Telok Ayer MRT Station
Telok Ayer MRT station sits beneath Cross Street and Telok Ayer Street in Outram, close to the junction of the two roads on the edge of Singapore’s central business district. It is an underground station on the Downtown Line, with the station code DT18, and is operated by SBS Transit.
Telok Ayer on the Downtown Line map
Telok Ayer MRT station at a glance
| Station codes | DT18 |
|---|---|
| Lines | Downtown Line |
| Line colour | Blue line (Downtown Line) |
| Interchange | No, single line station |
| Chinese name | 直落亚逸 |
| Tamil name | தெலுக் ஆயர் |
| Opened | 22 December 2013 (12 years ago) |
| Operator | SBS Transit |
| Station type | Underground |
| Platforms | 2 (2 side platforms) |
| Address | 7 Cross Street, Singapore 048416 |
| Daily ridership | About 12,776 passengers a day (2024) |
| Next stations | |
| Train times | Downtown Line: first train leaves the terminus at 5:30 AM, last train 11:40 PM Full first and last train guide |
Opening date, operator and ridership figures are LTA data as recorded on Wikipedia.
See Telok Ayer on the map. The interactive map opens with this station highlighted, so you can trace the route from where you are.
Most passengers are office workers heading to the towers and commercial buildings around Cross Street, along with people visiting the temples, heritage buildings and eateries of the Telok Ayer area. Raffles Place station on the North South and East West lines is within walking distance. Telok Ayer is also linked underground to Chinatown station through Icon Link @ Club Street, a connection completed in February 2026.
History of Telok Ayer MRT station
When plans for the station were first revealed in 2005, it was called Cross Street, and it was intended to be part of an extension of the Circle Line rather than a separate line. After a public poll, it was renamed Telok Ayer in June 2009, a name that means “Bay Water” in Malay and recalls the shoreline that once ran through the area. Telok Ayer MRT station held an open house on 7 December 2013, when nearby businesses offered deals to visitors, and it began passenger service on 22 December 2013 with the first stage of the Downtown Line.
Inside Telok Ayer MRT station
Elliptical shapes repeat on the lifts, the supporting structures and the curved ceiling, and these help passengers find their way through the station. On the concourse level, the Art-in-Transit work Charm of Bay by Lim Shing Ee includes brown, boulder-like columns that recall river stones, a reference to the district’s role as the first landing point for many early Chinese immigrants. The station’s entrances at street level were designed to sit comfortably among the surrounding shophouses.
For visitors, Telok Ayer MRT station is a practical starting point for a walk through the area’s history and food. The Nagore Durgha Indian Muslim Heritage Centre is about two minutes on foot, and Lau Pa Sat, the well known food centre, takes around five minutes to reach.
The Buddha Tooth Relic Museum is roughly seven minutes away, while the Singapore City Gallery, which covers the city’s planning and development, is about eight minutes away. Chinatown itself is around nine minutes on foot. For lunch breaks and errands, residents and office workers can use Icon Link @ Club Street, OUE Downtown and Guoco Tower, all within about eleven minutes of Telok Ayer MRT station.
Around Telok Ayer MRT station
Telok Ayer station sits in the heart of Singapore's central business district, surrounded by office towers, heritage shophouses and financial institutions. The area blends modern commerce with cultural history, as seen in nearby landmarks such as the Nagore Durgha Indian Muslim Heritage Centre and the popular hawker destination Lau Pa Sat. Chinatown is also within walking distance, giving the neighbourhood a rich mix of business and heritage character.
| Place | Type | Distance | Why go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nagore Durgha Indian Muslim Heritage Centre | Museum | About 110 m (~2 min walk) | Visit to explore the history of Indian Muslim culture and heritage in Singapore. |
| Icon Link @ Club Street | Shopping mall | About 190 m (~3 min walk) | A small mall along Club Street suited for a quick browse or errand. |
| Lau Pa Sat | Food centre | About 310 m (~5 min walk) | A historic hawker centre well regarded for local food and a lively atmosphere. |
| Buddha Tooth Relic Museum | Museum | About 440 m (~7 min walk) | Home to Buddhist artefacts and exhibits on Buddhist culture and history. |
| Singapore City Gallery | Museum | About 470 m (~8 min walk) | Learn about Singapore's urban planning and the city's development over time. |
| OUE Downtown | Shopping mall | About 550 m (~9 min walk) | A commercial and retail development in the Tanjong Pagar area. |
| Chinatown | Attraction | About 570 m (~9 min walk) | Explore heritage streets, temples, shops and traditional culture in Chinatown. |
| Guoco Tower | Shopping mall | About 670 m (~11 min walk) | A large mixed-use tower with retail options near Tanjong Pagar. |
Places and straight-line distances from OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Actual walking routes may be longer.
How to get to Telok Ayer 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 Bugis (10 stops), then change to the Downtown Line from Bugis to Telok Ayer (4 stops). About 14 stops with 1 change. |
|---|---|
| From Orchard | Take the North South Line from Orchard to Newton (1 stop), then change to the Downtown Line from Newton to Telok Ayer (7 stops). About 8 stops with 1 change. |
| From City Hall | Take the East West Line from City Hall to Bugis (1 stop), then change to the Downtown Line from Bugis to Telok Ayer (4 stops). About 5 stops with 1 change. |
| From Jurong East | Take the East West Line from Jurong East to Outram Park (8 stops), then change to the North East Line from Outram Park to Chinatown (1 stop), then change to the Downtown Line from Chinatown to Telok Ayer (1 stop). About 10 stops with 2 changes. |
| From Woodlands | Take the Thomson East Coast Line from Woodlands to Stevens (8 stops), then change to the Downtown Line from Stevens to Telok Ayer (8 stops). About 16 stops with 1 change. |
| From HarbourFront | Take the North East Line from HarbourFront to Chinatown (2 stops), then change to the Downtown Line from Chinatown to Telok Ayer (1 stop). About 3 stops with 1 change. |
Fares from Telok Ayer MRT station
A trip from Telok Ayer to Changi Airport (about 22 km) costs S$2.33 on an adult SimplyGo or EZ-Link card. Fares are charged by distance, so the table below shows the estimated adult card fare from Telok Ayer 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 22 km, 14 stops | S$2.33 | S$1.83 | S$2.46 |
| Orchard | about 8 km, 8 stops | S$1.75 | S$1.25 | S$1.88 |
| City Hall | about 5 km, 5 stops | S$1.49 | S$0.99 | S$1.62 |
| Raffles Place | about 6 km, 6 stops | S$1.59 | S$1.09 | S$1.72 |
| Jurong East | about 15 km, 10 stops | S$2.07 | S$1.57 | S$2.20 |
| Woodlands | about 26 km, 16 stops | S$2.42 | S$1.92 | S$2.55 |
| HarbourFront | about 4 km, 3 stops | S$1.38 | S$0.88 | S$1.51 |
| Marina Bay | about 3 km, 3 stops | S$1.28 | S$0.78 | S$1.40 |
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 Telok Ayer MRT station
- Nagore Durgha Indian Muslim Heritage Centre and Icon Link are both within a short walk of the station, making them easy first stops.
- Lau Pa Sat is roughly a five-minute walk away and can be busier during weekday lunch hours, so allow extra time if visiting then.
- Chinatown, Buddha Tooth Relic Museum and Singapore City Gallery are all reachable on foot but involve a longer walk, so wear comfortable shoes.
- Guoco Tower is the furthest point on this list at around eleven minutes on foot; if you are combining several stops, plan your route to avoid backtracking.
All stations on the Downtown Line
In order along the line, with Telok Ayer marked. Stations with their own guide are linked.
| Code | Station | Interchange |
|---|---|---|
| DT1 | Bukit Panjang | DT / BP |
| DT2 | Cashew | None |
| DT3 | Hillview | None |
| DT4 | Hume | None |
| DT5 | Beauty World | None |
| DT6 | King Albert Park | None |
| DT7 | Sixth Avenue | None |
| DT8 | Tan Kah Kee | None |
| DT9 | Botanic Gardens | DT / CC |
| DT10 | Stevens | DT / TE |
| DT11 | Newton | NS / DT |
| DT12 | Little India | DT / NE |
| DT13 | Rochor | None |
| DT14 | Bugis | DT / EW |
| DT15 | Promenade | CC / DT |
| DT16 | Bayfront | CE / DT |
| DT17 | Downtown | None |
| DT18 | Telok Ayer (you are here) | None |
| DT19 | Chinatown | DT / NE |
| DT20 | Fort Canning | None |
| DT21 | Bencoolen | None |
| DT22 | Jalan Besar | None |
| DT23 | Bendemeer | None |
| DT24 | Geylang Bahru | None |
| DT25 | Mattar | None |
| DT26 | MacPherson | CC / DT |
| DT27 | Ubi | None |
| DT28 | Kaki Bukit | None |
| DT29 | Bedok North | None |
| DT30 | Bedok Reservoir | None |
| DT31 | Tampines West | None |
| DT32 | Tampines | EW / DT |
| DT33 | Tampines East | None |
| DT34 | Upper Changi | None |
| DT35 | Expo | DT / CG |
Read the full Downtown Line guide.
Telok Ayer MRT station: common questions
Which line is Telok Ayer MRT station on?
Telok Ayer is on the Downtown Line. Its station code is DT18.
Is Telok Ayer an interchange station?
No. Telok Ayer is served by the Downtown Line only. The nearest interchange is shown in the next stations row above.
What time is the first and last train at Telok Ayer?
Times below are for the first and last train leaving the line terminus; trains reach Telok Ayer a few minutes later depending on its position on the line. Downtown Line first train 5:30 AM, last train 11:40 PM. Check the operator for holiday changes.
What is near Telok Ayer MRT station?
The station is close to a range of destinations including the Nagore Durgha Indian Muslim Heritage Centre at approximately 110 metres, Lau Pa Sat food centre at approximately 310 metres, and Chinatown at approximately 570 metres, among others.
Which food centre or mall is closest to Telok Ayer station?
Icon Link @ Club Street is the closest mall at approximately 190 metres, while Lau Pa Sat is the nearest food centre at approximately 310 metres away.
How far is the Buddha Tooth Relic Museum from Telok Ayer station?
The Buddha Tooth Relic Museum is approximately 440 metres from the station, which is roughly a seven-minute walk.
How do I get to Telok Ayer from Changi Airport by MRT?
Take the East West Line from Changi Airport to Bugis (10 stops), then change to the Downtown Line from Bugis to Telok Ayer (4 stops). About 14 stops with 1 change.
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 Telok Ayer
- シンガポール地下鉄（MRT）路線図 2026（日本語ガイド） 4 Oct 2026
- Singapore MRT Art in Transit Programme Explained 13 Aug 2026
- Downtown Line Map 11 Aug 2023
- Tamil 11 Aug 2023
Plan the rest of the trip
Every station on the Downtown 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 Telok Ayer station
Telok Ayer has 5 mapped exits (A to E). 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 Nagore Durgha Indian Muslim Heritage Centre (about 99 m from the entrance)
- Exit B: closest to Fuk Tak Chi (about 31 m from the entrance)
- Exit C: closest to Fuk Tak Chi (about 68 m from the entrance)
- Exit D: closest to Fuk Tak Chi (about 59 m from the entrance)
- Exit E: closest to Icon Link @ Club Street (about 97 m from the entrance)
Bus stops within 250 m of Telok Ayer station
| Bus stop | Stop code | Services | From station |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telok Ayer Station Exit A | 03041 | 186, 970 | 82 m |
| Prudential Tower | 03021 | 57, 131, 167 | 187 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 Telok Ayer station
Step-by-step guides with the exit to use, the walk and the fare:
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.
Hungry? See food near Telok Ayer MRT: hawker centres, food courts and cafes with walking times.