Top 10 Most Beautiful MRT Stations in Singapore

Introduction: Redhill MRT Station (EW18) is an above-ground station along the East West Line (EWL). It sits within the Redhill planning subzone, adjacent to the Alexandra Hill subzone, and is physically located along Tiong Bahru Road, at the junction with Jalan Tiong.

The station and surrounding areas are named Redhill after red-couloured lateritic soil found on the hill. It is a transport node for residents of Redhill and Alexandra, serving clusters of HDB housing developments, condominiums and schools around the Redhill and Alexandra area, along with businesses in the vicinity of Leng Kee Road.

Design: The Redhill MRT Station in Bukit Merah, Singapore, is the place of your Instagram dreams. The all-pink station is hands down the most photo-worthy transit system ever to exist and the one place we actually wouldn’t mind being stranded at. We can only imagine all the fashion blogger-like pictures we’d take while waiting. [Source]

Introduction: Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station (NS24/NE6/CC1) is an underground interchange station in the Central area, at the Eastern end of the Orchard Road shopping belt, connecting the North South Line (NSL), North East Line (NEL) and the Circle Line (CCL).

Located underneath Orchard Road and the The Atrium@Orchard shopping mall, the station brings rail connections to the diverse Dhoby Ghaut commercial area, with shopping centres, museums, educational institutions, residential apartments, the Istana, and places of worship in the vicinity. At ground level, a green space (Dhoby Ghaut Green) adds tropical greenery to the densely-built Orchard Road district.

The station and its surrounding area gets its name from Dhobi Ghat, which means “washerman’s place” in Hindi, in reference to people that used to wash their laundry from a clear stream in the area (now Stamford Canal) until the early 1900s.. Dhoby Ghaut station is also Singapore’s first three-line interchange station, and one of three terminus stations of the Circle Line.

Design: Dhoby Ghaut station was designed by Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB), a design consultant and construction company. Construction of the station was a challenging task for PB due to its complex structure. It is built above the main drainage of Orchard Road which divided the station site during excavation.

The five basement sections were built on a raft foundation to avoid the piled foundations above ground, so the drainage canal now runs through the station and is maintained from the office complex at The Atrium @ Orchard. The construction was completed in five years. Dhoby Ghaut station is constructed beneath The Atrium @ Orchard, a two-block commercial complex. A four-storey, glass-enclosed atrium forms a part of the station and the structure is more than 40m deep, comprising five underground levels, six platforms, three pairs of rail tunnels and a station box-shell for future light rail lines. [Source]

Introduction: Commonwealth MRT Station (EW20) is an above-ground station along the East West Line (EWL). It sits along the boundaries of the Commonwealth and Tanglin Halt planning subzones, and is physically located along Commonwealth Avenue, near the junction of Commonwealth Drive.

The residential estates and station bearing the same name were named after Commonwealth Avenue built around 1963, in turn named after the British Commonwealth of Nations. Commonwealth station is a transport node for residents in the vicinity of Commonwealth Avenue, serving adjacent schools, places of worship, housing developments and businesses.

Design: Commonwealth MRT Station i sawashed in shades of yellow and orange, giving it a sunny personality that is bound to cheer all commuters using the station. This elevated station has 4 exits serving the residents of Tanglin Halt and Commonwealth neighbourhoods.

Introduction: Queenstown MRT Station (EW19) is an above-ground station along the East West Line (EWL). It sits along the boundaries of the Margaret Drive and Mei Chin planning subzones, and is physically located along Commonwealth Avenue, just next to the Commonwealth Towers development.

The residential estate and station were named after Queen Elizabeth II to mark her coronation in 1952. Queenstown station is a transport node for residents in the vicinity of Commonwealth Avenue, serving adjacent schools, places of worship and housing developments.

Design: Queenstown MRT station, with its pretty shades and hues of blue, attracts many Instagrammers for selfies.

Introduction: Stadium MRT Station (CC6) is an underground station along the Circle Line (CCL) Stage 1, located in the Kallang planning area. Situated within the Singapore Sports Hub, it serves many different sports infrastructure and lifestyle destinations such as Kallang Wave Mall, Leisure Park Kallang and Singapore Indoor Stadium. It is also the terminus of Marina Bay shuttle train services operating during the off-peak hours.

The station is aptly named after the adjacent National Stadium, which is the centrepiece of the Singapore Sports Hub and used for major events. It is also the terminating station for the Marina Bay shuttle, where Circle Line train services operate as a shuttle service to Marina Bay.

The station was designed by renowed local architectural firm WOHA, whose design was selected through the Marina Line Architectural Design Competition, an open design competition organised jointly by the Land Transport Authority of Singapore and the Singapore Institute of Architects. Conceived as a massive underground sculpture, the station contains a large indoor space from surface to platform level that gives the public a moment of spatial grandeur. A continuous central skylight creates a dramatic naturally-lit interior, and journeying into the station is like descending into a giant shimmering grotto that draws crowds to its interior.

Design: Stadium MRT Station’s design was inspired by European train stations of the nineteenth century, when train stations were grand, inspiring spaces that gave commuters an exciting architectural experience as part of their journey. Says the WOHA team, “These classic train stations are also important urban landmarks. We wanted Stadium MRT Station to achieve this aim, in addition to providing efficient commuter facilities.”

The winning design for the Stadium MRT Station had a “dramatic rebirth”. The design team had originally proposed lifting the existing road, Stadium Boulevard, and making it a bridge, thereby creating a public space that flowed under the road and connected all the surrounding buildings. As WOHA explains, “Once we started work, LTA did a traffic study on our bridge and came back with the conclusion that the road could be removed! This bridge was the central element of our design, and it was gone.” [Source]

Introduction: Bras Basah MRT Station (CC2) is an underground station along the Circle Line (CCL) Stage 1, located in the Central area. It is built underneath Bras Basah Road, bordering Waterloo Street and Queen Street, and serves the surrounding civic district within the Museum planning area. Nearby buildings include the Singapore Art Museum, SMU campus, NTUC Income Centre and Manulife Centre.

Bras Basah is Malay for “wet rice”. When rice carried as boat cargo got wet, they were laid out to dry at the banks of what became known as Sungei Bras Basah (now Stamford Canal).

The station is 35 metres underground, and houses the longest escalators throughout the Singapore rail network at 41.3 metres in length, which connects the station concourse (B1) to the transfer level (B4) and takes approximately one minute to travel. The station design by renowned local architectural firm WOHA was selected through the Marina Line Architectural Design Competition, organised jointly by the Land Transport Authority of Singapore and the Singapore Institute of Architects.

A prominent design feature of the station is the station roof, which appears to be a reflection pool from the surface, but doubles up as a skylight, allowing abundant natural light to reach the lower levels of the deep station. This design has won the station multiple international design awards.

Design: Bras Basah MRT Station was commissioned through the Marina Line Architectural Design Competition jointly organised by the Singapore Land Transport Authority and the Singapore Institute of Architects. The open, anonymous international competition, requiring no track record is acknowledged by the industry as one of the best run competitions held in Singapore to date. The Land Transport Authority continued their commitment to design throughout the project process. [Source]

Introduction: Marina Bay MRT Station (NS27/CE2) is an underground interchange station along the North South Line (NSL) also serving as the terminus of the Circle Line (CCL) Extension. Located in the Downtown Core planning subzone, the station is built along alongside Bayfront Avenue.

Serving the Marina Bay area, named after the water body it surrounds, Marina Bay station serves limited nearby developments, but will be situated in the heart of the new Central Business District currently being built around it.

Design: To minimise the visual impact of the station on the surrounding park landscape, all ventilation openings within the immediate vicinity of the station entrance have been maintained below eye level. All emergency exits and BOH access have been arranged along a sunken pathway, so that only the lift, the entrance glazed enclosure and the lightweight ETFE canopy are visible at street level, allowing full views through the station entrance into the park.

The translucent ETFE canopy acts as a skylight, allowing natural light to filter through the large openings and penetrate right into the underground station hall and affording views from the hall below up to the sky.

Water features in the form of reflective pools have been introduced to provide a calming transition area between the station entrances and the park. At the same time the pools frame the open large voids and skylights as a safety barrier which help to maintain the station character as a light, welcoming structure. [Source]

Introduction: Rochor MRT Station (DT13) is an underground station along the Downtown Line (DTL) Stage 2, located at the boundaries of the Little India and Bencoolen planning subzones. It is built underneath Sungei Road and Rochor Canal Road, serving parts of the vibrant Bugis, Rochor and Little India district.

The station is located in the vicinity of shopping centres, office and retail mixed-use developments, preserved shophouses and LASALLE College of the Arts. Construction of the station involved significant engineering challenges to divert the Rochor Canal and building the station underneath the future North South Corridor and Rochor Canal.

Design: Rochor MRT station exemplifies how modern transit facilities can be functional, aesthetically pleasing and integrated within their context. Situated in an area where arts and technology converge in Singapore, the station showcases fluidity and dynamics in a design inspired by the fluid digital patterns of a circuit board. The integration of artwork into the architecture adds to a memorable commuting experience.

The organic, flowing form defines the entry to the station and the language for its interior. The ceiling pattern and lighting design engrave deep directional lines, providing an intuitive approach to wayfinding. Generous public spaces reduce congestion and enhance visual connections between the platform and concourse. [source]

Introduction: Esplanade MRT Station (CC3) is an underground station along the Circle Line (CCL) Stage 1, located in the Central area. It is built underneath the junction of Bras Basah Road, Raffles Boulevard and Nicoll Highway, and serves the surrounding district within the Downtown Core planning area.

The station gets its name from the nearby iconic performing arts centre, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, while serving nearby landmarks such as Raffles City, Raffles Hotel, Civilian War Memorial, South Beach, Suntec Convention Centre and One Raffles Link. [Source]

Design: An artwork by the late Lim Mu Hue, titled A Piece of Ice-Clear Heart, is located on a large wall within the walkway within the station between Raffles City and Marina Square. This black and white artwork features shadow puppetry and other performances enjoyed by the early settlers of Singapore. Consisting of a set of seven pieces of wood block prints depicting various aspects of theatre, the artwork is a collage of early and later works by Lim Mu Hue who died soon after completing this commission