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Signs at MRT Stations Will Be Upgraded

The mass rapid transit (MRT) is the main transportation system for the majority of Singaporeans. Apart from providing reliable transportation services, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and public transport operators like SMRT also focus on improving the commuter experience at every touch point during the commuter journey. It was observed that commuters often get lost on Singapore’s MRT system because of challenging signage and directions. Now, LTA is working to upgrade all signs at MRT stations, starting with the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL). Read on further to know what’s changing exactly.

New Signs at TEL Stations

• A lot of commuters have said they get confused when they try to look for station entrances. The new signs at TEL MRT stations have larger fonts. The stations’ exits are indicated by numbers instead of letters. The new signs will also be installed in new MRT stations in the future.

• Currently, the signs are being upgraded at MRT stations that have more than one line, such as Caldecott station.

• The transit signage will now feature standardised graphics and a new typeface.

• Signages will be more user-friendly so that way finding becomes less stressful for commuters.

The Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) senior group director of rail, Mr Sim Wee Meng, said: "Our entrances used to be labelled A, B, C, D. And the feedback was that some people can’t read English, so we decided to use numbers instead since it’s a universal language.”

Recently, six TEL stage 2 stations were handed over by LTA to SMRT Corporation. Before the opening of the TEL2 line, SMRT conducted its own tests to familiarise its staff with TEL operations. Commenting on the Thomson-East Coast line, SMRT CEO, Neo Kian Hong, said: “Besides reliability, commuters are also benefiting from an expanding network. The first stage of the TEL line started operations in January 2020. The second stage of Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL), commenced operations on August 28, 2021.”

Conclusion

With the change in signs and signage at MRT stations, people will now find it easy to find directions to entrances, exits, and other important points. Right now, only a few stations in the TEL line have got their signs upgraded. The LTA will roll out upgraded signs to other MRT stations in a strategic manner.