Yishun finally connected to the grid as North-South Line extension opens in 1996

Yishun station gained full MRT connectivity on 10 February 1996 when Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong officially opened the Woodlands extension of the North–South Line, closing the long-standing gap between Yishun and Choa Chu Kang stations. The $1.2 billion extension had been in planning since the early 1990s, shaped significantly by the Urban Redevelopment Authority's 1991 Concept Plan to establish Woodlands as a regional centre for northern Singapore. Construction began on 19 November 1992 and included the late addition of Sembawang and Kranji stations, while Sungei Kadut was deferred pending population growth. To support the expanded line, 19 new Siemens-designed trains were procured for approximately S$259 million, supplementing the existing fleet of 66 first-generation C151 trains. The extension marked a pivotal moment in northern Singapore's infrastructure development, integrating Yishun into a continuous rail corridor stretching across the island.