Sentosa Express
| Company type | Public transport system |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transport |
| Founded | January 15, 2007 |
| Headquarters | Singapore , Singapore |
| Products | Monorail transit service |
| Owner | Sentosa Development Corporation |
| Parent | SMRT Corporation (management) |
The Sentosa Express is a monorail system that connects Sentosa island with the HarbourFront area on Singapore's mainland. Constructed at an expense of S$140 million to succeed the earlier Sentosa Monorail, its development commenced in June 2003 and concluded by late 2006. This entirely elevated route spans 2.1 kilometres (1.3 miles) in both directions, totaling 4.3 km of track, and began operations on 15 January 2007. Owned by the Sentosa Development Corporation and managed by SMRT Corporation, the line is capable of carrying up to 4,000 passengers per hour in each direction.
History
In June 2002, Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) awarded Hitachi Asia a contract worth SGD 78 million to construct the Sentosa Express as part of a decade-long redevelopment initiative for Sentosa, which is an island focused on tourism. This new monorail replaced the original Sentosa Monorail that had been in service since 1982 and was scheduled for removal by 2005. Unlike the former monorail’s loop confined to the island, the new line extends across the water to link with the mainland's North East MRT Line, featuring three stations on Sentosa and one station on the mainland.
Construction started in June 2003 and took approximately three and a half years, completing in late 2006 with a total cost of SGD 140 million. The line’s initial launch on 15 January 2007 included two island stations—Imbiah and Beach—as well as the mainland VivoCity station, which is integrated within the VivoCity shopping complex.
The Waterfront station, initially intended to open simultaneously with Resorts World Sentosa integrated resort, was demolished in January 2008 during early redevelopment stages. It later commenced operations on 1 February 2010 as part of Resorts World Sentosa’s phased opening.
To meet increasing ridership demands, SDC commissioned Hitachi Asia in November 2014 with a SGD 30 million contract to upgrade the signalling system to communications-based train control (CBTC) and expand the fleet by adding two additional train cars. The upgrade was slated for completion by the end of 2017.
Train timings
Operating daily from 07:00 until midnight, the Sentosa Express runs trains at three-minute intervals. The entire trip between end stations lasts approximately eight minutes.
Fares and ticketing
Travel between stations within Sentosa—from Resorts World to Beach—and trips returning from Sentosa to the mainland are complimentary. A fare applies for travel from the mainland to Sentosa but was waived during the COVID-19 pandemic until 31 March 2023.
At VivoCity station, passengers can pay using CEPAS cards (such as EZ-Link, Concession, NETS FlashPay, SimplyGo) or via NETS/credit/debit cards through a dedicated entrance. The fare categories are as follows:
- $4: All other cards including credit/debit cards
- $2: Senior Citizens, Persons with Disabilities, Workfare Transport Concession Card holders, and students holding concession cards
- $0: Child Concession Card holders
Stations
| Date | Project | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 15 January 2007 | Sentosa Express | Launch of Imbiah, Beach, and Sentosa stations |
| 1 February 2010 | Opening of Waterfront station between VivoCity and Imbiah | |
| 1 April 2019 | Renaming of Sentosa and Waterfront stations to VivoCity and Resorts World respectively to better reflect nearby landmarks | |
| November 2023 | Introduction of a new alighting platform at Beach station |
Legend
Elevated |
Line terminus |
Transfer outside paid area |
Ground-level |
Wheelchair accessible |
Bus interchange |
Underground |
Civil Defence Shelter |
Various transport modes including cable car, water transport, air transport, and immigration facilities |
| Station name / colour code | Images | Interchange; Nearby transport options |
Opened | Original name | Working name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VivoCity | North East MRT line Circle MRT line HarbourFront Bus Interchange Singapore Cable Car Mount Faber Line HarbourFront Centre & Singapore Cruise Centre |
15 January 2007 | Sentosa | Gateway | |
| Resorts World | Resorts World Sentosa | 1 February 2010 | Waterfront | Sentosa | |
| Imbiah | Singapore Cable Car Mount Faber & Sentosa Lines | 15 January 2007 | n/a | Merlion | |
| Beach | Beach Station Bus Terminal | 15 January 2007 | Palawan |
An investment totalling S$26 million funded construction of the elevated stations and depot near Beach station. VivoCity is unique among mainland stations for featuring full-height platform screen doors; other stations on Sentosa are equipped with half-height doors supplied by Fangda and lack air conditioning.
All stations include bi-directional escalators and lifts connecting their concourses to platforms; VivoCity station stands out by having both escalators and lifts located on the same level inside the mall.
Since 2023, both VivoCity and Beach stations have adopted a bay platform arrangement utilizing the Spanish solution—passengers disembark on one side while boarding occurs from the opposite side. This configuration was previously employed by the dismantled Sentosa Monorail; within Singapore’s rail network, only Choa Chu Kang LRT station shares this platform design.
VivoCity
The northern endpoint, VivoCity station (previously known as Sentosa @ VivoCity), is situated inside the VivoCity shopping complex, directly above HarbourFront MRT station and adjacent to the HarbourFront Bus Interchange. Similar to Changi Airport MRT station and Stevens MRT station, this station places ticketing, faregates, and platforms all on a single level.
This station features one track and platform dedicated to Beach-bound trains for turnaround purposes. It stands out as the sole air-conditioned station along the Sentosa Express line and is equipped with full-height platform screen doors.
On 1 April 2019, the station was renamed VivoCity to more accurately represent the nearby attractions.
Resorts World
Located in northern Sentosa within Resorts World Sentosa, Resorts World station has two tracks flanking a single island platform: Platform A serves Beach-bound trains, while Platform B accommodates trains heading toward VivoCity. Operating on a left-hand drive system, all train doors open on the right side. The station provides direct access to Resorts World Sentosa.
Initially called Waterfront, this station operated briefly before closing in January 2008 for the construction of Resorts World Sentosa. It resumed service on 1 February 2010 and was renamed Resorts World on 1 April 2019 to reflect the integrated resort's branding.
Imbiah
Positioned centrally next to Imbiah Lookout, Imbiah station consists of two tracks and an island platform with Platform A designated for Beach-bound trains and Platform B for those traveling toward VivoCity. Following left-hand drive operations, train doors open on the right side. Nearby points of interest include Madame Tussauds Singapore and the Singapore Cable Car.
Beach
The southern terminus, Beach station, is located between Siloso Beach and Palawan Beach. Originally featuring a single track and platform used for turning around VivoCity-bound trains, it saw the addition of a new alighting platform in November 2023 employing a Spanish solution layout to enhance passenger flow.
At ground level, visitors can enjoy beaches, retail outlets, water sports facilities, pubs, cafés, and dining options. The station connects to the Beach Station Transfer Hub, facilitating transfers to Beach Trams, SBS Transit Bus Service 123, Sentosa Golf Club Shuttle, HarbourFront Shuttle, as well as internal bus routes A & B.
Beach Shuttles operate loops along Siloso, Palawan, and Tanjong Beaches with turnaround points at Siloso and Tanjong Beaches respectively.
Rolling stock
The Sentosa Express utilizes Hitachi Rail's compact straddle-beam monorail trains capable of carrying approximately 184 passengers per two-car set. The fleet comprises seven trains each measuring 25 meters in length and painted in unique colours: green, orange, blue, purple, pink, red, and yellow. The pink and red units were introduced on 1 December 2009; the yellow train was added on 24 November 2017. In 2015, the orange train received a distinctive multi-coloured livery. Additionally, there are two yellow maintenance vehicles. Typically, five monorails operate daily on the line with two kept as reserves at the depot.
Signalling
In November 2017, the signalling system transitioned from a fixed block Hitachi digital ATP/ATS setup to a moving block wireless CBTC-ATC system developed by Hitachi. This wireless CBTC technology allows continuous real-time monitoring of train positions and speeds, enabling reduced headways and shorter travel times while enhancing line capacity. Although fully automated under CBTC control, Train Captains remain onboard to ensure safety and security; train cab windows remain open except during manual operation.
See also
- Sentosa
- Sentosa Monorail – former transit system in operation between 1982 and 2005
- Rail transport in Singapore