On 29 August 2012, this station was announced as part of the finalised plans for the then Thomson line by then Transport MinisterLui Tuck Yew. Before the station was built, the working names were 'Woodlands North', 'Republic Polytechnic' and 'Admiralty Park'. On 27 June 2014, Woodlands North was officially chosen following a public poll in May 2013. On 15 August 2014, LTA announced that Woodlands North station would be part of the proposed Thomson East-Coast line. The station will be constructed as part of Phase 1, consisting of 3 stations between Woodlands North and Woodlands South, and is expected to be completed in 2019. The Contract T202 for the design and construction of Woodlands North Station and associated tunnels was awarded to Penta-Ocean Construction Co Ltd at a sum of S$337 million in November 2013. Construction was expected to start in 2014, with expected completion in 2020. The station officially opened on 31 January 2020 as part of Stage 1 of the TEL.
RTS Link
In June 2011, it was announced that the northern terminus of the TEL will be connected to the proposed cross border rail link. On 16 January 2018, a bilateral agreement on the project was signed between Malaysia and Singapore, during the 8th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat. The agreement finalised certain aspects of the project, including its maintenance facilities, operator, and customs facilities. However, the project had to be postponed on 21 May 2019 due to financial implications on Malaysia's side. On 31 October that year, Malaysia agreed to resume the RTS project at a lower cost although the project is still suspended until 30 April 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was agreed that the project be suspended further until 31 July 2020. The project officially resumed on 30 July 2020 with a new completion target of end-2026.
Station details
Design
The station's interior has a red and white scheme, inspired by the Singapore national flag, to welcome visitors coming from Malaysia. The station also features aluminium ceiling panels above the platforms which mimic the movements of the daily flux of commuters. The station has a much larger size compared to other MRT stations, as the station was set to accommodate the peak-hour traffic for travellers between Singapore and Johor Bahru.
Artwork
As part of the Art-in-Transit, the artwork displayed here is "New Departures" by Amanda Heng, which explores borders and boundaries from a personal, rather than physical perspective. It was created to encourage commuters to take on their daily life with "courage and positivity." The artwork draws on the role of this station being the future interchange of the cross-border RTS link between Singapore and Johor Bahru.
