North–South Line train fault causes major delays between Ang Mo Kio and Woodlands, services resume at 8.13am

 SINGAPORE: Train services on an eight-station stretch of Singapore’s North–South Line were hit by major delays during the morning peak on 26 December, following a train fault that affected travel between Ang Mo Kio and Woodlands.

According to train operator SMRT, normal train services between the affected stations resumed at 8.13am.

The operator also announced that free regular bus services, activated during the disruption, had ended following the resumption.

The incident was first reported at 7.38am, when SMRT said in a Facebook post that there was a major delay affecting train services between Ang Mo Kio and Woodlands in the direction of Jurong East.

In its advisory, SMRT said commuters could continue to use train services where possible or consider free bus services operating at the affected stations to bridge the disrupted stretch.

Four minutes later, at 7.42am, SMRT updated that commuters should expect additional travelling time at stations along the affected sector due to a train fault.

Photographs shared by commuters on social media showed notices posted at stations by SMRT.

These notices advised passengers to factor in an estimated additional travelling time of up to 25 minutes between Ang Mo Kio and Woodlands.

At 7.59am, SMRT said that free regular bus services remained available between Ang Mo Kio and Woodlands stations, as engineers continued to address the fault.

By 8.13am, SMRT confirmed that train services along the affected stretch had fully resumed. It added that free regular bus services were subsequently withdrawn.

The incident comes amid heightened public attention on how rail disruptions are communicated to commuters, following recent policy changes and criticism over delayed advisories.

Earlier this month, the Land Transport Authority announced that it would roll out a new real-time webpage on 13 December 2025 to provide operational status updates across all MRT and LRT lines.

According to LTA, the initiative is intended to improve the clarity and timeliness of information during service disruptions, offering commuters a single, reliable source for real-time updates.

The move followed public backlash over a policy adjustment made on 3 December 2025. Under that change, rail operators were directed to focus on station-level communication for minor delays rather than issuing system-wide social media advisories.

Commuters criticised the lack of broader communication, saying they were often only informed of delays upon reaching a station, limiting their ability to plan alternative routes in advance.

Several recent incidents fuelled the criticism. Disruptions on the Thomson–East Coast Line on 18 November and the East–West Line on 2 December were not promptly posted on SMRT’s social media platforms.

Most recently, on 8 December, commuters reported a delay on the Circle Line from HarbourFront on Reddit, noting that trains were running five minutes late with limited official updates available.

Commuters said such situations created uncertainty over whether delays were isolated or network-wide, sometimes leading to additional costs such as private-hire transport.

In response, LTA said social media posts may not always appear quickly in users’ feeds, while a dedicated webpage would provide consistent, timely access to disruption information.

Under the new system, major delays will include guidance on alternative travel options, such as nearby MRT lines or free bus bridging services.

Each advisory will feature a timestamp, the affected rail line and sector, and clear instructions on whether commuters should remain on trains or divert their journeys.

LTA added that when disruptions are classified as major, rail operators and the authority will still post updates on official social media platforms, which will now serve as a secondary channel.

The enhancements follow the formation of a rail reliability task force in September 2025, established after at least 15 rail incidents were recorded between July and September.