Circle Line 6 (CCL6) Extension
The Circle Line 6 (CCL6) extension is a short but important link between HarbourFront and Marina Bay MRT Stations to close the loop for the Circle Line (CCL). 3 new stations will be added to the network, namely, Keppel, Cantonment and Prince Edward Road. This will shorten travel time skirting around the CBD, and provide more alternative routes that bypass busy interchanges within the city.
While the CCL6 extension is only projected to be completed in 2025, you can use Tower Transit Bus Service 97 which runs almost parallel to the Circle Line 6 (CCL6) extension.
CE2 Marina Bay MRT Station
CE2 Marina Bay MRT Station is the current southern clockwise terminal of the Circle Line, with trains operated by a shuttle from Stadium MRT Station at most times of the day, and through services to HarbourFront via Bishan during peak hours.
For the sake of this article, I alighted here to transfer to Tower Transit Bus Service 97.
The bus stop for Tower Transit Bus Service 97 towards HarbourFront and Jurong East is out of Exit B.
It’s quite a distance away from the station with around a 3-minute walk.
Bus Stop 03539 Marina Bay Stn is where the Tower Transit Bus Service 97 departs from. Do note that this only works in the westbound direction, and Tower Transit Bus Service 97 does not serve Marina Bay MRT Station in the eastbound direction, but you can use Bayfront instead.
The Keppel way to HarbourFront MRT Station by Tower Transit Bus Service 97. Don’t actually take the HarbourFront Circle Line train from Marina Bay, please.
If you’re heading to Jurong East instead, Express 502 gets you there much faster from here than Tower Transit Bus Service 97, but that’s another story for another day.
And here comes the CCL6 replacement bus Tower Transit Bus Service 97 complete with a friendly bus captain.
DT17 Downtown MRT Station
The next stop is actually DT17 Downtown MRT Station which has a much better bus stop connectivity, so actually changing here is what I would do on a normal day with a transfer at Promenade or Bayfront, but, as usual, the things I do for RailTravel Station.
CC32 Prince Edward Road MRT Station
Not exactly a nearby connection is Bus Stop 03217 Opp AXA Tower/Shenton Way thanks to staggered bus stops on this stretch of Shenton Way, so Tower Transit Bus Service 97 stops here and not the bus stop ahead which is much closer to CC32 Prince Edward Road MRT Station.
The construction site of CC32 Prince Edward Road MRT Station.
CC31 Cantonment MRT Station
CC31 Cantonment MRT Station will be built under the site of the former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.
Bus Stop 14061 Opp Former Railway Stn serves the site of the former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.
Construction of CC31 Cantonment MRT Station is well under way under the former platforms.
CC30 Keppel MRT Station
CC30 Keppel MRT Station will serve the upcoming Greater Southern Waterfront, once PSA Tanjong Pagar Terminal gets cleared.
Bus Stop 14081 Tg Pagar DP Blk F5 serves the site of the future CC30 Keppel MRT Station.
CC29 HarbourFront MRT Station
In the words of an annoying announcement on an orange shuttle bus on the island off HarbourFront, AAAAAND WE’RE HERE!
Bus Stop 14141 HarbourFront Stn/Vivocity serves CC29 HarbourFront MRT Station directly.
The Tower Transit Bus Service 97 journey from CE2 Marina Bay MRT Station to CC29 HarbourFront MRT Station takes 12 minutes excluding waiting and transfer time. This would be shortened to about 8 minutes once the Circle Line 6 (CCL6) Extension gets completed and overall journey time would be even faster since it removes additional transfer and waiting time.