Expect crowds between Tanah Merah and Tampines MRT stations from Dec 7 to 10

Passengers affected by the upcoming suspension of train services between Tanah Merah and Tampines stations from Dec 7 to 10 should expect crowds at the stations and shuttle bus points and plan for longer journeys, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and rail operator SMRT said on Dec 4.

- Vanessa Paige Chelvan

The four-day stoppage of services, announced in early November, will allow track work to be carried out to connect the East-West Line (EWL) to the new East Coast Integrated Depot.

A shuttle bus service, Shuttle 7, will ply the route between Tampines, Simei and Tanah Merah stations at a frequency of three to five minutes, and up to 55 double-decker buses will be deployed each day. Fares for Shuttle 7 will be the same as that for an MRT journey along the stretch.

"The affected stations and shuttle bus points are expected to be crowded," LTA and SMRT said in their joint statement.

They advised commuters to plan ahead for their journeys and consider alternative routes via the Downtown Line (DTL) and other MRT lines, as this may result in shorter travel times.

Commuters travelling to and from Tampines and Tanah Merah can switch to the DTL at Tampines and Expo stations.