The LTA has announced that both the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) and the planned Cross Island Line (CRL) will get an interchange station, TE32/CR1 Changi Terminal 5, that will connect the airport terminal - scheduled for completion in the mid-2030s - directly to the city centre and other major hubs.

This new interchange station will be part of the 14km Thomson-East Coast Line extension (TELe) that extends the TEL from Sungei Bedok station to the new interchange station, as well as the existing Tanah Merah station, with the existing East-West Line stretch between Changi Airport and Tanah Merah stations converted to TEL systems.

The CRL will also receive a 5.8km extension to allow for the new Changi Terminal 5 interchange, offering passengers fast and convenient access to key nodes such as the Punggol Digital District and Jurong Lake District.

Since its initial opening in 2020 with three stations, the TEL has been progressively opened in stages with the fifth stage, TEL5, scheduled for opening in the second half of 2026.