With the hectic lives we lead, most of us yearn to be close to nature every once in a while. Sure, there’s nature all around Singapore. After all, we pride ourselves on being a Garden City first, and now a City in a Garden.
The iconic Gardens by the Bay was part of Singapore’s transformation from “Garden City” to “City in a Garden”
Let’s see: we have the air-conditioned kind of nature in the likes of Gardens by the Bay’s twin conservatories, the UNESCO World Heritage sort of nature in our sprawling Botanic Gardens, the tropical forest example in our Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, plus all the trees and flora that dot every corner of our island.
What about the rustic kind of nature that is a throwback to simpler times?
That would be our Rail Corridor (aka Green Corridor).
According to a Straits Times report on 1 July 2022, National Development Minister Desmond Lee said that the entire 24km length of the Rail Corridor will be planned with the intention of preserving its unique character. It would, as much as possible, be planned so that visitors can enjoy an uninterrupted view of greenery throughout the corridor without tall buildings looming over them.
A little history
Formerly occupied by the Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM), the Rail Corridor weaves from its northern terminus in Woodlands right to its southern terminus, which is the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.
Up until 1 July 2011, trains ran from Malaysia to the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station a few times a day. Today, the KTM railway service from Malaysia stops at the Woodlands terminus.
After the former railway land was returned to Singapore in 2011, the Rail Corridor was retained as a green spine for recreation, community activities and nature.
The Rail Corridor today
Today, the Rail Corridor is a continuous green passage, which will be converted into a nature trail known as the Green Corridor. Among the activities that you can enjoy at the Green Corridor are hiking, biking or walking. Parts of the corridor is currently still under construction. The entire corridor will only be completed in 2025.
The Bukit Timah railway station was built in 1903 in the style of traditional small town stations
Even though it’s currently just partially completed, nature lovers have been entering and exploring the corridor through a mix of dirt paths, designated pavements and remnants of the railway tracks. There are many access points into the Rail Corridor, which stretches from Kranji to Alexandra.
A must-see sight along the Rail Corridor: Two historic truss bridges – one along Bukit Timah Road and another near the Rail Mall in Upper Bukit Timah
As it is a long distance to hike all the way from Kranji to Alexandra, we recommend that you break your hike into two parts according to the maps below. For instance, you can enter the corridor via the old Bukit Timah Railway Station and follow the northern route to Kranji or the southern route to Jalan Kilang Barat at Alexandra.
Image credit: NParks
Image credit: NParks
Two New Launch Condos Near the Rail Corridor
If you’re eyeing a property in District 9, 10 or 11 and are wondering whether you can find one near the Rail Corridor, the good news is that we’ve found two new launches for you. They are Van Holland and One Holland which are 530m and 240m respectively from the North Buona Vista Rail Corridor entrance.
From these two developments, you can conveniently start your Rail Corridor hike from Buona Vista MRT station. If you follow the trail northwards up to Kranji, that will be a 17km walk where you will see the best sections of the Rail Corridor.
If you prefer a shorter hike, you can stop at Hillview MRT station. This 7.5km route will still show you most of the historic and popular parts of the Rail Corridor, such as the Clementi Forest, old Bukit Timah station and truss bridges.
Hikers passing through the Clementi Forest
However, if you want to see other sights like the Masjid Hang Jebat, Wessex Estate and Sri Muneeswaran Hindu Temple, you should head southwards towards the Singapore General Hospital from your starting point at the Buona Vista MRT station.
Masjid Hang Jebat
Sri Muneeswaran Hindu Temple
Van Holland
Van Holland is a new freehold condominium development off Holland Road in high-end District 10. Scheduled for completion in 2023, the project comprises one 4-storey block and two 5-storey blocks. There is a range of 1- to 4-bedroom with attic units to choose from. The development is within walking distance to the Holland Village MRT station, shops, F&B outlets, Fusionopolis, schools, junior colleges, and even the National University of Singapore.
Address: 188 Holland Rd, Singapore 278584
Expected TOP: 2023
No. of units: 69
Tenure: Freehold
District: D10
Developer: Koh Brothers Group Ltd
One Holland
One Holland Village Residences is part of a mixed-use development located within the soon-to-be-expanded Holland Village lifestyle and entertainment cluster. It is located in the heart of Holland Village in Singapore’s District 10.
The development consists of 296 residential units, 255 serviced apartment units as well as offices, retail units and community spaces. The development is scheduled for completion in two phases with the residential zone projected to attain its TOP by the end of 2024. The estimated completion of the commercial zone is mid-2022.
The project is developed by Far East Organization in partnership with Sino Group and Sekisui House.
Address: 263 Arcadia Rd, Singapore 289854
Expected TOP: 2024
No. of units: 296
Tenure: 99 years lease
District: D10
Developer: Far East Organization
In this article, we’ve introduced two new launch condos in District 10 that is close to the Rail Corridor. If you want to know more, schedule a visit with us or book a free consultation with our trusted and renowned representatives.
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