Set to officially launch on October 21, Singapore’s Downtown Line 3 (dotted line on the map; main photo) will double the length of the existing MRT line and provide convenient access to many locations that were previously not easily accessible by public transport.
Here’s a quick guide to the highlights and what you can expect to see, eat and do in the vicinity of nine MRT stations.
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Fort Canning station is located right next to the Liang Court shopping mall, which hosts a variety of Japanese eateries. These include a great conveyor belt sushi place in the basement called Ryoshi Sushi Ikeikemaru (above) which serves airflown fish and fresh sashimi. Located on the same level, Nirai Kanai is famed for Okinawan cuisine such as goya chanpuru (stir-fried bittergourd) and braised pork belly. The basement is also home to Tampopo Deli, which has a great selection of grab-and-go bentos and Japanese salads.
The station provides easy access to Fort Canning Park, as well as eateries and nightspots at Clarke Quay. Check out Violet Oon’s Satay Bar & Grill. A must-eat is the Daging Panggang Sambal Hijau, a 200-day grain-fed Black Angus ribeye steak topped with green chilli sambal and unctuous confit garlic cloves.
Bencoolen Street, where the MRT station is located, is an ideal spot for travellers as it is home to a number of hotels that line both sides of the street.
Food corners found within walking distance include Crossings Cafe at the Catholic Centre, a social enterprise which offers casual, affordable bistro fare, as well as Le Bistrot de l’Olive at the V Hotel that serves halal Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Fun fact: At 43m below street level, the Bencoolen station is also the deepest MRT station in Singapore, beating the Promenade station at 42m. It takes five escalator rides to get out of this station.
The Jalan Besar station is situated near to the Berseh Food Centre, home to the famous Lao Liang chilled pig trotter jelly and shark meat stall, Fu Zhou Poh Hwa Oyster Cake and halal mookata from Sedap Thai. The halal bakery Butter Studio (above) has a cosy outlet across the road, and there is also Bismillah Biryani, a delicious institution at Dunlop Street.
The Bendemeer station is a short walk away from the host of hipster cafes in the Lavender street area, serving everything from traditional kaya toast to pancakes, to Instagram-worthy avocado coffee. Posh patisserie chain Antoinette has an outlet at Penhas Road, and we recommend that you check out the Gula Melaka Chiffon (above) from Peranakan Khek at Cavan Road.
The new Bedok North station is located near the 14ha Bedok Town Park (above). Using the Siglap Park connector, the health-conscious can jog all the way from the park to East Coast Park.
Adventure seekers should head to the Bedok Reservoir station, a short walk away from Bedok Reservoir Park, where you can jog on the 4.3km track, rent kayaks from Water Venture or take on the treetop obstacle course at Forest Adventure (above and main photo).
Though the new Downtown Line station interchanges with the existing station on the East-West Line, commuters will have to tap out of the fare gantries of one station and walk about 70m to the other station. This is similar to another station on the Downtown Line, Newton, which connects to the North-South Line. There are no additional charges to the commuter if the transfer is made within 15 minutes.
The station is located near the Tampines and Tampines Concourse bus interchanges, as well as three malls – Century Square, Tampines Mall and Tampines One. It is also a short walk away from Our Tampines Hub (above), which boasts 30 food and beverage outlets, as well as an 800-seat hawker centre.
Cyclists will want to head to Tampines East, which is connected via a cycling path to Sun Plaza Park and Tampines Eco Green park (above).
An interchange with the existing Expo station on the Changi Airport branch of the East-West Line, the new station provides convenience for those travelling from the west to Changi City Point shopping mall and Singapore Expo, where many sales and events (above) are held.
Text: Zhaki Abdullah/Straits Times