Alstom to Install Driverless Urbalis Signalling on Singapore’s East–West and Thomson–East Coast Lines

Alstom to Install Driverless Urbalis Signalling on Singapore’s East–West and Thomson–East Coast Lines

(IN BRIEF) Singapore’s Land Transport Authority has awarded Alstom a multi-hundred-million-euro contract to install its Urbalis communications-based train control system on the East–West Line’s Tanah Merah, Expo, and Changi Airport stations and to equip the Thomson–East Coast Line extension to Changi Airport Terminal 5. Under a consortium with ST Engineering Urban Solutions (providing data communications and platform screen doors), the work will enable driverless, high-capacity operation and support the nation’s Land Transport Master Plan 2040 objectives. The 57 km TELe extension will cut travel times—for example, reducing Changi Airport–Marina Bay trips from 55 to around 45 minutes and Airport–Gardens by the Bay from 60 to about 40 minutes—while connecting major nodes like Maxwell, Orchard, and Woodlands North. Alstom’s Urbalis CBTC, already proven on TEL Stage 4, brings advanced automation, improved energy efficiency, and elevated service reliability to Singapore’s expanding rail network.

(PRESS RELEASE) SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, 6-Aug-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Alstom has been contracted by Singapore’s Land Transport Authority to deliver its Urbalis CBTC signalling solution, enabling fully automated, high-capacity operation on key East–West Line stations and the forthcoming Thomson–East Coast Line extension (TELe). Valued at several hundred million euros, the agreement encompasses the conversion of Tanah Merah, Expo, and Changi Airport stations to TEL standards and the signalling fit-out for the line’s extension to the future Changi Airport Terminal 5.

The TELe link will offer passengers a seamless, high-speed connection from Changi Airport through central city hubs and residential zones, slashing journey times: travel between Changi Airport and Marina Bay will drop from 55 to about 45 minutes, and trips to Gardens by the Bay will fall from 60 to roughly 40 minutes. Once complete, the 57 km TEL will run from Tanah Merah via Gardens by the Bay, Maxwell, Orchard, and Woodlands North—where it interchanges with the Johor Bahru–Singapore RTS Link.

Alstom, Land Transport Authority of Singapore, and ST Engineering Urban Solution teams at the signing in Singapore

As consortium lead, Alstom will supply its proven Urbalis CBTC platform—already in service on TEL Stage 4—while ST Engineering Urban Solutions Ltd. provides the data communication system and platform screen doors. This project advances Singapore’s Land Transport Master Plan 2040 goal of end-to-end connectivity and reinforces Alstom’s long-standing presence in the city-state’s rail sector.

“Alstom is proud to have supported Singapore’s rail development for over two decades,” said Yann Maixandeau, Managing Director for Singapore & Malaysia at Alstom. “This contract reflects our leadership in driverless train control and our commitment to delivering seamless, efficient, and sustainable journeys between the city and Changi Airport.”

Alstom’s Urbalis portfolio spans 190 metro lines—including 67 fully driverless routes in 32 countries—offering enhanced operational flexibility and up to 30% energy savings through intelligent, eco-friendly control strategies.

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SOURCE: ALSTOM