Singapore to enhance Changi Airport with S$722 Million underground link between Terminals 2 and 5

A substantial underground connection, known as the T2 Connection, is set to transform Changi Airport by linking the future Terminal 5 (T5) with the current Terminal 2 (T2) through a 2.5km-long passage.

This link will accommodate an automated people-mover system and a dedicated baggage handling system, similar to the existing Skytrain service.

This development is part of the Changi East project, covering 1,080 hectares, and aims to integrate T5 with the existing airport infrastructure upon its completion in the mid-2030s.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) detailed these plans following initial reports by Lianhe Zaobao on 14 April.

The underground link first appeared as a budget item in February during the announcement of the government’s projected expenditure for 2024, revealing a total project cost exceeding S$722 million. Preparatory work on the site has already begun.

According to the Straits Times, the major construction contract, worth S$622 million, has been awarded to the Singapore subsidiary of Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co.

The contract, secured in October 2023, involves designing and building the underground structures and restoring affected airport infrastructure and road surfaces, with completion expected by October 2028.

Changi Airport Group (CAG) has been planning these underground tunnels since 2017, which will facilitate baggage transfers and passenger movement between T5 and T2, navigating across surface taxiways and one of the runways.

Initial construction of T5 was set to begin around 2020 but faced a two-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The project resumed in 2022, with the terminal’s construction now slated to start in 2025.

The new design incorporates lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, adopting a modular approach that allows Terminal 5 (T5) to be segmented into smaller sub-terminals as needed. Some spaces can be used for testing activities or to isolate higher-risk passengers to prevent cross-infection.

Once operational, this “mega terminal” will have the capacity to accommodate approximately 50 million passengers annually, surpassing the combined capacities of Terminals 1 and 3. Adjacent to T5, the Changi East Urban District will blend commercial and leisure activities, creating more job opportunities and enhancing the area’s appeal.

Passengers departing from Changi Airport have been facing increased airport charges following the resumption of normal air flights after the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially set at S$59.20, the total departure fee rose by S$3 to S$62.20 in April 2023 and will increase by another S$3 to S$65.20 by April 2024. These adjustments support the ongoing and future developments at the airport.