Netizens claim NEL trains are crowded during peak hours as everyone is waiting to alight at Serangoon 

Netizens complain about crowded NEL during peak hours at Hougang station 

While Singapore’s public transport system is by and large renowned for its reliability and convenience, train carriages can still get pretty crowded, especially during peak hours.

On Tuesday (19 Aug), a netizen took to the Singapore Subreddit to rant about the crowded situation at Hougang MRT station along the North East Line (NEL).

With lines of up to 15 people at each train entrance, commuters allegedly had to wait for about two to three trains to pass before boarding successfully.

“No chance for the Kovan folks,” the original poster (OP) said.

Crowded NEL trains full of commuters heading for Serangoon

The thread has since garnered over 200 comments at the time of writing. many of which came from netizens who found the experience relatable.

This netizen explained that a sizable portion of NEL commuters travelling from Punggol were heading to Serangoon station to transit to the Circle Line.

“Serangoon during peak hour is Hell on Earth,” another user quipped.

A resident from Kovan confirmed the OP’s claim.

They allegedly had to wait for a fifth train before there was space to squeeze on — a problem allegedly exacerbated by queue-cutters.

The resident also worried that the situation would worsen with more BTO estates built near NEL stations.

Another netizen said that the southbound trains would be almost full by the time they reach Buangkok station — the fourth from the northeastern end.

They also attributed the phenomenon to an increase in population in Sengkang and Punggol — the two stations that precede Buangkok on the NEL.

Netizens say rail infrastructure lagging behind housing

Coincidentally, a Redditor posted about the morning peak-hour crowd at Sengkang station on Wednesday (20 Aug).

Their photo showed a fully packed platform, with trains from Punggol reportedly full upon arrival.

The OP even said that the crowd size was abnormal even for peak hours.

A user chalked the overcrowding up to rail infrastructure lagging behind housing infrastructure.

They explained that MRT rail infrastructure projects tended to be larger in scope and take longer to build due to engineering constraints, such as having to dig tunnels.

The NEL overcrowding problem isn’t new either, with a very similar question having been raised on Reddit a year ago.

Also read: SIT student allegedly heard loud bang & smelled smoke during NEL disruption, evacuates onto tracks

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Featured image adapted from Master-Quarter4762 on Reddit and catcourtesy on Reddit.