Singapore’s MRT reliability falls to its lowest level since 2020, LRT improves

Two MRT delays lasting more than 30 minutes were recorded in 2025.

The latest figures from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) showed that Singapore’s MRT reliability in 2025 declined to its lowest level since 2020, while the LRT network improved during the same period.

Data showed that, on average, the MRT trains clocked 1.6 million train-km without delays that lasted more than five minutes in the 12 months ending June 2025, down from 1.98 million train-km in 2024.

In 2020, MRT trains travelled an average of 1.45 million train-km without delays.

The LTA report showed that the North East Line (NEL) and Circle Line (CCL) improved in reliability, but the other three MRT lines fared more poorly compared to in 2024.

It also noted that in the first six months of 2025, two MRT delays lasted more than 30 minutes, one on the CCL and the other on the Downtown Line (DTL).

On the other hand, the LRT network’s reliability improved to an average of 534,000 car-km between delays in the 12 months ending June 2025, up from 382,000 car-km in 2024.

Both LRT lines fared better than the MRT, with the Sengkang-Punggol LRT clocking in 1.25 million car-km between delays, up compared to the 549,000 car-km in 2024, and the SMRT-operated Bukit Panjang LRT posting 247,000 car-km, an improvement from the 232,000 car-km posted in 2024.

LTA tracks the reliability of the MRT network by looking at Mean Kilometres Between Failure (MKBF), which is the average distance that a train travels before it encounters a delay of more than five minutes.

They have set an MKBF target of one million train-km for the MRT network, which means the train travels at least one million km before it encounters a delay of more than five minutes.

The LTA said that the MKBF is an internationally recognised indicator for rail reliability.

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