This is the complete guide on how to get to Marina Barrage by MRT. Marina Barrage is just another great example of Singapore’s innovative mindset. In most places a ‘barrage’ is only designed to regulate water, but not in Singapore. Marina Barrage has developed into an interesting lifestyle attraction and it is very much worth checking out while you are in the city.
By the end of this article, you should be able to get to Marina Barrage by MRT in a stress-free manner. Ideally, you will also completely avoid taxi fees and parking fees during this trip as well! The last thing you want to experience on your way to the Barrage is traffic. Fortunately, staying right beside a station and using the MRT will ensure that you completed bypass jams on your way down to this area of Singapore.
Buying an Attraction Pass also makes it easier to visit multiple attractions in Singapore (at discounted prices) over the course of a few days.
Why should you visit Marina Barrage in Singapore?
Marina Barrage is a large water reservoir that is across the 350 m wide Marina Channel, minutes from Marina Bay and some of the top attractions in Singapore. It has a massive catchment area of approximately 10,000 hectares making it the largest of its kind in the city.
Marina Barrage officially opened on October 31st, 2008. The desalting process began afterwards in April of 2009. Later in 2010, it was commissioned as an official freshwater reservoir. According to the official website, Marina Barrage plays three major roles in Singapore. It acts as a “source of water supply, flood control and a venue for lifestyle attraction.” Since the water level in the Marina Reservoir is kept constant all year round, this makes it an ideal venue for recreational activities such as boating, kayaking and dragon boating.
One of the coolest areas that you should check out at Marina Barrage is the ‘green rooftop’. This is just an awesome recreational space for flying kites, chilling out and capturing amazing views of Singapore’s skyline. If you have more time, check out the
Sustainable Singapore Gallery on the ground floor. This is a great place to learn more about managing environmental and water-related issues. Aside from guided tours of the facility, expect to find multi-media displays, exhibits and games in the gallery.
You can also either walk or bike across the Marina Bridge which spans the entire way across the Marina Barrage Reservoir. On the far side of Marina Bridge, you can access Marina East Park and Marina Bay Golf Club.
There aren’t too many hotels within walking distance of Marina Barrage in Singapore. But the best option is definitely Marina Bay Sands Hotel (5-star, 9/10 review score). It is northwest of the Barrage, ideally located on Marina Bay.
Getting to Marina Barrage using MRT
Step 1: Select a hotel within close proximity of an MRT station.
If you plan on taking the MRT to Marina Barrage in Singapore, then you want to make sure that you’re staying close to a station. Remember, the goal here is making it to the Barrage without the need of stepping in a vehicle. This will save you time and money by avoiding taxis, parking and of course traffic jams!
Although Singapore has tons of hotels that are within walking distance of MRT stations, we have included a few examples below to get you started with your search:
Luxury
The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore (5-star, 9.3/10 review score)
Budget
Chic Capsules Singapore (2-star, 8.6/10 review score)
The luxury hotel listed above, the Kempinski, is ideally located right beside City Hall MRT Station. The budget-friendly option, Chic Capsule Otel, is only 1 minute from Chinatown Station.
Once your accommodation is sorted, it’s time to start planning your trip to Marina Barrage.
Step 2: Get a ticket to either Bayfront or Marina Bay MRT Station.
The station you use to access Marina Barrage depends on whether you want to walk from the MRT or take a bus!
For example, Bayfront Station is the most practical station to access Marina Barrage by MRT if you plan on walking from the station.
However, if you want to take the bus instead of walking, then you can go to Marina Bay Station and take a bus to the Barrage.
Regardless, before heading to Bayfront or Marina Bay, first, decide on the type of ticket you want to use.
Singapore has multiple types of MRT tickets/passes. The one that you select depends on your itinerary (how much sightseeing are you doing?) and how long you are in the city (resident, tourist and so on..)?
We have written the two comprehensive guide to help you to select and purchase an MRT ticket in Singapore:
Purchasing MRT Tickets in Singapore: Which ticket should I buy??
Purchasing Singapore Tourist Passes: Pros and Cons
We used a stored-value card (an EZlink Card to be exact) when we were first discovering out how to get to Marina Barrage by MRT. Highly consider using a stored-value card if you are staying more than 3 days in Singapore.
Singapore Tourist Passes are ideal if you are in the city for 3 days or less and plan on doing a lot of sightseeing – meaning you are checking out attractions all over the place. Not only do you get unlimited MRT rides with these, but bus rides, too!!
Step 3: Take the MRT to either Bayfront Station or Marina Bay Station
Remember that Bayfront is the best station if you want to walk, whereas Marina Bay Station is the best station if you want to take the bus (and avoid walking).
Going to Bayfront Station
You should have some familiarity with the MRT lines that you can take to Bayfront Station. There are two lines that service trains to Bayfront Station
Circle Line (Orange)
Downtown Line (Green)
Going to Marina Bay Station
Marina Bay Station is currently part of two different MRT lines, but will be soon a stop on three once construction is completed:
Circle Line (Orange)
North-South Line (Red)
Thompson-East Coast Line (Brown) (currently under construction)
Regardless of which station you plan on going to, make sure that you refer to the maps located in each station. Also, verbal announcements should be made for each upcoming station on the train you are on.
Step 4: Alight at Bayfront Station or Marina Bay Station
Get off the train at Bayfront Station (if you plan on walking to Marina Barrage) or Marina Bay Station (if you plan on taking the bus to Marina Barrage). Don’t forget your belongings on the train.
Simply ‘tap’ to exit the MRT system if you are using a stored-value card or a Singapore Tourist Pass.
Step 5: Either walk from Bayfront Station or take the bus from Marina Bay Station to Marina Barrage.
Your choice to either walk from Bayfront Station or take the bus from Marina Bay Station depends on a few different factors. If it is hot outside then you might want to take the air-conditioned bus! However, you might have to wait for it to arrive. Also, walking is healthier so if you want to burn a few extra calories then head to Bayfront Station!
Getting from Bayfront Station to Marina Barrage
There are different walking routes that you can take from Bayfront Station to Marina Barrage. Some people, for instance, walk through the air-conditioned Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands first and then along the Marina Bay waterfront all the way to Marina Barrage. Although scenic, this is not the fastest way to reach Marina Barrage from the MRT network!
Instead, to get to the Barrage faster from Bayfront Station try to use the underpass from the station.
In order to walk this way from Bayfront Station to Marina Barrage, first, take Exit B at Bayfront Station. Then, walk through the underground linkway east towards Gardens by the Bay.
Next, exit the linkway. Now you can either walk along Sheares Link (directly behind Marina Bay Sands Hotel) to the waterfront boardwalk or follow the signs and then cross Dragonfly Bridge into Gardens by the Bay. If you find yourself at the waterfront, turn right and simply walk along the water passing by Flower Dome and Cloud Forest until you reach Marina Barrage.
If you want to walk through the gardens, then follow the signs which will guide you along walkways in the northeast direction until you reach Marina Barrage.
The walk from Bayfront Station to Marina Barrage is about 2 km and this should take you approximately 20 minutes.
Getting from Marina Bay Station to Marina Barrage
Alight at Marina Bay and take Exit A or B. Then walk along Marina Way to the front of the Marina Bay Financial Centre. Take Bus 400 from the bus stop in front of the Financial Centre.
Typically, the bus ride from Marina Bay Station to Marina Barrage takes 8-9 minutes. The bus arrives usually every 15-20 minutes and it operates from 7 am until 11:30 pm.
Should you stay near Marina Barrage while you are in Singapore?
There is no denying the fact that Marina Barrage is located in a scenic area of Singapore. This is an ideal area for going for a walk or biking along the waterfront. Since this is located on a section of reclaimed land, there aren’t too many hotels within walking distance of the barrage, unfortunately. The closest property to the Barrage is world-famous Marina Bay Sands (5-star, 9/10 review score). This is the best place to stay if you want to be within walking distance of Marina Barrage and other adjacent attractions such as Cloud forest and Flower Dome.
If you are willing to stay a bit farther from Marina Barrage then you will have more superb hotels to choose from. Most hotels in this area offer superb views of Marina Bay and Singapore’s famous skyline. We have included some of the most positively reviewed properties for your convenience:
The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore (5-star, 9.4/10 review score)
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore (5-star, 9.2/10 review score)
The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore (5-star, 9.2/10 review score)
Please take note that we are not a direct partner of any of these properties. We are simply listing them according to their location relative to Marina Barrage and the positive review scores they receive from guests. All review scores are based on leading accommodation websites at the time of writing.
Do you have more questions about getting to Marina Barrage?
Hopefully, by the end of this article, you have a clear idea of how to get to Marina Barrage by MRT. One method requires you to walk for about 20 minutes from Bayfront Station, whereas the other requires an 8-9 minute bus ride. The choice is up to you! If you feel like you need more information about this trip or anything else related to visiting Singapore please feel free to send us an email.
One of the exciting things about visiting Marina Barrage in Singapore is that it is close to many other popular attractions. It is very easy to add it to your ‘Marina Bay’ itinerary. With Gardens by the Bay next door and Sands SkyPark (Tickets here) within walking distance, you already have at least half a day of sightseeing taken care of! As you wander further around Marina Bay, you can visit Singapore Flyer, the Merlion, and popular malls such as Suntec City and Marina Square.