Changi Airport MRT Station
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Changi Airport MRT Station (CG2), formerly EW29, was opened on 8 February 2002 as one of the terminal Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations for the East West Line, and located in between Singapore Changi Airport's Terminal 2 and the future Terminal 3. It is the only MRT Station in Singapore to have both fare gates and the platforms on the same level (Landmark Station will also have fare gates on the same level as the platform when it is completed in 2012).
Changi Airport has been operating since its opening in 1981 with no rail link and with full reliance on taxi and bus connections, proven effective given the short 20 kilometre distance to the city via the East Coast Parkway and their relative affordability. Public buses also provide cheap express trips to the city, and link commuters to the MRT network at Bedok, Tampines and Pasir Ris. There was thus no pressing need to build the rail line despite regional competition, and was only given the greenlight when the Singapore Expo was built along the line and helping to add potential traffic.
Since the station's opening, passenger traffic has been moderate, as most bus routes were maintained and continue to be a popular means of cheap, direct transport for local airport/airline employees. Many air travellers also prefer to continue taking taxis as the MRT service does not provide for convenient luggage storage beyond Tanah Merah MRT Station, and they have to contend with the commuting crowd especially during peak hours. Thus, primary users of the station are confined largely to airport/airline employees and budget air travellers, in particular backpackers.
[edit] Plans
Provision had long been made for a new line branching off from the existing East West Line at the Tanah Merah, with some conceptual plans showing a tentative route alignment up to the airport along Airport Boulevard, continuing beyond the airport to Changi point, before turning southwest back towards the city along the east coast of the island. When the extension to the airport was finally announced, however, the route alignment showed a deviation from previous plans.
The final plan involved building only the first two stations, namely Expo Station, an elevated station directly adjacent to the Singapore Expo, and the Changi Airport Station, an underground station built between Terminal Two and the upcoming Terminal Three. The alignment of the station at the airport has been switched perpendicularly to an East-west direction, such that the station leads to two of the terminals directly from either end of the station.
[edit] Train services
Initially operated as a shuttle service, through services from Boon Lay were commenced after the full opening, but due to ridership falling below expectations the service was reverted into shuttle mode in 2004.
Train services from this station to downtown Singapore are subway/commuter train services, involving multiple stops and train transfers where necessary. Thus, trains can get crowded as it nears the city centre during peak hours. When travelling from the airport to the city centre, travellers must change trains at EW4 Tanah Merah Interchange Station to another that goes to the city. Nevertheless, the train system is well connected to other parts of the island, such as HDB towns, as well as serving tourist attractions like Chinatown with fares to the city centre costing only about S$2 (about US$1).
[edit] Bus services
Bus services to the city centre and to other parts of Singapore are available at the nearby Changi Airport PTB 1 & 2 Bus Terminal located at the basement levels of both Terminals 1 and 2.
| Preceding station | Mass Rapid Transit Lines | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expo | East West MRT Line | Terminus | ||
