Kovan MRT Station
Kovan MRT station is an underground station on the North East Line, with the station code NE13. It sits beneath Upper Serangoon Road in the Kovan neighbourhood of Hougang, in north-eastern Singapore, and is run by SBS Transit like every other station on the line.
Kovan on the North East Line map
Kovan MRT station at a glance
| Station codes | NE13 |
|---|---|
| Lines | North East Line |
| Line colour | Purple line (North East Line) |
| Interchange | No, single line station |
| Chinese name | 高文 |
| Tamil name | கோவன் |
| Opened | 20 June 2003 (23 years ago) |
| Operator | SBS Transit |
| Station type | Underground |
| Platforms | 2 (1 island platform) |
| Address | 900 Upper Serangoon Road, Singapore 534799 |
| Daily ridership | About 19,989 passengers a day (2024) |
| Next stations | |
| Train times | North East Line: first train leaves the terminus at 5:39 AM, last train 11:55 PM Full first and last train guide |
Opening date, operator and ridership figures are LTA data as recorded on Wikipedia.
See Kovan on the map. The interactive map opens with this station highlighted, so you can trace the route from where you are.
Most passengers are people who live in the surrounding public housing blocks and private developments such as Kovan Melody and Kovan Residences. The station also brings in shoppers heading to Heartland Mall, which stands right beside it, and diners making their way to the nearby food centres, including the Kovan Market and Food Centre.
History of Kovan MRT station
The station opened on 20 June 2003, together with the rest of the North East Line. When the line’s stations were announced in 1996, many local residents were surprised to learn they would get a stop of their own, having assumed Hougang would have just one station near its bus interchange. After the opening, the mall next door was extensively renovated and renamed Heartland Mall Kovan, attracting tenants such as Cold Storage and Pizza Hut. A new lift and ramp added in April 2011 gave step-free access to both sides of the station.
Inside Kovan MRT station
The station has three entrances, each with a curved aluminium roof, and two underground levels with no pillars, which keeps the interior open and easy to move through. The platforms are wheelchair accessible, and tactile floor tiles mark out routes for visually impaired passengers. The station is also a designated Civil Defence shelter able to hold at least 7,500 people.
On the platforms you can see The Trade-off by Eng Tow, a pair of granite maps contrasting the area’s past landscape of swamps and plantations with today’s roads and buildings. Look down on the concourse as well: the artist set small stainless steel symbols into the floor, and each entrance has its own symbol to help you tell them apart.
For day-to-day errands, Kovan MRT station puts a lot within a few minutes’ walk. Typical uses include:
- Heartland Mall, about a minute away, for groceries and shopping
- Paya Lebar-Kovan Community Club, roughly two minutes on foot, for classes and community activities
- Meetup @ 203 and Kovan 212, food centres within about three and six minutes’ walk
- Anderson Serangoon Junior College, around ten minutes away, for students and parents
Visitors heading to events at Hougang Stadium can also start from here, though it is a longer walk of about 17 minutes.
Around Kovan MRT station
Kovan station sits in a mature residential neighbourhood in the north-east of Singapore, well served by local amenities. Heartland Mall and Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre provide retail options for residents, while several food centres nearby make it a convenient spot for everyday dining. The area is largely made up of HDB flats and private housing, giving it a quiet, community-focused character.
| Place | Type | Distance | Why go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heartland Mall | Shopping mall | About 70 m (~1 min walk) | Visit Heartland Mall for everyday shopping, supermarket runs and food options. |
| Paya Lebar-Kovan Community Club | Community club | About 110 m (~2 min walk) | Visit Paya Lebar-Kovan Community Club for community activities and fitness programmes. |
| Meetup @ 203 | Food centre | About 170 m (~3 min walk) | Visit Meetup @ 203 for a selection of local hawker food stalls. |
| 7 Stars | Food centre | About 310 m (~5 min walk) | Visit 7 Stars for a variety of affordable cooked food and local dishes. |
| Kovan 212 | Food centre | About 380 m (~6 min walk) | Visit Kovan 212 for hawker fare in a neighbourhood food centre setting. |
| Anderson Serangoon Junior College | College | About 600 m (~10 min walk) | Visit Anderson Serangoon Junior College for education, events or campus visits. |
| Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre | Shopping mall | About 970 m (~16 min walk) | Visit Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre for a mix of retail shops and services. |
| Hougang Stadium | Stadium | About 1030 m (~17 min walk) | Visit Hougang Stadium for sports events, recreational activities and jogging. |
Places and straight-line distances from OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Actual walking routes may be longer.
How to get to Kovan 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 Serangoon (4 stops), then change to the North East Line from Serangoon to Kovan (1 stop). About 11 stops with 2 changes. |
|---|---|
| From Orchard | Take the North South Line from Orchard to Dhoby Ghaut (2 stops), then change to the North East Line from Dhoby Ghaut to Kovan (7 stops). About 9 stops with 1 change. |
| From City Hall | Take the North South Line from City Hall to Dhoby Ghaut (1 stop), then change to the North East Line from Dhoby Ghaut to Kovan (7 stops). About 8 stops with 1 change. |
| 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 Serangoon (8 stops), then change to the North East Line from Serangoon to Kovan (1 stop). About 12 stops with 2 changes. |
| From Woodlands | Take the North South Line from Woodlands to Bishan (8 stops), then change to the Circle Line from Bishan to Serangoon (2 stops), then change to the North East Line from Serangoon to Kovan (1 stop). About 11 stops with 2 changes. |
| From HarbourFront | Take the North East Line from HarbourFront to Kovan (11 stops). About 11 stops, no changes. |
Fares from Kovan MRT station
A trip from Kovan to Changi Airport (about 20 km) costs S$2.27 on an adult SimplyGo or EZ-Link card. Fares are charged by distance, so the table below shows the estimated adult card fare from Kovan to the main hubs, the early bird fare for journeys that start before 7.45am on weekdays, and the fare that applies from 26 December 2026.
| To | Distance | Adult card | Before 7.45am | From 26 Dec 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Changi Airport | about 20 km, 11 stops | S$2.27 | S$1.77 | S$2.40 |
| Orchard | about 11 km, 9 stops | S$1.90 | S$1.40 | S$2.03 |
| City Hall | about 10 km, 8 stops | S$1.90 | S$1.40 | S$2.03 |
| Raffles Place | about 11 km, 9 stops | S$1.94 | S$1.44 | S$2.07 |
| Jurong East | about 21 km, 12 stops | S$2.33 | S$1.83 | S$2.46 |
| Woodlands | about 22 km, 11 stops | S$2.36 | S$1.86 | S$2.49 |
| HarbourFront | about 15 km, 11 stops | S$2.07 | S$1.57 | S$2.20 |
| Marina Bay | about 13 km, 10 stops | S$1.98 | S$1.48 | S$2.11 |
Estimated from the route distance between stations and the Public Transport Council fare table in force from 27 December 2025. The exact fare can differ by one band. Cash fares are higher. Use the fare calculator for any other journey, or check your fare on the SimplyGo app.
Tips for using Kovan MRT station
- Heartland Mall and Paya Lebar-Kovan Community Club are both within a very short walk of the station, making them easy first stops.
- The three food centres, Meetup @ 203, 7 Stars and Kovan 212, are all reachable on foot, though allow a few extra minutes for the further two.
- Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre and Hougang Stadium are both roughly a kilometre away, so you may prefer to take a bus rather than walk, especially in hot or wet weather.
- During morning and evening peak hours, trains on the North East Line can be busy, so plan your journey with a little extra time if you are travelling at those times.
All stations on the North East Line
In order along the line, with Kovan marked. Stations with their own guide are linked.
| Code | Station | Interchange |
|---|---|---|
| NE1 | HarbourFront | CC / NE |
| NE3 | Outram Park | TE / EW / NE |
| NE4 | Chinatown | DT / NE |
| NE5 | Clarke Quay | None |
| NE6 | Dhoby Ghaut | NS / NE / CC |
| NE7 | Little India | DT / NE |
| NE8 | Farrer Park | None |
| NE9 | Boon Keng | None |
| NE10 | Potong Pasir | None |
| NE11 | Woodleigh | None |
| NE12 | Serangoon | CC / NE |
| NE13 | Kovan (you are here) | None |
| NE14 | Hougang | None |
| NE15 | Buangkok | None |
| NE16 | Sengkang | NE / STC |
| NE17 | Punggol | NE / PTC |
| NE18 | Punggol Coast | None |
Read the full North East Line guide.
Kovan MRT station: common questions
Which line is Kovan MRT station on?
Kovan is on the North East Line. Its station code is NE13.
Is Kovan an interchange station?
No. Kovan is served by the North East Line only. The nearest interchange is shown in the next stations row above.
What time is the first and last train at Kovan?
Times below are for the first and last train leaving the line terminus; trains reach Kovan a few minutes later depending on its position on the line. North East Line first train 5:39 AM, last train 11:55 PM. Check the operator for holiday changes.
What is near Kovan MRT station?
Kovan station is surrounded by several amenities including Heartland Mall, Paya Lebar-Kovan Community Club, and multiple food centres such as Meetup @ 203, 7 Stars and Kovan 212, all within approximately 400 metres. Further out, you will find Anderson Serangoon Junior College, Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre and Hougang Stadium.
Which mall or food centre is closest to Kovan MRT station?
Heartland Mall is the closest shopping mall, at approximately 70 metres from the station, making it roughly a one-minute walk. Among the food centres, Meetup @ 203 is the nearest at approximately 170 metres away.
How far is Hougang Stadium from Kovan MRT station?
Hougang Stadium is approximately 1,030 metres from Kovan station in a straight line, which is roughly a 17-minute walk. You may wish to consider taking a bus to cover that distance more comfortably.
How do I get to Kovan 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 Serangoon (4 stops), then change to the North East Line from Serangoon to Kovan (1 stop). About 11 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 October 2026.
News and guides mentioning Kovan
- シンガポール地下鉄（MRT）路線図 2026（日本語ガイド） 4 Oct 2026
- Bus & Train Fares Rise Up to 13 Cents from Dec 26 30 Sep 2026
- Singapore MRT Network: Lines, Fares & How It All Works 29 Sep 2026
- North East Line Map 11 Aug 2023
Plan the rest of the trip
Every station on the North East 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.
Exits and buses at Kovan station
Kovan has 3 mapped exits (A to C). The letters match the signs inside the station; the landmark beside each one is the closest mapped place to that entrance, so pick the exit that comes up nearest to where you are going.
- Exit A: closest to Heartland Mall (about 104 m from the entrance)
- Exit B: closest to Heartland Mall (about 93 m from the entrance)
- Exit C: closest to Paya Lebar-Kovan Community Club (about 50 m from the entrance)
Bus stops within 250 m of Kovan station
| Bus stop | Stop code | Services | From station |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kovan Station Exit C | 63039 | 80, 80A, 81, 82, 101, 107, 107M, 112, 113, 113A, 115, 119, 136, 153 | 56 m |
| Kovan Station Exit B | 63031 | 80, 81, 82, 101, 107, 107M, 112, 112A, 113, 113A, 136, 153 | 76 m |
| Kovan Hub | 63221 | 112, 113, 113A, 115, 119 | 174 m |
| After Hougang Avenue 1 | 63119 | 146 | 236 m |
Exits and bus services come from OpenStreetMap and can change when roads or routes are revised; check the board at the stop or the operator app before relying on a service late at night. For the nearest station to where you are now, use the MRT near me finder.
Places to visit from Kovan station
See every guide on how to get to Singapore's attractions, hospitals and malls by MRT, with routes and fares from Changi Airport, Orchard and the city.