A Home Near the MRT Isn't Always Near the MRT
One thing I’ve learnt from my own commute is that an MRT station nearby on the map doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easy to reach.
Sometimes, I still have to take a feeder bus just to get to the station. And the bus ride itself isn’t always the problem. The waiting time can be very long, turning a supposedly short first leg into the most frustrating part of the journey.
Miss one bus and the whole commute changes. You reach the MRT later, board a more crowded train and start work already feeling like you’ve completed half a day.
This happens every weekday.
“Near MRT” can be misleading
A recent CNA report on commuting from Sembawang showed how much that first leg matters. Sembawang residents recorded a median journey of 50 minutes to work, while some residents interviewed took between 60 and 90 minutes.
One resident usually needed 90 minutes to reach work. On a rainy day, waiting for a feeder bus stretched her journey to 2 hours.
For several residents, the most draining part wasn’t the train ride. It was simply getting to the station.
That is why “near MRT” isn’t enough when choosing a home.
Measure from your door to your desk
Don’t count only the number of MRT stops to the CBD. Count the entire journey:
- Walking from your block to the bus stop or MRT
- Waiting during the morning peak
- Feeder-bus time
- Train transfers
- The final walk to your workplace
Then make the trip yourself on a weekday morning. Property listings are very good at measuring distance and rather less enthusiastic about measuring a Tuesday at 8am.
Time is part of the price
A larger or cheaper home farther away may still be the right choice. But the trade-off should be deliberate.
An additional 30 minutes each way becomes 5 hours every working week. That is time taken from sleep, exercise, family and simply being at home.
A good home shouldn’t only give you more space. It should give you more of your life back.
