SBS Transit in Partnership with RATP Dev Wins Tender to Operate the Jurong Region Line

SBS Transit, in partnership with French operator RATP Dev, has won the tender to operate and maintain the Jurong Region Line (JRL) - Singapore’s seventh Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line. The award of the nine-year licence by the Land Transport Authority, which includes an option for a two-year extension, will increase SBS Transit’s rail network in Singapore from 83km to 107km.

The JRL will span 24 stations as it connects key activity nodes in the western part of Singapore, such as the Jurong Industrial Estate, Jurong Innovation District, Nanyang Technological University and the Tengah new town. It will be opened for passenger service in three stages from 2027.

The partnership between SBS Transit and RATP Dev, named Singapore One Rail (SOR), combines years of expertise in high-capacity urban rail and complex project management. SBS Transit brings over 20 years of operational excellence and in-depth knowledge of Singapore’s fully-automated heavy metro system while RATP Dev, part of the RATP Group with 120 years of global experience, has a solid track record in delivering automated metro systems in cities such as Paris, Sydney, Doha, and Riyadh, successfully opening several new rail lines over the past decade, including the Line 14 automated metro extension for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Significantly, RATP Dev will be the first foreign operator to jointly operate a local MRT line and contribute to Singapore’s rail excellence.

Mr Jeffrey Sim, Group CEO of SBS Transit, said: “Together with our French partner, RATP Dev, we are thrilled to receive this vote of confidence from the LTA, recognising the quality and competitiveness of our proposal. It has been a challenging journey to reach this point and we are glad that our hard work and persistence have paid off.”

“We continue to be committed to investing in innovative and smart technologies to enhance the reliability, safety and sustainability of our services. We aim to not only meet, but also exceed the high standards expected by our commuters, providing a world-class metro service for all", he added. 

Mr Henri Pottier, CEO RATP Dev in APAC, stated: “We are honoured to work alongside SBS Transit to deliver one of Singapore’s most ambitious metro projects. Our combined expertise will contribute to a more efficient, sustainable, and future-proof public transport system, ensuring JRL meets the highest standards of reliability, innovation, and integration with the broader transport network in Singapore.”

In its tender proposal, SOR has committed to leveraging advanced technologies, for example condition monitoring technologies, video and data analytics and generative Artificial Intelligence to deliver safe, reliable and sustainable train services. SOR has also committed to implementing a suite of proven productivity initiatives that is geared towards enhancing operational efficiency. 

A flagship SOR Customer Experience Innovation Lab will be established to encourage commuters to co-create innovative technologies and solutions for a better public transport experience. The Lab will allow commuters to be involved in testing and improving new solutions. It will also serve as a platform to build local capabilities and host design workshops and hackathons aimed at generating fresh and creative ideas to tackle public transport challenges. 

The award of this tender comes a year after SBS Transit’s parent company, ComfortDelGro, and RATP Dev, jointly won the contract to operate the South sector of Line 15 of the Grand Paris Express in the Greater Paris region, France.