Wikipedia

Expo MRT station

Expo MRT station is a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the East West line (EWL) and Downtown line (DTL) in the Tampines planning area, Singapore. The station lies between Changi City Point and the Singapore Expo, located along Changi South Avenue 1 at the junction of Expo Drive.


 CG1  DT35 
Expo
博览
எக்ஸ்போ
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange and terminus
Exit D of Expo station
General information
Location21 Changi South Avenue 1
Singapore 486065 (EWL)[1]
2 Expo Drive
Singapore 485985 (DTL)[2]
Coordinates01°20′07″N 103°57′43″E / 1.33528°N 103.96194°E / 1.33528; 103.96194
Owned byLand Transport Authority
Operated bySMRT Trains Ltd (SMRT Corporation) (East West and Thomson–East Coast lines)
SBS Transit DTL Pte Ltd (ComfortDelGro Corporation) (Downtown line)
Line(s)
  East–West Line
  Downtown Line
Platforms4 (2 island platforms)
Tracks4
ConnectionsBus, taxi
Construction
Structure type
  • Elevated (East West line)
  • Underground (Downtown line)
Depth25 metres (82 ft)[3]
Platform levels2
ParkingYes (Changi City Point, Singapore Expo)
Bicycle facilitiesYes (External)[4]
AccessibleYes
ArchitectFoster and Partners (East West line)
History
Opened10 January 2001; 23 years ago (2001-01-10) (East West line)
21 October 2017; 7 years ago (2017-10-21) (Downtown line)
Opening2040; 16 years' time (2040) (Thomson-East Coast line)
ElectrifiedYes
Passengers
June 202413,515 per day[5]
Services
Preceding station Mass Rapid Transit Following station
Tanah Merah
Terminus
 East–West Line
Changi Airport Line
 Changi Airport
Terminus
Upper Changi
towards Bukit Panjang
 Downtown Line Terminus
Downtown Line
Future service
 Xilin
towards Sungei Bedok
Location
Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Expo
Expo station in Singapore

The station is part of the two-station branch line which extends from Tanah Merah to Changi Airport station. Plans to connect the EWL to Changi Airport were finalised in 1996 and construction began in 1999. The station opened on 10 January 2001, a year earlier than Changi Airport station. It later became the terminus for the DTL upon the completion of Stage 3 of that line in 2017. On 25 May 2019, it was announced that the station will be incorporated into the Thomson–East Coast line (TEL), which is planned to extend to the airport's Terminal 5 by 2040.

History

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Changi Airport branch

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EWL platforms of Expo station

In 1994, there were plans to build a new rail connection to Changi Airport.[6][7] The alignment of the two-station branch, which included Expo station, was finalised through an announcement by Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on 15 November 1996.[8] Contract 502 for the construction of Expo station and 1.4 kilometres (0.87 miles) of track was awarded to a joint venture between Penta-Ocean Construction Limited and L&M Prestressing Pte Ltd for S$62.6 million (US$37.4 million).[9][10]

The station opened on 10 January 2001 upon the request of Singapore Expo, a year before the opening of Changi Airport station.[11][12][13] As part of the President's Challenge 2001 in September, a part of a charity walk went through the tunnel between Expo and Changi Airport stations.[14][15][16] The branch line was later extended to Changi Airport when that station opened on 8 February 2002.[17][18][19] As with most of the older above-ground stations along the EWL, the station was built without platform screen doors (PSDs).[20][21] Expo station was the last EWL station to have the half-height PSDs installed on 31 August 2011.[22]

Downtown line

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DTL platforms of Expo station

On 20 August 2010, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) that Stage 3 of the DTL (DTL3) would terminate at Expo station, where the DTL would interchange with the EWL.[23][24] Contract 922 for the design and construction of Expo station and the overrun tunnels was awarded to Samsung C&T Corporation for S$211.35million (US$168 million) in May 2011.[25][26] On 28 November 2011, the LTA marked the start of construction of DTL3 with a groundbreaking ceremony at Expo station.[27]

To facilitate the construction of the DTL station and its tunnels, part of Changi South Avenue 1 towards Somapah Road and Changi South Avenue 2, together with a short section of Expo Drive, were temporarily closed to traffic from 1 September 2012 to May 2017.[28] The construction of the station also involved the underpinning of two existing Expo MRT viaduct pier foundations. A transfer-beam was constructed before the excavation to support the two pillars and hydraulic jacks were installed on the transfer beam.[29] Subsequently, the existing pilers were cut away. The underpinning works were carried out successfully without disruption to the EWL's operations.[30]

On 31 May 2017, the LTA announced that the station, together with the rest of DTL3, would be opened on 21 October that year.[3][31] Passengers were offered a preview of the station along with the other DTL 3 stations through an open house on 15 October.[32]

Future plans

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The DTL is projected to be extended from Expo station via Xilin to Sungei Bedok MRT station as part of the DTL3 extension (DTL3e). Expected to be completed in 2026, the extension was constructed in tandem with the adjacent East Coast Integrated Depot. The extension is expected to provide better public transport service to Changi Business Park.[33] On 25 May 2019, as part of the Land Transport Masterplan 2040, the LTA announced that the stretch between Tanah Merah and Changi Airport would also be part of the proposed Thomson–East Coast line (TEL) extension to Changi Airport from Sungei Bedok station via the future Changi Airport Terminal 5.[34][35][36] On 29 April 2024, the LTA called a tender to modify the existing station, along with Tanah Merah and Changi Airport stations, in preparation for their conversion to being part of the TEL.[37]

Station details

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Location

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As the name suggests, the station serves the convention centre of Singapore Expo. The elevated EWL station is located along Changi South Avenue 1[1] while the DTL station is underneath the junction of the road and Expo Drive.[2] In addition to the Singapore Expo, the station serves the retail development of Changi City Point,[38] as well as various offices in Changi Business Park such as UE Bizhub East, IBM Place and DBS Asia Hub.[39]

Services

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Exit A of the station leading to the DTL and EWL platforms

The station is an interchange station on the EWL and DTL. On the EWL, the station is between the Tanah Merah and Changi Airport stations on the Changi Airport branch.[40] Train services to Expo station initially operated as a 2-station shuttle service from Tanah Merah station,[13] then briefly converted to a through service from Boon Lay station when the branch extended to Changi Airport station.[41] However, due to ridership falling below expectations, the service was reverted into shuttle mode on 22 July 2003.[42] On the DTL, the station is the current terminus on the line, with the next station being Upper Changi station.[40] The DTL extension to Sungei Bedok is scheduled to open in 2026; the next station in that direction will be Xilin.[43]

Architecture

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Exterior view of the EWL station

The elevated EWL station is designed by British architectural firm Foster and Partners. The station contains a stainless-steel roof over the concourse and ticket level, measuring 40 metres (130 ft) in diameter, which overlaps with a 130-metre (430 ft) long titanium roof over the platform level.[44] The roof above the concourse reflects sunlight into the station, reducing the need for artificial lighting, while the platform canopy deflects heat from the sun, cooling the platform by up to 4 °C (7.2 °F) compared to its surroundings. The materials of the roofs were adapted to Singapore's climate.[44][45][46]

The station's large interior allows natural lighting and ventilation.[13][44] Expo station is the first on the MRT that did not require paintwork as the interior is mainly stone, glass or metal. The station contains a lift in a transparent shaft, as well as highly illuminated energy-saving escalators, which complement the "futuristic outlook" of the station.[47] The futuristic design is intended to reflect the country's willingness to experiment with new ideas and technology, symbolising the "thriving world-class city" that Singapore was projected to become in the 21st century.[13][45]

The DTL station design by Greenhilli utilises "interconnectivity, spatial volume, asymmetry, daylight, colour [and] super-graphics" to signify transition and movement. The station is designed to allow commuters to navigate around the station easily while making it identifiable to the locality. The station's entrances and auxiliary buildings are designed in a "sculptural and dynamic" manner, which the designers believed would give the impression of "gateways" into the neighbourhood.[48] The station was praised for its "excellent design" for its "refined" detailing and ingenious usage of colours and textures, while fulfilling the "restrictive" demands around the area. The station design won the Singapore Institute of Architects Design Awards 2020, with the institute's jury citing the station's "elegant resolution of architecture".[49][50]

Artwork

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The artwork "A Banquet" by Yeo Chee Kiong was commissioned at the DTL station as part of the MRT network's Art-in-Transit programme, a showcase that integrates public artwork in the MRT network. The large 3D artwork depicts two reflective isometric chairs and a bulbous speech balloon, which signifies not only the importance of communication during periods of technological advancement and digital media, but also the spirit of free trade. According to the sculptor, "Expo is where business is done, the speech balloons show the kind of conversations and dialogues which people have, and the chairs show where business takes place." With the surrounding colours of the station reflected in the artwork's shiny surfaces, it transformed them into two sets of "magnificent kaleidoscopes" which also symbolises cultural exchange.[51][52][53]

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The station is featured in the tvN series Little Women.[54]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Expo MRT Station (CG1)". OneMap. Singapore Land Authority. Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Expo MRT Station (DT35)". OneMap. Singapore Land Authority. Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  3. ^ a b "News Room – News Releases – Factsheet: Downtown Line 3 to Open on 21 October 2017". LTA. 21 October 2017. Archived from the original on 22 April 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Expo – Amenities". SMRT Journeys. Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Land Transport DataMall". mytransport.sg. Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
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  8. ^ "Singapore Mass Rapid Transit Employees' Union (SMRTEU)'s annual Dinner and Dance" (PDF). NAS. 15 November 1996. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  9. ^ "Awe under one roof". Business Times. 23 July 1998.
  10. ^ Facilities, Construction. "MRT 502 Expo Station [Projects]". Penta-Ocean. Archived from the original on 29 November 2019. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
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  12. ^ "Expo MRT station opens today". The Business Times. 10 January 2001.
  13. ^ a b c d "Speech by Mr Yeo Cheow Tong at the Opening of the Expo MRT Station on 10 January 2001". www.mot.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  14. ^ Seng Kim, Lim (12 August 2001). "Charity walk to talk place underground". The Straits Times.
  15. ^ "Perfectly legal, and for a good cause!". The New Paper. 9 September 2001.
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  51. ^ "LTA | Getting Around | Public Transport | A Better Public Transport Experience | Art in Transit". LTA. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  52. ^ "Art in transit on DTL3". The Straits Times. 1 October 2017. Archived from the original on 28 June 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
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  54. ^ "A Little Women guide to Singapore so far: From confusing MRT routes to a strange Boat Quay view". 4 October 2022. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
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