North South Line (Red Line MRT) guide
The North South Line is the red line on Singapore’s MRT map, and its station codes begin with the prefix NS. It does not follow a straight north to south path. It runs in a long loop, starting at Jurong East (NS1) in the west, travelling up to the northern edge of the island at Woodlands, and then heading south through the heartland towns into the city centre. It ends at Marina South Pier (NS28), near the waterfront. Because of this shape, the line links western, northern and central Singapore with the Central Area on a single route.
SMRT Corporation operates the line. It has 27 open stations along about 45 kilometres of track, and every train runs as a six-car set. The northern and western sections run mostly above ground. The southern part, from Braddell to Marina South Pier, has 11 underground stations. The station numbers skip from NS5 Yew Tee to NS7 Kranji. That gap leaves room for a station planned for later, which is covered below.
North South Line: route and where it goes
The route begins at Jurong East, where it shares a station with the East West Line. From there it runs north through Bukit Batok and Bukit Gombak to Choa Chu Kang, where you can change to the Bukit Panjang LRT. It carries on through Yew Tee and Kranji before reaching Marsiling and Woodlands in the far north. Woodlands is an interchange with the Thomson-East Coast Line and the main rail stop for the northern regional centre.
After Woodlands the line turns east and then south. It passes Admiralty, Sembawang, Canberra, Yishun and Khatib, then Yio Chu Kang and Ang Mo Kio. This stretch serves the large housing estates of the north and north east. Further south, Bishan connects to the Circle Line. It is followed by Braddell and Toa Payoh, another older estate that the line was originally planned around. At Braddell the trains go underground for the rest of the trip.
The southern section is the busiest for visitors. Novena and Newton come first, and Newton links to the Downtown Line. Next is the shopping area around Orchard and Somerset, then Dhoby Ghaut, a three line interchange. The line continues through the civic and financial district at City Hall and Raffles Place. It stops at Marina Bay before ending at Marina South Pier, which serves the pier itself and the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore.
Interchange stations
- Jurong East (NS1): change to the East West Line (EW24).
- Choa Chu Kang (NS4): change to the Bukit Panjang LRT (BP1).
- Woodlands (NS9): change to the Thomson-East Coast Line (TE2).
- Bishan (NS17): change to the Circle Line (CC15).
- Newton (NS21): change to the Downtown Line (DT11).
- Orchard (NS22): change to the Thomson-East Coast Line (TE14).
- Dhoby Ghaut (NS24): change to the North East Line (NE6) and the Circle Line (CC1).
- City Hall (NS25): change to the East West Line (EW13).
- Raffles Place (NS26): change to the East West Line (EW14).
- Marina Bay (NS27): change to the Circle Line Marina Bay extension (CE2) and the Thomson-East Coast Line (TE20).
History
The North South Line was Singapore’s first MRT line. Planners chose it for the first phase because it passed through areas with high demand for public transport, such as Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio and the Central Area. Work started on 22 October 1983. The first trains ran between Yio Chu Kang and Toa Payoh on 7 November 1987. A southern section through Novena and Raffles Place followed on 12 December 1987, and the line reached Yishun in the north on 20 December 1988. It began running as a separate line from the East West Line on 4 November 1989, when Marina Bay station opened.
The western part started out as the Branch Line, which opened in 1990 between Jurong East and Choa Chu Kang. The Woodlands extension opened on 10 February 1996 and closed the gap between Choa Chu Kang and Yishun, so the Branch Line became part of the North South Line. Later work added a new southbound platform at Bishan in 2008 and an extra platform and fourth track at Jurong East in 2011. The line was extended by one kilometre to Marina South Pier on 23 November 2014, and Canberra opened as an infill station between Sembawang and Yishun on 2 November 2019. That same year the line became the first to finish a major re-signalling project, which moved it to fully automated operation. Newer trains have also replaced older ones over the past decade.
What is changing
Two new infill stations are planned for existing stretches of the North South Line. Neither is open yet.
- Brickland: planned between Bukit Gombak and Choa Chu Kang, with opening expected by 2034.
- Sungei Kadut: planned between Yew Tee and Kranji, with opening expected by 2035. It is set to become an interchange with the Downtown Line.
Separately, 40 stations on the North South and East West lines are due to receive public artworks under an expanded Art in Transit programme announced in 2025.
Tips for riding the line
- To cross to eastern or western Singapore from the city, change to the East West Line at City Hall or Raffles Place. If you are coming from the north west, change at Jurong East instead.
- Dhoby Ghaut is the most useful single change on the North South Line. From there you can reach both the North East Line and the Circle Line without leaving the station.
- If you are catching a ferry or cruise, stay on the train to the last stop, Marina South Pier, which serves the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore.
- The North South Line has no express services, so every train stops at every station. Late in the evening, some trains finish early at stations such as Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh, Yew Tee, Kranji or Yishun, so check the destination shown on the train before you board.
- At Bishan, Exit E leads directly to Junction 8. This is handy if you are changing to the Circle Line and want to stop off on the way.
The red line MRT at a glance
The North South Line is the red line on the Singapore MRT map and the oldest line on the network, opened in 1987. Its 27 stations run from Jurong East in the west, north through Woodlands and Yishun, then south through Bishan, Toa Payoh and Orchard to Marina Bay and Marina South Pier. It is operated by SMRT, and station codes start with NS.
Frequently asked questions
Which MRT line is the red line?
The red line is the North South Line (NSL), station codes NS1 Jurong East to NS28 Marina South Pier. It is run by SMRT and connects with every other MRT line at least once.
Who operates the North South Line?
The North South Line is operated by SMRT. SMRT also runs the East West Line, Circle Line, Thomson-East Coast Line and Bukit Panjang LRT.
How many stations does the North South Line have?
The North South Line has 27 stations, running from Jurong East in the west to Marina South Pier in the south. Station codes run from NS1 to NS28, with some numbers in that range not in use on the line.
Can I use a contactless bank card on the North South Line?
Yes, you can tap in and out with a contactless bank card, a mobile wallet, or an EZ-Link or SimplyGo card. If you are visiting Singapore, the Singapore Tourist Pass is another option worth considering.
What colour is the North South Line on the MRT map?
The North South Line is shown in red on the Singapore MRT map, and all its stations carry the NS prefix. This makes it easy to spot when you are planning a journey or checking a transfer.
Does the North South Line connect to the Thomson-East Coast Line?
Yes, you can change between the North South Line and the Thomson-East Coast Line at Woodlands station, which is coded NS9 on the red line and TE2 on the brown line. This interchange is particularly useful for travel to and from the north of Singapore.
