China: CRRC has showcased the first six-car CR151 metro trainset to Singapore’s Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow at its Qingdao facility. A mock-up of the model’s interior was previously displayed in Singapore.
The 138.5 m trainset has a capacity of 1,920 passengers and an operating speed of 90 km/h. Each aluminium car features five double doors per side. All trainsets will be equipped with predictive maintenance and fault diagnosis systems, with some also fitted with real-time track monitoring.
In 2023, Singapore’s Land Transport Authority awarded CRRC a SGD 589 mln ($440 mln) contract for 44 six-car trainsets, plus maintenance and an option for 11 additional sets. The GoA4 driverless trains will serve the Cross Island Line, due to open in 2030.
CRRC is also building driverless trains for the RTS Link between Singapore and Malaysia, scheduled for 2027.
The Chinese manufacturer previously supplied rolling stock to Singapore in partnership with Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Alstom (Bombardier Transportation until 2021). From 2023, Alstom Movia trains and, from 2024, Innovia APM 300R rubber-tyred trains—both assembled at CRRC plants in China—have entered service.
