Which Singapore MRT stations actually drive commercial demand - and which ones don't

"Near MRT" is cited in almost every Singapore commercial lease listing as a positive signal. The data supports this - but only when the MRT traffic is the right type, at the right distance, in a location where rent hasn't already absorbed the transit premium.

The critical variable is not tap-out volume - it's tap-out type.Raffles Place's 60,990 daily tap-outs are predominantly CBD office commuters. They arrive in the morning, leave in the evening, and compete for a narrow lunch window among hundreds of F&B operators. Sengkang's 43,540 tap-outs are residential interchange users - people who live nearby, eat nearby, and return multiple times a week.

Tap-outs vs score: what the data shows

The scatter confirms the relationship is not linear. High tap-out volume does not predict high F&B score. The strongest predictor is the combination of reasonable tap-out volume at close proximity (under 500m) with a residential catchment - not CBD commuter volume at any distance.

Station breakdown

The most important new finding in our database is the distance effect. Several subzones in our data record high MRT volumes - because they share a nearest station with a busier subzone - but are located 1,500m to 3,700m away from that station. That distance renders the MRT signal almost meaningless for F&B purposes.

Distance is the hidden variable

Lorong Halus North and Sengkang Town Centre share the same nearest MRT station - Sengkang, at 43,540 tap-outs. Sengkang Town Centre is 243m away and scores 90. Lorong Halus North is 2,040m away and scores 43. Same station. Very different reality.

This is the limitation of "near MRT" as a listing descriptor. Every unit within 3km of an MRT station can legitimately claim proximity. The data shows that F&B viability drops sharply beyond 500m and is largely irrelevant beyond 1,200m for most concepts.