Get to Lau Pa Sat fast and affordably with Singapore’s extensive MRT network.
Welcome to the complete guide on how to get to Lau Pa Sat by MRT in Singapore.
Lau Pa Sat is one of the most fascinating and historical hawker centres in Singapore, and it’s located right downtown. It’s only a few minutes away from the main attractions in Marina Bay and Chinatown, and some of the best hotels in all of Singapore.
We have used the MRT to get all over Singapore, and we are glad to say that Lau Pat Sat is really easy to access using the extensive metro network. You can get there in a stress-free, efficient and affordable manner.
We will share all the information you need to reach this food centre, including the types of tickets available and which lines and stations are the most convenient. And remember, using the MRT ensures that you will bypass road traffic and all parking fees while saving money along the way!
Eating at Lau Pa Sat in Singapore
Lau Pa Sat is one of the most historic markets in all of Singapore and was recognized and gazetted as a National Monument of Singapore on July 6th, 1973. It is an awesome place to visit, especially if you’re interested in sampling traditional Singaporean ‘hawker’ dishes.
One of the fascinating things about visiting Lau Pa Sat is its location in downtown Singapore. Even though it is situated in a ‘Victorian’ designed building, it is surrounded by ultra-modern skyscrapers in Singapore’s business district. It is located directly beside the financial district in Singapore. The amazing contrast between the ultra-modern vs. historic makes a visit worthwhile, even if you’re not hungry or thirsty.
If you visit Lau Pa Sat, then you must try the Hainanese Chicken Rice.
But there are tons of stalls here that serve up Indian, Malaysian, Peranakan and even some western dishes. Some stalls are vegetarian, whereas others are solely dedicated to serving drinks. You can purchase alcoholic beverages, including craft beer at Lau Pa Sat.
One of the benefits of visiting Lau Pa Sat is being within walking distance of Chinatown and its wide selection of cultural attractions.
Here is a short list of the best places to explore near Lau Pa Sat:
- Sri Mariamman Temple
- Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
- Chinatown Street Market
- Thian Hock Keng Temple (Directions)
If you visit Lau Pa Sat at night, check out Satay Street. It’s a cool alfresco section of the food centre that serves up delicious, affordable satays. And if you aren’t a big fan of satays, well, you will have a choice of up to 80 other food stalls to choose from.
Getting to Lau Pa Sat using MRT
Step 1: Access the closest MRT station.
If you don’t have a place already booked in Singapore, then consider staying as close as possible to an MRT station.
Singapore has one of the best public transportation systems in the world so booking a place to stay near a station will help you avoid traffic jams and parking headaches. Taxi fees can also add up if you’re not using the MRT.
A few popular examples of hotels that are within very close walking distance of MRT Stations include:
Fairmont Singapore (8.9/10 Review Score) (Esplanade Station)
The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore (9.3/10 Review Score) (City Hall Station)
We have listed the MRT stations beside the hotel review scores (above) for your convenience.
Read More: Where to stay in Chinatown Singapore? The Complete Guide
Step 2: Determine if you need to transfer lines to access Telok Ayer, Downtown, or Raffles Place Station in Singapore.
Lau Pa Sat is located right in the heart of downtown Singapore. Therefore, you conveniently have the choice of getting off at any of these three MRT Stations and walking directly to the famous food centre:
- Telok Ayer Station
- Downtown Station
- Raffles Place Station
In order to reach these stations, you will need some familiarity with the MRT lines in Singapore.
You might have to transfer lines on the way to these stations. Planning these transfers in advance and knowing which interchange station is best will speed up your trip to Lau Pa Sat.
Telok Ayer Station (DT18) and Downtown Station (DT17) are both on the Downtown (Blue) MRT Line.
Raffles Place Station (NS26/EW14) is an interchange station which connects commuters to the North-South (Red) Line and the East-West (Green) Line.
Check out the MRT map of Singapore in stations throughout the city or on any of the trains.
Step 3: Buy an MRT card to reach Telok Ayer, Downtown, or Raffles Place Station.
You can choose from two main types of transportation cards for your MRT ride to Lau Pa Sat in downtown Singapore:
Stored Value Cards
Get all the info: Buying MRT Tickets in Singapore
Singapore Tourist Passes are the best option for active visitors who will be in the city for only a few days – usually 1 to 3 days. Once you purchase the Pass, you can use them for unlimited rides on the MRT and buses throughout the city. They are frequently used with a Singapore attraction pass to save cash over the course of a visit.
You can save money with a Tourist Pass, but it’s only possible if you take several trips to different areas on the same day.
Stored value cards are popular with Singaporeans, locals and visitors spending more than three days in the city. We used one while figuring out how to get to Lau Pa Sat by MRT.
Step 4: Ride the MRT system to Telok Ayer, Downtown, or Raffles Place Station.
Take the MRT network to Telok Ayer, Downtown, or Raffles Place Station.
Refer to the metro map on the way and keep a lookout for relevant line transfers.
You should also hear verbal announcements on the train to alert you of upcoming stations.
Step 5: Alight at your station of choice and access the best exit to walk straight to Lau Pa Sat.
Once you arrive at Telok Ayer, Downtown, or Raffles Place Station, it’s important to navigate your way efficiently to the best exit to walk to Lau Pa Sat.
Exiting Telok Ayer Station
Telok Ayer Station (DT18) is built underground at the junction of Cross Street and Telok Ayer Street.
The station consists of three main levels:
L1 – Street Level
B1 – Concourse
B2 – Train Platform (A and B)
Be prepared to arrive at the Level B2 Train Platforms using the Downtown Line.
Use the stairs, escalator or elevator to travel up to Level 1.
Level 1 corresponds to the street level around the station.
Telok Ayer Station has three exits leading to the street level: Exit A, B and C.
Take Exit A at Telok Ayer Station to walk to Lau Pa Sat.
Exiting Downtown Station
Downtown Station (DT17) is an underground station on the Downtown Line near Central Boulevard, near Marina View and Straits View.
The station consists of three main levels that are accessible to commuters using the metro:
L1 – Street Level
B1 – Concourse
B2 – Train Platform (A and B)
Similar to Telok Ayer, Downtown Station has three street-level exits, Exit A C and E.
Additional exits B, D and F extend from the concourse level to adjacent developments via underground connections.
Take Exit E at Downtown Station to walk to Lau Pa Sat.
Exiting Raffles Place Station
Raffles Place Station (NS26/EW14) is an interchange station that connects the North-South Line and East-West Line. It is located near Battery Road and D’Almeida Street.
The station consists of 5 main levels:
L1 – Street Level
B1 – Train Platform (A and B)
B2 – Ticketing
B3 – Train Platforms
B4 – Train Platforms
Raffles Place MRT station 10 exits to choose from which can feel overwhelming.
Take Exit I at Raffles Place Station to walk to Lau Pa Sat.
Step 6: Walk from Telok Ayer, Downtown, or Raffles Place Station to Lau Pa Sat.
Once you arrive and exit Telok Ayer, Downtown or Raffles Place Station you will be within close walking distance of Lau Pa Sat.
In the section below, we will explain how to walk from each station to the food centre in downtown Singapore.
Walking Directions from Telok Ayer Station to Lau Pa Sat
Exit A at Telok Ayer Station will bring you out onto Cross Street.
All you need to do is walk southeast along Cross Street to reach the northwestern corner of Lau Pa Sat.
Walking Directions from Downtown Station to Lau Pa Sat
Leave Downtown Station through Exit E.
Walk northwest along Cross Street until you reach the southwestern corner of Lau Pa Sat food centre.
Walking Directions from Raffles Place Station to Lau Pa Sat
Exit I will bring you to Finlayson Green. Exit onto Robinson Road.
Walk southwest along Robinson Road until you reach the northern corner of Lau Pa Sat.
How long is the walk from each MRT Station to Lau Pa Sat?
Telok Ayer, Downtown and Raffles Place Station are all convenient for accessing Lau Pa Sat.
In order to select the best station (based on your starting point), here is a summary of the walking times (and distances) to Lau Pa Sat from each station:
Station Name |
Walking Distance toLau Pa Sat |
Walking time toLau Pa Sat |
| Telok Ayer (DT18) | 250 m | 3 minutes |
| Downtown (DT17) | 350 m | 5 minutes |
| Raffles Place (NS26/EW14) | 450 m | 6 minutes |
As you can see, all stations are within comfortable walking distance of Lau Pa Sat.
Don’t even consider taking a bus or taxi because the waiting time will likely be longer than the walking time!
Best Places to Visit near Lau Pa Sat
Lau Pa Sat is located right in the heart of downtown Singapore. Therefore, you will have no shortage of attractions to explore nearby!
The most convenient areas for sightseeing around Lau Pa Sat are Marina Bay and Chinatown.
Marina Bay is one of the most famous areas in the city, and for good reason! It features some of the biggest attractions, such as
Sands SkyPark (Directions)
Marina Barrage (Directions)
It will take you some time to visit all of these from Lau Pa Sat, but it’s possible to walk to all of them during the same day (if you have the energy!).
Chinatown is full of amazing cultural attractions.
You need to walk west from Lau Pa Sat to access the following temples:
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple (Directions)
Thian Hock Keng Temple (Directions)
Sri Mariamman Temple (Directions)
Chinatown is also a great place to buy cheap souvenirs and to enjoy affordable hawker food. Eating meals here as opposed to formal restaurants can be a wise cost-saving strategy.
Best Places to Stay
Lau Pa Sa is located between Chinatown and the core business area of Singapore. Therefore, if you plan on staying in this area, you are going to have to make a decision about whether you want to stay further north in Chinatown or northeast along Marina Bay.
Both areas are excellent and very popular amongst visitors to Singapore.
Marina Bay is regarded as one of the best places in all of Singapore to stay.
Many world-class luxury hotels are located here, with breathtaking views of Singapore’s skyline.
We highly recommend Marina Bay if you have the budget.
Some of the best properties near Marina Bay include:
The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore (5-star, rated 9.4/10)
Marina Bay Sands (5-star, rated 9/10)
Chinatown also has tons of hotel and hostels to choose from. Although there are a few luxury hotels here, most cater to budget travellers and offer excellent value for the money.
Here are some of the most positively reviewed places to stay in Chinatown:
Hotel 1888 Collection (8.4/10 review score)
CUBE Boutique Capsule Hotel (8.6/10 review score)
Take your time and look at the recent review scores before booking. Check how close each place is to the nearest MRT station.
Learn More: Best Hotels in Singapore for Families
Conclusion
Hopefully, this step-by-step guide on how to get to Lau Pa Sat will help you get there fast and worry-free!
Remember, Lau Pa Sat is very well serviced by the MRT because it is located between Marina Bay and Chinatown.
Consider starting your day in Marina Bay, sightseeing there, and then grabbing a delicious meal for lunch at Lau Pa Sat. Popular attractions include the Merlion, Marina Bay Sands Pool (SkyPark) and the Singapore Flyer.
Alternatively, you could walk through Chinatown and explore some of the world-class attractions in this cultural area of the city.
These two areas of the city are ideal for sightseeing. Where you stay really depends on your budget, but you can easily access Chinatown from Marina Bay or vice versa using the MRT if you find the weather too hot outside.
Lau Pat Sat is within walking distance of Telok Ayer, Downtown and Raffles Place Station. Pick the most convenient one based on your starting point, and you should be there in no time!