The government came up with a proposal to build the North South line Woodlands Extension in 1990 with the aim of extending the existing North South line, thus connecting Choa Chu Kang in the northwest to Yishun in the North. Woodlands was one of four stations in the initial proposal which was later expanded to six. Construction commenced in 1991 and the station was opened on 10 February 1996 along with the other five stations on the Woodlands Extension. It was the first and only station to have a bus interchange located underneath, before the temporary relocation of the bus interchange on 12 March 2016. Following numerous incidents of commuters falling on the tracks and unauthorized intrusions, the Land Transport Authority made the decision in 2008 to install half-height platform screen doors for all above-ground stations in phases. Installation for this station began from 17 September 2011 and started operation on 30 November that year. This station was installed with high-volume low-speed fans, which commenced operation on 6 November 2012. On 4 November 2013, the MRT station became the first station to be awarded with the Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark, and tenants of Woodlands Xchange also became the first shop owners in Singapore to be certified with the Project: Eco-Shop label. Cash top ups are not accepted at this station's passenger service centre from 21 January 2018.
The Thomson-East Coast Line Woodlands station was announced by then Transport MinisterLui Tuck Yew on 29 August 2012. On 15 August 2014, LTA announced that Woodlands 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 T203 for the design and construction of Woodlands Station and associated cut-and-cover tunnels was awarded to GS Engineering & Construction Corp at a sum of S$292 million on October 2013. Construction started in 2014, with completion in 2020. Another contract, the Contract T206 for the construction of bored tunnels between Woodlands Station, Woodlands South and Mandai Depot, was awarded to Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co., Ltd at a sum of S$421 million on 18 October 2013. Construction started in 2014, with completion in 2020. The contract includes completion of twin bored tunnels between Woodlands Station and Woodlands South, twin bored tunnels between Woodlands South and crossover tunnels to Mandai Depot, as well as a single bored tunnel between Woodlands Station and Mandai Depot. Construction began with a ground breaking ceremony held at the Woodlands station construction site on 27 June 2014 and the station was opened on 31 January 2020.
Incidents
There were claims by Facebook posts that Woodlands station has been closed for disinfection due to a suspected case of the 2019 novel coronavirus infection on 28 January 2020. However, the posts were false and the station operations are still as normal.
Artwork
A high sculpture called Faces II weighing, designed by Singaporean artist Min Chen, is displayed at the NSL Woodlands station platform. Following the construction of the Thomson-East Coast Line, an artwork called “The Day’s Thoughts Of A Homespun Journey Into The Night” designed by Artist Terence Lin illustrates drawings of buses, trains and other vehicles on their journeys towards their destinations. The artwork spans two walls of the interior TEL station, along the passageway from Exits 5, 6 and 7 and the transfer link to NSL, and between the under-renovation Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange and Exit 4.
Cultural references
Woodlands is one of the four MRT stations featured on the Singapore Edition of the Monopoly board.
