COMMUTERS looking to do lunch a train stop or two away from the office noticed a difference yesterday - a shorter wait for the train.
It was the result of train operator SMRT rolling out an extra 360 trips a week between noon and 2pm on weekdays, The Straits Times reported.
The extra trips during the lunch hour make up the bulk of the 700 additional trips it will roll out every week by June 21.
These extra midday trips follow the 83 extra ones added to the morning and evening peak hours in February.
Yesterday, bank officer Gerard Sim, 26, who took the train from Raffles Place to Bugis for a work appointment, said he was surprised at the quick succession of trains pulling into the station.
'With the limited lunch hour we have, it is good to reduce the time we spend travelling,' he said.
Sales executive Zahirah Ayang, 33, who often takes the east-bound train from City Hall for lunch appointments, agreed.
She said: 'I will get more time to spend with my friends during my one-hour lunch time. It's better than wasting the time waiting for a train.'
By pumping in more services, SMRT has promised that waiting time between trains during the lunch hour will be halved - from seven minutes to 3 1/2 minutes.
Lunch hour commuters who travel between one and five stops to their destinations will save at least seven minutes.
The additional train trips service the most congested stations during lunchtime - those between the Ang Mo Kio and Marina Bay stations on the North-South line, and the Outram Park and Aljunied stations on the East-West line.
A Straits Times check along these stretches yesterday found commuters boarding the trains easily between noon and 2pm.
Though most did not find a seat, there was more than enough standing room.
Bank clerk Chow Yaw Lin, 35, who zips from her workplace at Raffles Place to City Hall to run errands during lunch, echoed the views of most commuters:
'As long as the train comes quickly, it doesn't matter if it is packed or not because I only have one stop anyway.'
SMRT said that the trains carry at most 800 to 900 during the lunch hour from Raffles City to Bugis - much lower than the 1,400 passengers at the height of the morning and evening peak periods.
Yesterday also saw the start of the more than 140 trips just before the morning peak period (7.30am to 8am), during the early evening commute home (6.45pm to 7.45pm) and the late night commute (8.45pm to 10.30pm).
The extra train trip yesterday morning seemed to make a slight difference for commuters who noted that while they still could not get a seat, they had more standing room.
SMRT said passengers travelling within the CBD area yesterday 'experienced a more comfortable ride and they are able to get seats during the lunch time train service'.
'At the station, the platform was also significantly less crowded as trains arrived within three to four minutes,' said a statement.
To roll out the additional 700 lunch-time trips, SMRT said it needs more manpower.
The 20 train drivers hired so far will start work in July. In the meantime, existing train drivers like Neo Chai Ming, 45, are putting in overtime hours.
Mr Neo, who has been on the job 20 years, said: 'Helping out as and when we can is part of our job. Anyway, it's okay if we don't have time for lunch - as long as the commuters do.'
