Toa Payoh MRT Station
Toa Payoh MRT station (NS19) is a station on the North South Line, sitting in the middle of one of Singapore's oldest and most established public housing towns. It serves a largely residential area made up of HDB blocks, local amenities, and neighbourhood commercial activity, making it a well-used station for people who live in or regularly visit the Toa Payoh district.
Toa Payoh on the North South Line map
Toa Payoh station at a glance
| Station codes | NS19 |
|---|---|
| Lines | North South Line |
| Interchange | No, single line station |
| Chinese name | 大巴窑 |
| Tamil name | தோ பாயோ |
| Next stations | |
| Train times | North South Line: first train leaves the terminus at 5:26 AM, last train 11:45 PM Full first and last train guide |
See Toa Payoh on the map. The interactive map opens with this station highlighted, so you can trace the route from where you are.
From Toa Payoh station, North South Line trains run southward towards Novena and on into the city centre, and northward towards Braddell and beyond. The station is not an interchange, so passengers needing to change lines will find their nearest options further along the route, including Bishan station to the north, which serves the Circle Line, or Newton and Orchard stations to the south.
The area around the station is a typical mature HDB town centre, with a bus interchange, wet market, food centre, and shops within easy walking distance. Toa Payoh Town Park, a green space popular with residents, is also reachable on foot. The general neighbourhood has a strong local character, with most of the surrounding streets given over to housing estates and the everyday amenities that serve them.
Around Toa Payoh station
Toa Payoh is a long-established residential town in central Singapore, with a dense concentration of HDB flats and neighbourhood amenities surrounding the station. The area serves as a local commercial hub, with HDB Hub acting as the main shopping mall and several food centres such as Koufu and Gourmet Paradise catering to the resident population. Cultural and civic institutions, including Toa Payoh Public Library and the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Museum, add further depth to the neighbourhood.
| Place | Type | Distance | Why go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koufu 口福 | Food centre | About 30 m (~1 min walk) | Visit for a wide selection of affordable hawker and food court meals. |
| Toa Payoh Bus Interchange | Bus interchange | About 70 m (~1 min walk) | Use as a base for connecting to buses across the Toa Payoh area. |
| Gourmet Paradise 新食尚 | Food centre | About 110 m (~2 min walk) | Head here for another variety of local food court dining options. |
| Food Alley 小食巷 | Food centre | About 140 m (~2 min walk) | A good spot to explore additional local hawker-style food stalls. |
| HDB Hub | Shopping mall | About 170 m (~3 min walk) | Visit for shopping, retail stores and various lifestyle amenities. |
| Toa Payoh Public Library | Library | About 380 m (~6 min walk) | Borrow books, use study spaces or attend community programmes. |
| Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Museum | Museum | About 510 m (~8 min walk) | Explore displays related to Dr Sun Yat Sen and regional history. |
| Former Malay Film Productions | Attraction | About 840 m (~14 min walk) | See a conserved site associated with the early Malay film industry. |
Places and straight-line distances from OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Actual walking routes may be longer.
How to get to Toa Payoh by MRT
Worked out from the network map. Stop counts are station to station and do not include walking or waiting time.
| From Changi Airport | Take the East West Line from Changi Airport to Paya Lebar (6 stops), then change to the Circle Line from Paya Lebar to Bishan (6 stops), then change to the North South Line from Bishan to Toa Payoh (2 stops). About 14 stops with 2 changes. |
|---|---|
| From Orchard | Take the North South Line from Orchard to Toa Payoh (3 stops). About 3 stops, no changes. |
| From City Hall | Take the North South Line from City Hall to Toa Payoh (6 stops). About 6 stops, no changes. |
| From Jurong East | Take the East West Line from Jurong East to Buona Vista (3 stops), then change to the Circle Line from Buona Vista to Bishan (6 stops), then change to the North South Line from Bishan to Toa Payoh (2 stops). About 11 stops with 2 changes. |
| From Woodlands | Take the North South Line from Woodlands to Toa Payoh (10 stops). About 10 stops, no changes. |
| From HarbourFront | Take the North East Line from HarbourFront to Dhoby Ghaut (3 stops), then change to the North South Line from Dhoby Ghaut to Toa Payoh (5 stops). About 8 stops with 1 change. |
Tips for using Toa Payoh station
- Koufu, Toa Payoh Bus Interchange, Gourmet Paradise, Food Alley and HDB Hub are all within a short walk of the station, making them easy to reach on foot.
- Toa Payoh Public Library is approximately 6 minutes away on foot, which is manageable, though taking a bus from the interchange nearby may be more comfortable in hot weather.
- The Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Museum and Former Malay Film Productions are further away and visitors may prefer to take a bus from Toa Payoh Bus Interchange rather than walking, especially in the midday heat.
- The station can be busy during morning and evening peak hours, so allow extra time if you are transferring to buses at the interchange or plan to visit nearby food centres at lunch or dinner time.
All stations on the North South Line
In order along the line, with Toa Payoh marked. Stations with their own guide are linked.
| Code | Station | Interchange |
|---|---|---|
| NS1 | Jurong East | EW / NS |
| NS2 | Bukit Batok | – |
| NS3 | Bukit Gombak | – |
| NS4 | Choa Chu Kang | NS / BP |
| NS5 | Yew Tee | – |
| NS7 | Kranji | – |
| NS8 | Marsiling | – |
| NS9 | Woodlands | NS / TE |
| NS10 | Admiralty | – |
| NS11 | Sembawang | – |
| NS12 | Canberra | – |
| NS13 | Yishun | – |
| NS14 | Khatib | – |
| NS15 | Yio Chu Kang | – |
| NS16 | Ang Mo Kio | – |
| NS17 | Bishan | NS / CC |
| NS18 | Braddell | – |
| NS19 | Toa Payoh (you are here) | – |
| NS20 | Novena | – |
| NS21 | Newton | NS / DT |
| NS22 | Orchard | TE / NS |
| NS23 | Somerset | – |
| NS24 | Dhoby Ghaut | NS / NE |
| NS25 | City Hall | EW / NS |
| NS26 | Raffles Place | NS / EW |
| NS28 | Marina South Pier | – |
Read the full North South Line guide.
Toa Payoh station: common questions
Which line is Toa Payoh MRT station on?
Toa Payoh is on the North South Line. Its station code is NS19.
Is Toa Payoh an interchange station?
No. Toa Payoh is served by the North South Line only. The nearest interchange is shown in the next stations row above.
What time is the first and last train at Toa Payoh?
Times below are for the first and last train leaving the line terminus; trains reach Toa Payoh a few minutes later depending on its position on the line. North South Line first train 5:26 AM, last train 11:45 PM. Check the operator for holiday changes.
What is near Toa Payoh MRT station?
There are several places close by, including Koufu food centre, Toa Payoh Bus Interchange, Gourmet Paradise, Food Alley, HDB Hub shopping mall, Toa Payoh Public Library, Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Museum and Former Malay Film Productions. Distances are approximate and range from around 30 metres to roughly 840 metres.
Which food centre or mall is closest to Toa Payoh MRT station?
Koufu is the closest food centre, at approximately 30 metres from the station and roughly a 1-minute walk. HDB Hub is the nearest shopping mall, at approximately 170 metres away.
How far is the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Museum from Toa Payoh MRT station?
The Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Museum is approximately 510 metres from the station, which is roughly an 8-minute walk. Visitors who prefer not to walk may wish to board a bus from the nearby Toa Payoh Bus Interchange.
How do I get to Toa Payoh from Changi Airport by MRT?
Take the East West Line from Changi Airport to Paya Lebar (6 stops), then change to the Circle Line from Paya Lebar to Bishan (6 stops), then change to the North South Line from Bishan to Toa Payoh (2 stops). About 14 stops with 2 changes.
Sources: station codes, line colours and interchanges from the LTA rail system map; operating hours from SMRT and SBS Transit. Last reviewed September 2026.
News and guides mentioning Toa Payoh
- Vegetation Fire Near Gali Batu Depot: What Happened 8 Sep 2026
- MRT No-Drinking Rule: Why Reporting It Is So Hard 26 Aug 2026
- Singapore DJ Plays MRT Jingles at Tomorrowland Belgium 14 Aug 2026
- Power Bank Fire at Woodlands MRT: What Happened 22 Jul 2026
Plan the rest of the trip
Every station on the North South Line is listed on its line guide, with the full route and interchanges. For times, see the first and last train guide, and for the whole network in one view use the interactive Singapore MRT map or the PDF map.