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Rail transport in Singapore mainly consists of a passenger urban rail transit system spanning the entire city-state: a rapid transit system collectively known as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system operated by the two biggest public transport operators SMRT Trains (SMRT Corporation) and SBS Transit, as well as several Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines also operated by companies. In addition, local specialised light rail lines are in operation in places such as the Singapore Changi Airport and Sentosa.

A short remaining section of the railway originally built during the British colonial period is connected to the Malaysian rail network, and is operated by Malaysian railway companyKeretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM). The Singapore section of the railway now serves only inter-city passenger services; until 2011 the railway also carried freight between Malaysia and the Port of Singapore at Tanjong Pagar. Two other international rail connections are currently planned: the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail and the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System.

International rail links
Main article: KTM West Coast Line
The sole mainline railway line providing direct international connections is operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu or Malayan Railway, with services formerly commencing from the Tanjong Pagar railway station in southern Singapore. The present single track line is 1 (formerly 36.8) km long, with a gauge of 1000 mm, and had proceeded north through Bukit Timah, before crossing the 1.2 km causeway to Johor Bahru on the Malay Peninsula, where it then runs along the peninsula's west coast through Kuala Lumpur and onwards to Thailand and beyond.

A railway system dating back to the British colonial era it is now considered inadequate in meeting contemporary transport requirements. Both goods and passengers would have originally arrived by ship and hence the railway terminates at Tanjong Pagar, where port operations are still concentrated. There was similarly a branch line which leads to the Jurong industrial area, but which has since been expunged. The development of an efficient transport network in Singapore, and the containerisation of maritime trade globally meant that the existing rail system no longer played a significant part in the ferrying of goods, and is now catered primarily for passenger transport.

Over time, however, the rail service was once again unable to compete effectively with modernising modes of alternative transport. The high frequency of air shuttle services between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur presented a much faster and more comfortable means of transport despite the high prices. From February 2008, partial deregulation of air travel between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur was introduced, and with full deregulation from December 2008 air fares are currently (April 2009) relatively low. However, the convenience of air travel should not be overestimated; typical time from Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station to City Centre of Singapore (via the low cost terminals at each airport) is around five hours. Moreover, the opening of the North-South Expressway in Malaysia from the late 1980s drastically cut travel time by private car or coaches to around five to five-and-a-half hours from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur.
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