Expo MRT station


 CG1  DT35 
Expo
博览
எக்ஸ்போ
Expo

Rapid transit
Exit D of Expo station
Location 21 Changi South Avenue 1
2 Expo Drive
Singapore 486065/485985
Coordinates 1°20′7.69″N 103°57′42.36″E / 1.3354694°N 103.9617667°E / 1.3354694; 103.9617667
Operated by SMRT Trains (SMRT Corporation) (Changi Airport Branch Line)
SBS Transit DTL (Downtown Line)
Line(s)
  Downtown line
  East West line
Platforms Island
Tracks 4
Connections Bus, Taxi
Construction
Structure type Elevated (East West Line)
Underground (Downtown Line)
Depth 25m (Downtown Line)
Platform levels 2
Parking Yes (Changi City Point, Singapore Expo)
Disabled access Yes
Other information
Station code  DT35  CG1 
History
Opened 10 January 2001 (2001-01-10) (East West Line)
21 October 2017 (2017-10-21) (Downtown Line)
Electrified Yes
Previous names Somapah
Services
Preceding station   Mass Rapid Transit   Following station
Terminus
East West line
Changi Airport Branch Line
Terminus
towards Bukit Panjang
Downtown lineTerminus
Downtown line
Future service
towards Sungei Bedok
Location

Expo MRT station (DT35/CG1) is a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the Changi Airport Branch Line of the East West Line and the Downtown Line in the Tampines planning area, Singapore. This station is located in between Changi City Point and the Singapore Expo, which this station is named after.

It sports a space age architecture designed by world-renowned architect Sir Norman Foster. The roof is clad in titanium, steel, and glass. Its design enabled the platform to be columns-free, invoking a sense of spaciousness. The station is built to handle fluctuating passenger volumes due to events at the adjacent Singapore Expo, and has the large spaces needed to facilitate smooth traffic flow.

The section of underground tracks between this station and Changi Airport MRT station is among the longest between any two MRT stations in Singapore.

Expo station currently serves as the eastern terminus of the Downtown Line; this is slated to be replaced by Sungei Bedok MRT station in 2024 when Downtown Line Stage 3 Extension opens.

Expo station is one of the four MRT stations in Singapore that have both an above-ground platform (East West line) and an underground platform (Downtown line). The other three stations are Paya Lebar MRT station, Buona Vista MRT station and Tampines MRT station.

History

Downtown Line platforms of Expo station. The Platform D of the station is only for alighting, while the other platform is for boarding only.
Exit A of Expo station leading to the two different lines.
Exterior view of Expo's (East West Line) elevated platforms.

Originally, the station name was named "Somapah". It was renamed to Expo in 1999, and was named after Singapore Expo. Initially, the station had two exits.

Train services to Expo station were initially operated as a 2-station shuttle service from Tanah Merah when the station first opened and it was first denoted by code E13 for a short while until the MRT map was revamped in 2001 by former cabinet minister Yeo Cheow Tong (who was then Transport Minister). It was then converted to a through service from Boon Lay station when the other station on the Changi Extension, Changi Airport, opened. However, to cut costs due to ridership falling below expectations, the service was reverted into shuttle mode on 22 July 2003.

The initial numbering of this station was EW28, until 20 June 2003 when it was changed to CG1. The same numbering is now used for Pioneer station.

The station has a high passenger traffic whenever there are major events occurring in the Singapore Expo. The recent expansion of Singapore Expo helped increase the passenger traffic in the station. However, traffic is still rather low at certain times of the year when there are not many events held. However, this changed in the 4th quarter of 2011 when a new shopping mall called Changi City Point opened south of the station and was linked to the station by an underpass, bringing more crowds to the station. A business hotel, Park Avenue Changi, is located next to the station.

As with most of the above-ground stations built in the past along the East West Line, it was built without platform screen doors that prevent commuters from falling onto the train tracks. Installation of the half-height screen doors started on 20 June 2011 as the last station of the East West Line. On 31 August 2011, all of the screen doors have been installed and began operating, marking the completion of the installation of all the Platform Screen Doors along the East West Line.[1][2]

On 28 November 2011, LTA marked the start of construction of Downtown Line 3 (DTL3) with a groundbreaking ceremony at this station.[3] On 31 May 2017, LTA announced that the station, together with the rest of DTL3, will be opened on 21 October 2017.[4]

To facilitate the construction for the Downtown Line 3 Expo station and it tunnels, part of Changi South Avenue 1 towards Somapah Road and Changi South Avenue 2, together with short section of Expo Drive will be temporarily closed to traffic from 1 September 2012 to May 2017. The Expo Drive is also reopened at the same time. The original underpass as seen in Changi South Avenue 1 has been converted from the public underpass to paid link underpass for connection to Downtown Line whereas the public link is still available at Expo MRT station with a barricade that is only locked when train services are not running. The station has increased the number of exits from 2 to 7 due to high traffic footfall of Changi Business Park.[5]

At the same time, TITAN faregates were being installed at Expo MRT station on 13 July 2017, replacing second generation ST Electronics faregates.

Art in transit

The downtown line platforms features a blue wall with the different names of some of the worlds most famous metros, and has a temporary installation on the History and Future of the MRT.

References

  1. ↑ "Elevated MRT stations on East-West line fitted with screen doors". Channel NewsAsia. 31 August 2011.
  2. ↑ Wong, Siew Ying (26 January 2008). "Above-ground MRT stations to have platform screen doors by 2012". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  3. ↑ "Construction Work on Downtown Line 3 Starts". Land Transport Authority. 28 November 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  4. ↑ "Factsheet: Downtown Line 3 to Open on 21 October 2017". Land Transport Authority. 31 May 2017.
  5. ↑ "Factsheet: PARTIAL CLOSURE OF CHANGI SOUTH AVENUE 1 & REALIGNMENT OF FOOTHPATH". Land Transport Authority. 29 August 2012.
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