Get to bustling Little India in Singapore super fast and easily using this comprehensive guide.
Welcome to the step-by-step guide on how to get to Little India by MRT.
We have used Singapore’s fantastic MRT network to get to and from Little India on multiple occasions. We will share all the steps required to get there fast and affordably using the MRT.
In addition to sharing details about which lines and stations to use, we will also focus on the following questions in this detailed guide:
How to save money on your way to Little India?
What are the top attractions and points of interest should you visit after you arrive in Little India?
Accommodation information – should you stay in Little India or another area while you are in Singapore?
Fortunately, getting around Singapore using the MRT is really easy because there are numerous lines. You can get to most attractions without stepping foot in a vehicle! Getting to Little India is no exception. Follow the steps in this guide, and you should have no problem accessing the cultural attractions in this bustling area of Singapore.
Why should you visit Little India in Singapore?
Little India is one of Singapore’s most culturally rich areas that bustles with streetside shops, restaurants and temples. It is well serviced by public transportation and located only a few MRT stations away from other popular sightseeing areas like Marina Bay, Chinatown and Kampong Glam.
If you want to enjoy some delicious Indian dishes in Singapore, this is the place to go! There are many food centres and streetside restaurants throughout the roads making up Little India.
Also, let’s not forget about shopping as well.
Little India is regarded as one of the cheapest places to buy products in Singapore. There are stores here that claim to be the ‘Cheapest Store in Singapore’. Although that’s hard to determine, you will find good value for your money if you plan on shopping here. Expect to see both multi-level shopping centres and also smaller niche shops.
Little India is also very well known for budget hotels and hostels.
Singapore is not particularly cheap when it comes to accommodation. In Little India, however, there are numerous hostels and boutique hotels to choose from. Not all of them are created equal, though. Be sure to do your research before booking a place to stay here!
Specific Details – Getting to Little India by MRT
Step 1: First, access the most convenient MRT station to start your trip to Little India.
Getting around Singapore is a lot easier if you are staying close to an MRT Station. And getting to Little India is no exception to this rule!
Try to be within 500 m or less of a convenient station. Singaporeans and permanent residents will already know which station to access on the way to Little India. But, foreign tourists should strategically book a room within proximity to a convenient station. You will cut down on taxi fees, parking fees and spend less time in traffic!
Here are a few conveniently located hotels to you started with your search if you are a tourist planning a trip to Singapore:
Marina Bay Sands (5-star, 9.0/10 review score, very close to Bayfront Station)
Raffles Hotel Singapore (5-star, 9.4/10 review score, very close to Esplanade Station)
Chic Capsule Otel (2-star, 8.5/10 review score, 2 minutes from Chinatown Station)
With your accommodation all booked and ready to go, proceed to Step 2 of how to get to Little India via MRT, below!
Step 2: Purchase either a card or ticket for your MRT ride.
You can select from a few different tickets and cards to get to Little India using MRT.
Read the following questions and select an appropriate ticket for your circumstances:
Do you mind spending time in ticketing lines for each MRT trip that you make?
How long are you in the city, three days or more?
Are you just travelling to/from Little India, or are you going to multiple areas of Singapore?
Next, refer to the information below to finalize your decision:
- Singapore Tourist Passes
- Stored value cards
We recommend Singapore Tourist Passes to foreign tourists spending 1-3 days in the city. They are an excellent option if you want to travel all over the place in a short period of time (typically 3 days or less).
COST SAVING TIP: If you want to save money in Singapore, then buy a multiple attraction pass to use alongside your transportation card. You can save up to 52% on entrance fees to the city’s best attractions. At the time of writing, over 200,000 of these passes have been purchased by Singaporeans and visitors.
Once you purchase a Tourist Pass, you can use it unlimited times within a set period of time. Therefore, getting to Little India and back should be quick and easy. Remember, that to make a Tourist Pass worthwhile, you have to use it a lot (otherwise, you won’t get your money out of it!).
Get all the details: The Complete Guide on Buying Singapore Tourist Passes – Everything You Need to Know.
Other MRT Tickets for Getting to Little India
You can also buy single-trip tickets/multi-trip tickets to Little India. Try to avoid busy travel times throughout the day (such as rush hour) because long lines can build up at ticketing machines within stations.
Stored value cards are the third popular ticket option for getting to Little India.
There are a few different kinds of stored value cards. Simply buy one, top it up with cash, and tap it to enter and exit the MRT network. We used a stored value card while figuring out how to get to Little India by MRT.
Always try to keep a running balance of cash on your stored value card so that you don’t unexpectedly have to reload it while going somewhere!
Read More: How to buy MRT tickets in Singapore – The Complete Guide.
Step 3: Plan on riding the MRT to Little India or Farrer Park Station.
Although Little India is more popular with visitors heading to Little India, it’s also possible to access the area from Farrer Park Station.
Little India Station is the best option for walking to points of interest along the western side of Little India.
Farrer Park Station is more convenient for you if you plan on visiting the eastern side of Little India.
Step 4: Travel on the MRT to Little India or Farrer Park Station.
You can refer to metro maps in stations along the way to Little India. But we will still share some information about lines and neighbouring stations here.
Little India Station is located on the following two MRT lines:
North-East Line (Purple)
Downtown Line (Blue)
The directly adjacent stations to Little India Station are Rochor, Newton (Blue), Farrer Park, and Dhoby Ghaut (Purple).
Farrer Park Station is only located along the North-East (Purple) line. It is adjacent to Little India and Boon Keng Station.
Step 5: Alight at either Little India or Farrer Park Station.
Depending on whether you are visiting the west or east side of Little India, alight at the appropriate station. Just remember Little India Station is better for western points of interest whereas Farrer Park is better for eastern ones!
Step 6: Exit either Little India or Farrer Park Station and walk to your point of interest in Little India.
Exiting Little India Station
Little India Station has a total of six different exits. Therefore, when you arrive at the station you can expect to be slightly confused unless you check exactly where you want to go before you go on your trip. The exits are listed as A, B, C, D, E, and F.
If you plan on checking out Shree Lakshmi Narayan Temple or Sri Veerama Kaliamman Temple then you can take Exit E. Another popular exit is C which enables you to access Tekka Centre, Tekka Market and The Verge.
Exiting Farrer Park Station
Farrer Park MRT station has a total of nine different exits leading to ground level (A, B, C, E, F, G, H and I).
Exits C through F all leave from the South end of the station. while the other exits extend out in the northern direction.
Use Exit I to walk directly into the basement of nearby City Square Mall.
How long does it take to walk from the MRT stations around Little India to nearby attractions?
As mentioned before, you can save valuable time by knowing which station (Little India vs. Farrer Park) is better for accessing points of interest in Little India.
Little India Station is located along the western edge of Little India, whereas Farrer Park Station is along the eastern end.
In the section below, we have organized the distance and walking times to each landmark based on the most convenient station.
Distances and Walking Times from Little India Station
Shree Lakshminarayan Temple – 130 m/2-minute walk
Indian Heritage Centre – 350 m/4-minute walk
Tekka Place – 250 m/3-minute walk
Tekka Centre – 50 m/ 1-minute walk
Tan Teng Niah – 150 m/ 2-minute walk
Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple – 300 m/4-minute walk
Abdul Gafoor Mosque – 600 m/8-minute walk
Distances and Walking Times from Farrer Park Station
City Square Mall – 120 m/2-minute walk
Mustafa Centre – 270 m/3-minute walk
Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple Singapore – 130 m/2-minute walk
Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple – 400 m/4-minute walk
Sri Vadapathira Kaliamman Temple – 450 m/5-minute walk
Based on the information provided above, it’s clear that Little India is probably the most convenient station for accessing many of the area’s popular shopping and cultural attractions. However, Farrer Park provides convenient access to City Square Mall, which is a popular shopping centre.
Where should you stay in Little India in Singapore?
As mentioned before, Little India is primarily well known for budget accommodation choices tailored towards backpackers or travellers who are not particularly concerned about very high service standards. Prices here tend to be quite reasonable for the most part. This is especially true if you consider the average price of properties in Little India compared to places like Marina Bay and Orchard Road.
Properties such as Marina Bay Sands, Raffles Singapore, and the Fullerton Bay Hotel can sometimes be three or four times as many properties in Little India. Therefore, you have to think about your budget and how much you are willing to spend when you are selecting a place to stay.
Some of the hotels in this area do not receive the highest review scores. Therefore, if you plan on staying in Little India in Singapore you have to do a little bit of research to make sure that you’re staying at a clean well-rated property.
Technically, there are a lot of hotels that are situated within 5 minutes or less walking distance from Little India MRT Station.
Your priority in this area should be to stay as close as possible to the station to save unnecessary transport expenses and to save time.
Some popular hotels that are within 5 minutes of Little India Station include:
Hilton Garden Inn Singapore Serangoon (4-star, 8.1/10 rating)
Aqueen Heritage Hotel Little India (3-star, 8.0 rating)
Citadines Rochor (Condo, 8.6/10 rating)
Additional Properties near Farrer Park Station
There are also two excellent properties within a few hundred meters of Farrer Park Station:
Park Hotel Farrer Park (4-star, 8.1/10 review rating)
One Farrer Hotel (5-star, 9.1/10 review rating)
While reading our hotel recommendations, please keep in mind that we do not have a direct partnership with these properties. They have not paid us anything to include them in this article.
Also, keep in mind that the review scores listed above are based at the time of writing and according to leading online websites. They are subject to change over time.
Conclusion – Getting to Little India via MRT
We hope that this step-by-step guide on how to get to Little India by MRT has been useful!
Little India in Singapore is definitely an area you want to explore while in the city. If you are a ‘culture lover’ or somebody who wants to take street photography, you will love this area.
One of the best things to do in Little India is to access the area from either Little India Station or Farrer Park Station, walk around, exit the area from the other station.
Remember, there are interesting temples and markets to explore in this cultural area of the city, such as:
Shree Lakshminarayan Temple
Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple
Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple Singapore
Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple
Sri Vadapathira Kaliamman Temple
You must also at least eat one meal in Little India before you leave! Just ask a local for specific recommendations while ordering.
Discover More: The Best 5-Day Itinerary of Singapore
Once you are in Little India, you can easily access other exciting areas of Singapore, such as Chinatown, Clarke Quay, and Orchard Road. They are only a few stations away on the MRT.
If you require additional information about getting to Little India using MRT, please send us a comment or an email. We would be more than happy to assist you!