Introduction: a shift to monthly transparency
Singapore’s MRT reliability showed a downturn in August, according to the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) first monthly rail performance report. The move from quarterly updates to a monthly cadence is intended to boost transparency and provide the public with a clearer view of how the country’s rail network performs over time.
What MKBF means and why it matters
The LTA reports reliability using a 12‑month moving average of mean kilometres between failures (MKBF). MKBF measures the average distance a train travels before experiencing a delay of more than five minutes. It is a widely used indicator of rail reliability, though not a perfect measure of disruption impact for commuters.
August figures: a decline across multiple lines
For the overall MRT network, the MKBF dropped to 1,740,000 train-km at the end of August, down from 1,818,000 train-km in July. The authority has set a target MKBF of 1,000,000 train-km for the MRT network, highlighting that all lines are being monitored against a relatively ambitious threshold.
Individual line updates show more mixed results. The Downtown Line (DTL) fell from 4,131,000 train-km to 2,760,000 train-km, and the North East Line (NEL) declined from 4,262,000 train-km to 2,142,000 train-km. LTA attributed these declines to a single delay on each line in August, noting the MKBF’s sensitivity to small changes when the line operates with high mileage.
The East-West Line also experienced a drop, moving from 2,021,000 train-km to 1,684,000 train-km over the same period. By contrast, the North-South Line (NSL) and Circle Line (CCL) posted improvements, with NSL rising from 1,413,000 train-km to 1,648,000 train-km and CCL increasing from 1,067,000 train-km to 1,245,000 train-km.
LTA emphasized that the monthly MKBF figures will continue to be published for both the overall MRT network and individual lines, reinforcing its commitment to ongoing transparency.
Delays over 30 minutes and the TEL
This year, there were four MRT delays lasting more than 30 minutes, two of which occurred in August. Alongside the MKBF data, LTA now publishes the number of disruptions exceeding 30 minutes, aiming to better reflect the severity of outages.
For the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL), LTA announced that it would begin publishing TEL’s MKBF and the number of delays lasting more than 30 minutes in this edition. TEL is currently in what LTA describes as the initial engineering “bathtub” stage, where teething issues are expected as the system stabilises and matures.
Although TEL’s long‑term performance is anticipated to improve once it is fully open in 2026 and operations stabilise, LTA cautioned that the line is not yet fully complete and that Stage 5 works are ongoing with OEM collaboration to resolve signalling and other teething issues.
LRT and future indicators
The Light Rail Transit (LRT) network also saw a dip in its MKBF, from 442,000 train-km in July to 420,000 train-km in August. Segment highlights included a decline for the Sengkang-Punggol LRT, while Bukit Panjang LRT showed a modest uptick. In total, there were four delays over 30 minutes on the LRT network this year.
LTA noted that MKBF is a useful, internationally recognized gauge of rail reliability, but acknowledged its limitations in capturing the full commuter impact. In response, the authority plans to publish additional indicators, such as the proportion of scheduled mileage traveled by revenue trains and the punctuality of trains reaching termini. It also signalled the exploration of new metrics to quantify the number of commuter trips affected by disruptions, with further details to appear in the next rail reliability report.
Looking ahead
LTA reaffirmed its plan to publish monthly MKBF data for all lines and to provide broader context as TEL stabilises. The agency expects TEL’s performance to improve once the line’s opening is fully completed and operations settle, allowing for more meaningful comparisons with mature lines across the network.
