Get to Sim Lim Square by MRT fast and worry-free with these steps!
Welcome to the best guide on how to get to Sim Lim Square by MRT in Singapore.
It doesn’t matter where you start your trip to Sim Lim Square in the city. We will outline which line(s) and station(s) are best for getting there!
There are several benefits of using the MRT to reach Sim Lim Square.
One of the most obvious ones is saving money.
Using the MRT in Singapore is cost-effective. Once you book a room near a station, you don’t have to worry about paying for taxi or ride-hailing services. And you also completely avoid all the headaches and costs associated with parking a vehicle! You can access the top attractions in Singapore, and the best malls using the MRT.
Sim Lim Square is well-serviced by the MRT, with stations within very close walking distance of it, making your electronic-shopping experience a convenient one.
Visiting Sim Lim Square in Singapore
If you’re looking for electronics and gadgets, then Sim Lim Square is one of the best shopping centres in all of Singapore to visit.
It is a massive 6-storey IT mall that is known for competitive prices and the best selection of products.
Some of the most popular items visitors buy here are:
Mobile Phones
Gaming Hardware and Software
Webcams
Laptop Computers
Security Systems
Printers
IT Gadgets
There are also many IT technicians, so it’s common for people to bring broken electronics here for servicing. You try to negotiate prices to see which vendor is offering the lowest price for the specific product or service you are looking for.
Head to Level 2 of Sim Lim Square for food and beverage outlets.
Getting to Sim Lim Square via MRT
Step 1: Plan your trip to Sim Lim Square – Best lines and stations?
There are a few MRT stations within walking distance of Sim Lim Square, but the closest and most convenient one is definitely
Rochor Station (DT13)
It’s on the Downtown Line, which is also shown in dark blue colour on the MRT map.
Step 2: Access the closest MRT station.
Regardless of where you are starting your trip to Sim Lim Square in Singapore, you should be able to access a station nearby.
Singapore has an extensive network of lines and stations.
Try to book your room in Singapore (if you’re visiting) in a strategic location close to an MRT station.
It will make your stay more efficient and affordable.
Fortunately, tons of hotels are close to convenient stations.
Here are two popular examples that receive very positive feedback from verified guests:
Marina Bay Sands Hotel – 5-star (Bayfront Station)
Sofitel Singapore City Centre – 5-star (Tanjong Pagar Station)
Areas such as Chinatown, Little India, Geylang and Kampong Glam are known as the ‘budget-friendly’ areas. Search for rooms in these areas for deals if you’re looking to save some cash.
Read More: Top Luxury Hotels near Marina Bay
Step 3: Purchase a Tourist Pass or Stored-Value Card to travel to Sim Lim Square.
There are two main cards for getting around Singapore, and getting to Sim Lim Square is no exception:
Stored Value Cards
We used a stored-value card while figuring out how to get to Sim Lim Square by MRT.
Buying and using a stored-value card is easy if you haven’t done so already.
Simply buy one and top it up with enough cash balance to get around. Then, tap to exit and enter both buses and trains. Your balance will get automatically deducted for each trip.
Stored-value cards are popular with locals and visitors.
Singapore Tourist Passes, on the other hand, are designed for foreign visitors to Singapore.
Typically, they are valid for 1-3 days and offer holders unlimited bus and train rides for a certain number of days. If you buy one, plan a busy itinerary for the days your card is valid to save some cash.
Don’t buy a Singapore Tourist Pass unless you will be busy travelling from one place to another.
The money you can save with a Tourist Pass is materialized with frequent use, not only a few trips.
We strongly recommend getting a Multiple-Attraction Pass while you are in Singapore to use alongside your transportation card. You can save up to 52% on entrance fees when you pre-purchase passes online. Over 200,000+ of these passes have already been sold because of the convenience and big discounts available.
Step 4: Take the MRT to Rochor Station (DT13).
Ride the MRT to Rochor Station (DT13) using the Downtown Line.
Rochor Station has two neighbouring stations that you should be familiar with:
Little India Station (DT12/NE7) – north of Rochor
Bugis Station (DT14/EW12) – south of Rochor
Once you stop at either one of these stations, move closer to an exit because you’ll be getting off at the next stop.
Listen for verbal announcements on the train to ensure you move closer to an exit at the right time.
Step 5: Alight at Rochor Station (DT12).
Alight from the train when you arrive at Rochor Station (DT12).
Next, focus on exiting the station efficiently on your way to Sim Lim Square using the directions below.
Step 6: Exit Rochor Station (DT12).
Rochor Station (DT13) is built underneath Sungei Road and Rochor Canal Road and is within convenient walking distance of Bugis, Rochor and Little India districts.
It consists of 3 main levels:
L1 – Street Level
L2 – Ticketing Concourse
B3 – Downtown Line Train
You can expect to arrive at Level B3 on your way to Sim Lim Square.
Travel from the platform up to L1 – Street Level using the stairs, escalator or elevator.
Rochor MRT station has two exits leading to ground level, A and B.
Take Exit A if you want to walk from Rochor Station to Sim Lim Square.
Step 7: Walk from your Rochor Station to Sim Lim Square.
Exit A at Rochor Station will bring you out onto Rochor Canal Road.
All you need to do is walk briefly south on Rochor Canal Road.
Cross Prinsep Street.
Then, enter Sim Lim Square using the northern entrance.
How long is the walk from Rochor Station to Sim Lim Square?
Expect a very short walk from Rochor Station to Sim Lim Square.
It should only take you 2 minutes because the distance is about 130 m.
Other Stations within Walking Distance of Sim Lim Square?
It’s so secret that Rochor Station is the best one for walking directly to Sim Lim Square.
But due to Singapore’s excellent MRT connectivity, you can actually walk there from other nearby stations as well.
We have summarized them below for your convenience:
Station Name |
Walking Distance to Sim Lim Square |
Walking Time to Sim Lim Square |
| Rochor (DT13)
***BEST CHOICE |
130 m | 2 minutes |
| Jalan Besar (DT22) | 350 m | 5 minutes |
| Bugis (DT14/EW12) | 400 m | 6 minutes |
| Little India (DT12/NE7) | 650 m | 9 minutes |
With the walking times ranging from 2 minutes until 9 minutes, don’t bother looking for bus connections to Sim Lim Square.
By the time you wait for the bus and travel to the shopping centre, you would have already been there on foot.
Other Points of Interest to Visit
Sim Lim Square is not far from some of Singapore’s most popular sightseeing and shopping areas, such as Orchard, Little India, and Bugis.
The four closest shopping centres to Sim Lim Square are:
Sim Lim Tower
Burlington Square
OG Albert Department Store
The Bencoolen
You can also walk north from Sim Lim Square to Little India, where several other shopping centres exist.
Little India is well known for its good prices.
Mustafa Centre (Directions) and Tekka Centre are two of the most popular shopping centres in Little India.
If you walk south from Sim Lim Square, you will reach Bugis.
Bugis has several excellent shopping centres and the popular Bugis Street Market (Directions).
Bugis Junction (Direction) and Bugis+ (Directions) are two malls well worth checking out.
Indian Heritage Centre, Abdul Gafoor Mosque, and Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple are three of the closest cultural points of interest near Sim Lim Square.
Best Places to Stay?
Sim Lim Square is a little bit outside of the Marina Bay area, so hotels here tend to be cheaper, within the ‘budget-friendly range.’
Most properties within walking distance of Sim Lim Square are in the 2-4-star range. Expect basic amenities, but some of the properties are well-maintained with positive reviews.
The two closest hotels to Sim Lim Square are
Ibis Styles Singapore Albert (3-star)
Hotel 81 Rochor (2-star)
You can walk to either one of these in only a few minutes from the Square.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this guide has clearly outlined how to get to Sim Lim Square by MRT in Singapore.
Rochor Station (DT13) is definitely the closest and most convenient station for walking directly there.
It’s on the Downtown Line, and it’s so close that you won’t even break a sweat walking there.
But you can also get to Sim Lim Square using several other stations.
You can also head to Jalan Besar (DT22), Bugis (DT14/EW12) or Little India Station (DT12/NE7). It will only take you 2 minutes to walk from Rochor Station and up to a maximum of 9 minutes from any of these ones.
Don’t worry about connecting with bus services from these stations to reach Sim Lim Square.
Remember to bring extra bags for shopping at Sim Lim Square. It’s loaded with electronics and all the gadgets you can think of!