The Land Transport Authority of Singapore has awarded a contract to Alstom to deliver a high-capacity driverless signalling system for the stations of the East West Line, which will connect to the Thomson-East Coast Line extension (TELe).

The contract, worth a couple of hundred million euros, covers the conversion of Tanah Merah, Expo, and Changi Airport stations to TEL, and the equipment of the line extension to the future Changi Airport Terminal 5 station. This extension will directly connect the TEL to Changi Airport, improving passenger experience and journey efficiency, while advancing Singapore’s Land Transport Master Plan 2040 (LTMP 2040) objective of seamless, end-to-end connectivity. Leading the signalling consortium, Alstom will supply its Urbalis CBTC system, the same technology successfully deployed on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL). Its consortium partner, ST Engineering Urban Solutions Ltd., will deliver the Data Communication System (DCS) and Platform Screen Doors (PSD). The TEL extension to Changi Airport will offer a direct, high-speed link to central business districts and residential areas, significantly reducing travel times for both daily commuters and international travelers. 

Upon completion, the 57 km TEL will run from Tanah Merah through major locations like Gardens by the Bay, Maxwell, Orchard, and up to Woodlands North, with a transfer option to the Johor Bahru - Singapore Rapid Transit System Link. The TEL is expected to reduce travel time between Changi Airport and Marina Bay from 55 minutes to approximately 45 minutes. Additionally, journeys between Changi Airport and Gardens by the Bay will be shortened to 40 minutes via the TEL, compared to the current 60-minute duration. 

This new contract reinforces Alstom’s established presence in Singapore and follows its successful implementation of the TEL Stage 4 signalling system, which entered service in June 2024. As a leader in communications-based train control (CBTC), Alstom offers a comprehensive CBTC portfolio that supports both conventional and advanced intelligent solutions. Its systems are flexible and scalable, suitable for projects of any complexity—whether greenfield or brownfield—and compatible with all levels of automation.

With over 30 years of expertise in CBTC, Alstom’s Urbalis signalling system is deployed on 190 metro lines, including 67 fully driverless lines in 32 countries, safely transporting millions of passengers every day. In addition to enabling higher operational efficiency and flexibility, Urbalis systems can reduce energy consumption by up to 30% through intelligent, energy-saving strategies.