Bukit Panjang LRT upgrades to be completed by end-2026; work to replace power rails 98% done

The upgrades include replacing 16.6km of power rails that supply electricity to the trains, which is now close to completion.

Published Oct 15, 2026, 05:00 PM

Updated Oct 15, 2026, 05:02 PM

Bukit Panjang LRT renewal is on track for completion by end-2026, with 98% of the 16.6km power rail replacement done, says LTA.

The upgrade, which started in 2018, includes a new signalling system, refreshed trains, and power supply changes.

More revamps are coming, including new passenger communication systems and lift revamps.

SINGAPORE – Commuters can expect more reliable and smoother trips on the Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) after extensive system and hardware upgrades are completed by the end of 2026 .

The upgrades include replacing 16.6km of power rails that supply electricity to the trains, which is now close to completion, with about 98% of the work done.

The renewal works, which started in 2018, also include the replacement of the BPLRT signalling system with a new communications-based train control signalling system like the ones used on MRT lines.

The signalling system enables trains to exchange real-time location and speed data with trackside systems. Trackside systems monitor the location of trains within its zone, calculate safe distances between them, and signal trains to speed up or slow down.

Operations control centre systems – which oversees real-time train operations, network safety and efficiency, were also upgraded.

Operations control centre systems – which oversees real-time train operations, network safety and efficiency, have been upgraded. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

Operations control centre systems – which oversees real-time train operations, network safety and efficiency, have been upgraded.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA), in a statement on Oct 15, said the upgrades have helped boost BPLRT reliability indicators.

For instance, trains on the LRT system clocked 443,000 car-km between delays in September 2026 , up from 53,000 car-km in 2017.

Speaking to reporters at the Ten Mile Junction depot on Oct 15, Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said the rail reliability metric for BPLRT has gone up eight times since the renewal started in 2018.

Similar upgrades have been completed for the Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) fleet and depot .

Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow (right) at the Ten Mile Junction depot on Oct 15. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow (right) at the Ten Mile Junction depot on Oct 15.

ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Siow said: “Now, as our MRT system continues to grow, our emphasis has been shifting towards more and better maintenance because we have more assets – some of them will age, and we have to keep up the work that enables us to maintain a high level of reliability.”

In October 2025, the BPLRT network’s fleet was updated. All 19 first-generation light rail vehicles were replaced by third-generation ones , and all 13 second-generation light rail vehicles were upgraded to be compatible with the new signalling system.

The new third-generation light rail vehicles are equipped with monitoring systems that enable early detection of potential faults and support pre-emptive maintenance.

They also feature dynamic route displays, brighter and more energy-efficient LED lighting, and upgraded air-conditioning systems with improved airflow.

The new third-generation light rail vehicles are equipped with monitoring systems that enable early detection of potential faults and support pre-emptive maintenance. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

LTA said there were challenges in coordinating the delivery of new vehicles while retrofitting existing ones and removing old ones, all at the same time.

SMRT, which is the BPLRT operator, also had to carry out maintenance works in the same space.

The network’s power supply system was also revamped, through the installation of a new power supply intake source at Ten Mile Junction, said LTA.

The existing power source used by the LRT system at Choa Chu Kang MRT substation will remain the back-up power supply.

New power distribution control equipment in the power supply room at the Ten Mile Junction depot. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

New power distribution control equipment in the power supply room at the Ten Mile Junction depot.

The 27-year-old LRT network has had a long history of reliability issues, with two disruptions in 2025 lasting between two and three hours affecting all 13 stations. The breakdowns on July 3 and 19, 2025, were linked to power faults.

The cause of both incidents was traced back to a newly installed system that monitors and controls power distribution across the BPLRT.

A new cabinet of servers, computers and routers in the equipment room at the Ten Mile Junction depot. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

A new cabinet of servers, computers and routers in the equipment room at the Ten Mile Junction depot.

In the last nine years, 10 full-day closures, scheduled on Sundays, were required for BPLRT renewal works to give engineers with longer continuous work windows – beyond the daily 2½ hour engineering windows.

For instance, a full-day closure translates to 26 hours of continued engineering access, which allows large-scale works, system migration activities and integrated testing to be carried out.

There are more upgrades aimed at improving commuter experience on the LRT, including a better communication system that includes an emergency telephone and intercom, and the public address system.

The upgraded lift at Phoenix LRT station.

Much of the work is done, with about 88 % completed, and slated to end by the second half of 2027. The older equipment will go out of service by the second half of 2028.

Also getting a revamp are all 25 lifts across 13 BPLRT stations, and one escalator at Choa Chu Kang station, which will be completed by February 2027 .

The new lifts feature tilted floor indicator screens to allow passengers on wheelchairs to view them easily, rear wall mirrors and more accessible lift button panels at the side of the lifts.

Esther Loi is a journalist at The Straits Times, where she covers transport issues.

升级改造工程包括更换为列车供电的 16.6 公里长的电力轨道，目前已接近完工。

发布于2026年10月15日下午5:00

更新于2026年10月15日下午5:02

陆路交通管理局表示，武吉班让轻轨的更新工程进展顺利，预计将于 2026 年底完工，16.6 公里的电力轨道更换工程已完成 98%。

这项始于 2018 年的升级改造包括新的信号系统、更新的列车和电源更换。

更多改造工程即将展开，包括新的乘客通讯系统和电梯改造。

新加坡——到 2026 年底，随着大规模系统和硬件升级的完成，通勤者可以期待武吉班让轻轨 (BPLRT) 提供更可靠、更顺畅的旅程。

升级改造工程包括更换为列车供电的 16.6 公里长的电力轨道，目前已接近完工，约 98% 的工作已经完成。

这项于 2018 年开始的更新工程还包括将 BPLRT 信号系统更换为类似 MRT 线路使用的基于通信的新型列车控制信号系统。

该信号系统使列车能够与轨道旁系统交换实时位置和速度数据。轨道旁系统监控其区域内列车的位置，计算列车之间的安全距离，并发出信号使列车加速或减速。

负责实时列车运行、网络安全和效率的运营控制中心系统也进行了升级。

负责实时监控列车运行、网络安全和效率的运营控制中心系统已完成升级。（海峡时报照片：林凯文）

负责实时列车运行、网络安全和效率的运营控制中心系统已得到升级。

陆路交通管理局（LTA）在10月15日的一份声明中表示，升级改造有助于提高BPLRT的可靠性指标。

例如，2026 年 9 月，轻轨系统的列车在两次延误之间累计行驶了 443,000 车公里，高于 2017 年的 53,000 车公里。

10 月 15 日，交通部长萧正树在十里路枢纽站向记者表示，自 2018 年开始更新以来，BPLRT 的铁路可靠性指标已经提高了八倍。

盛港-榜鹅轻轨（SPLRT）车队和车辆段也已完成类似的升级改造。

10月15日，交通部长萧伯纳（右）在十里路车厂。海峡时报摄影：吴淑銮

10月15日，交通部长萧伯纳（右）在十里路车厂。

圣徒照片：吴索銮

萧先生表示：“现在，随着我们的地铁系统不断发展，我们的重点已经转向更多更好的维护，因为我们拥有更多的资产——其中一些会老化，我们必须持续进行维护工作，以保持较高的可靠性。”

2025年10月，BPLRT网络的车辆进行了更新。全部19辆第一代轻轨车辆被第三代车辆取代，全部13辆第二代轻轨车辆也进行了升级，以兼容新的信号系统。

新型第三代轻轨车辆配备了监控系统，可及早发现潜在故障并支持预防性维护。

它们还配备了动态路线显示、更明亮、更节能的 LED 照明以及改进了气流的升级版空调系统。

新型第三代轻轨车辆配备了监控系统，可及早发现潜在故障并支持预防性维护。ST PHOTO：KEVIN LIM

陆路交通管理局表示，同时进行新车交付、现有车辆改装和旧车移除等工作，面临着协调方面的挑战。

作为BPLRT运营商的SMRT公司也需要在同一空间进行维护工作。

陆路交通管理局表示，该网络的供电系统也进行了改造，在十里路交叉口安装了一个新的供电输入源。

蔡厝港捷运变电站现有的轻轨系统电源将继续作为备用电源。

位于十里路枢纽车辆段供电室内的新型配电控制设备。（海峡时报照片：林凯文）

十英里枢纽站供电室内安装了新的配电控制设备。

这条运营了27年的轻轨网络长期以来一直存在可靠性问题，2025年曾发生两次中断，每次持续两到三个小时，影响了全部13个车站。这两次中断分别发生在2025年7月3日和19日，均与电力故障有关。

这两起事故的原因都可追溯到新安装的用于监控和控制 BPLRT 电力分配的系统。

位于十里路枢纽车辆段的设备间内，摆放着一台全新的服务器、电脑和路由器机柜。（海峡时报摄影：林凯文）

十英里枢纽站设备间里新添置了一台服务器、电脑和路由器。

在过去的九年中，BPLRT 更新工程需要 10 次全天停工，这些停工都安排在星期日，以便让工程师们有更长的连续工作时间——超出每天 2.5 小时的工程工作时间。

例如，全天关闭意味着 26 小时的持续工程访问，从而可以进行大规模工程、系统迁移活动和集成测试。

轻轨还进行了更多旨在改善通勤者体验的升级，包括更好的通信系统（包括紧急电话和对讲机）以及公共广播系统。

凤凰轻轨站的电梯已升级改造。

大部分工作已经完成，约88%已完成，预计将于2027年下半年结束。旧设备将于2028年下半年退役。

同时，BPLRT 13 个车站的 25 部电梯以及蔡厝港站的一部自动扶梯也将进行翻新，预计将于 2027 年 2 月完成。

新电梯配备了倾斜的楼层指示屏幕，方便轮椅乘客轻松查看，电梯后壁装有镜子，侧面还配备了更方便使用的电梯按钮面板。

埃丝特·罗伊是《海峡时报》的记者，主要报道交通运输问题。