Commuters report heavy crowding at Circle Line MRT stations on 29 July morning

Commuters reported significant overcrowding at several Circle Line (CCL) MRT stations during peak hours on 29 July, 2025, sparking frustration and concern across social media platforms.

Numerous posts by passengers on Facebook, Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) shared photos and accounts of packed platforms, with Bishan MRT station highlighted as one of the most severely affected.

Despite the mounting reports, there has been no official confirmation or statement from train operator SMRT as of 11.20am on 29 July regarding any service disruption or delay.

One commuter posted on X, "You won't believe what happened on the Circle Line today. Look at the situation at Bishan. 3-cars for a demand equivalent to 4-5 cars?"

Another commuter, Alfred Lua from Singapore, who developed his own independent MRT status tracker, noted that his tool logged at least two complaints about the Circle Line service during the morning rush.

A Reddit user uploaded photos showing the crowd at Bishan MRT, while another claimed that at about 8am, trains heading towards HarbourFront were delayed due to an ‘incident’.

This commuter described the entire platform filling up, escalators being turned off, and SMRT staff shouting directions, yet official updates still reflected normal operations.

1 delay vs 8M population who will win?
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Passengers expressed confusion and frustration, with some suggesting online that it would be better to work from home than face the severe congestion.

Many questioned why SMRT had not issued any update if there were indeed delays or faults.

The situation has given rise to speculation about whether the trains were simply insufficient to meet peak-hour demand or if an undisclosed fault occurred.

Several commuters noted that trains were moving but were extremely crowded, leading to significant bottlenecks at interchange stations like Bishan.

In the Facebook group Complaint Singapore, one concerned commuter described overcrowding at Bishan MRT as a “serious concern that needs immediate attention”.

She identified herself as a regular commuter who passes through Bishan MRT daily and criticised the Land Transport Authority (LTA), SMRT, and other relevant bodies for not addressing chronic overcrowding during peak times.

“Commuters are packed shoulder-to-shoulder, platforms are congested to the point of immobility, and trains are often too full to board,” she wrote. She emphasised that Bishan is a key interchange for students, families, and working professionals.

The commuter stressed that this daily congestion not only affects comfort and travel time but also poses real safety risks in an emergency.

She urged authorities to take concrete steps, such as deploying more crowd marshals and station staff to manage passenger flow, increasing train frequency during peak hours, and improving platform design for safer movement.

Longer-term measures suggested include infrastructure enhancements to expand capacity and ensure commuter safety during peak demand.

“This issue has persisted for too long. We hope this post brings awareness and action — not just words — because commuters deserve a safe, efficient, and dignified public transport experience,” she wrote.

This is a developing story, and TOC will provide updates once SMRT issues any statement on possible disruptions on the Circle Line.