There are many appealing factors about a larger condo project (i.e., condos with 700 units or over). They tend to be more affordable, maintenance tends to be lower, and the larger land parcel can allow for more facilities (or just more breathing space). However, it’s come to our attention that some of these larger projects are quite far from the MRT station, so buyers are left with a trade-off: bigger project, or shorter distance to an MRT station? As it’s a question that comes up quite often, here’s a list for your reference:
Big condo projects where you’ll need to use the bus
We refer to “big” in the colloquial sense – 700 units or more. With regard to “only accessible by bus,” we’ll take this to mean there isn’t an MRT station nearby, and you need to either walk (unlikely with these distances) or use a connecting bus.
| Project | Near MRT? |
| Parc Central Residences | No |
| Rio Vista | 17 min walk to MRT |
| Whistler Grand | No |
| Parc Riviera | No |
| The Floravale | No |
| Aurelle of Tampines | No |
| Riversails | No |
| Signature Park | No |
| Affinity At Serangoon | No |
| The Interlace | No |
| Avenue South Residence | No |
| The Minton | 18 min walk to MRT |
| Kingsford Waterbay | No |
| Riverfront Residences | 18 min walk to MRT |
For convenience, we’ve also included the previous transactions for these projects:
| No. of bedrooms | AFFINITY AT SERANGOON | AURELLE OF TAMPINES | AVENUE SOUTH RESIDENCE | KINGSFORD WATERBAY | PARC CENTRAL RESIDENCES | PARC RIVIERA | RIO VISTA | RIVERFRONT RESIDENCES | RIVERSAILS | SIGNATURE PARK | THE FLORAVALE | THE INTERLACE | THE MINTON | WHISTLER GRAND |
| 1 | $906,818 | $1,107,000 | $722,962 | $794,231 | $809,943 | $737,444 | $865,014 | $870,756 | ||||||
| 2 | $1,255,163 | $1,589,219 | $989,401 | $1,049,920 | $1,138,857 | $1,085,744 | $1,238,845 | $1,740,545 | $1,691,306 | $1,502,949 | $1,274,626 | |||
| 3 | $1,843,204 | $1,551,236 | $2,360,995 | $1,319,121 | $1,448,000 | $1,586,651 | $1,578,846 | $1,718,796 | $1,653,713 | $2,364,533 | $1,355,281 | $3,099,512 | $2,126,032 | $2,007,333 |
| 4 | $2,900,000 | $1,972,308 | $3,383,472 | $1,684,167 | $1,932,000 | $2,014,278 | $1,656,000 | $2,514,000 | $2,099,722 | $2,959,000 | $4,351,543 | $2,776,571 | $2,363,800 | |
| 5 | $2,980,000 | $2,384,333 | $1,915,000 | $2,960,000 |
The best connections from the list above
The following are, in our opinion, the ones that have the most convenient access to the nearest MRT station or hub point (these two are often interrelated). Here are the top seven that may be more accessible than they look on paper:
- Avenue South Residence
- Affinity at Serangoon
- Riverfront Residences
- Kingsford Waterbay
- Parc Central Residences (EC)
- Parc Riviera
- Whistler Grand
1. Avenue South Residence
Avenue South Residence is a leasehold, 1,074-unit mega-development, completed in 2023. It’s in District 3.
This project is known for its proximity to Tiong Bahru and Tanjong Pagar, which makes it ideal for those who need CBD access but not CBD prices. One notable element of Avenue South Residence is that it’s close to Singapore General Hospital (SGH) – while some homebuyers don’t like being near hospitals, landlords might consider it good for rental (hospitals tend to employ a lot of foreign workers, who would like to live nearby).
We’ve also previously commented on one tennis court being a bit odd for such a large project; but it does have a good view and will likely benefit from the Greater Southern Waterfront in the coming years.
While we’ve also pointed out it’s far from the MRT station, it’s also not too inaccessible:
Avenue South sits right beside Kampong Bahru Bus Terminal, with frequent buses such as 167, 196, 197, 75, and 970 heading directly to Outram Park MRT (EWL, NEL, TEL) – a triple-line interchange. The bus ride takes about 10 minutes.
Other routes also connect to HarbourFront MRT (NEL, CCL) and VivoCity, around 12 to 15 minutes away by bus. So, while you’ll depend on buses, you have direct access to two major MRT hubs and all the retail and amenities that come with them.
2. Affinity at Serangoon
Affinity at Serangoon is a leasehold project with 1,052 units, completed in 2023. It’s in District 19.
When Affinity launched in 2018, it was a headline development in Serangoon. This massive project has more than 80 facilities spread across themed zones (from floating gyms to a forest boardwalk), and it was designed as a sort of self-contained community. The location, however, was a bit of a mixed bag. To be clear, Affinity is close to hot spots like the famous Serangoon Garden lifestyle hub, and also to the massive NEX megamall, but while it’s close by, it’s also not really walkable.
Overall though, it’s not too inaccessible. The nearest bus stop, Serangoon Nth Ave 1, Blk 141A (66311), is just a short walk away. Buses 103, 109, 147, 315, 43, 70, 73, and 156 connect directly to Serangoon MRT (CCL, NEL) and NEX in about 10 minutes.
The bus ride is only around 10 minutes or so; and setting aside the need for this, it’s not so bad as you have access to two train lines and one of the biggest suburban malls.
