil and Infrastructure – Key Projects". KTC Group. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  26. "LTA | News Room | News Releases | Factsheet: Downtown Line 3 to Open on 21 October 2017". www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 22 April 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  27. Alkhatib, Shaffiq Idris (21 October 2017). "Downtown Line 3 opens to public". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
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  29. "Exits". SMRT Journeys. Archived from the original on 12 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  30. "Train Service Information". SBSTransit (in Kinyarwanda). Archived from the original on 12 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
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  39. Feng, Zengkun (2017). Downtown Line : soaring to new heights. Singapore: Straits Times Press Pte Ltd. p. 65. ISBN 978-981-4747-66-0. OCLC 1003852882.
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  41. "Roof to make heads turn". The Straits Times. 20 April 1986. Archived from the original on 12 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
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  43. "Studio Juju » Tall Long". Archived from the original on 12 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
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