For years, Singapore’s Circle Line has not quite lived up to its name. Rather than forming a complete loop, the line has operated in a horseshoe shape, with a gap between HarbourFront and Marina Bay.
That will finally change on 12 July 2026, when Circle Line Stage 6, or CCL6, opens for passenger service. The 4km extension will introduce three new stations, Keppel, Cantonment and Prince Edward Road, while connecting HarbourFront directly to Marina Bay. Once completed, the Circle Line will span 39km across 33 stations, including 12 interchange stations linked to every existing MRT line.
Although three new stations may not sound like a major expansion, their impact could extend well beyond the immediate neighbourhoods they serve. For renters, particularly those working in different parts of Singapore from their partners, family members or housemates, the completed loop could make several southern neighbourhoods much more practical.
Table of contents
- Why CCL6 matters to renters across Singapore
- Who could benefit most from renting near the new stations?
- Renting near Keppel MRT
- Renting near Cantonment MRT
- Renting near Prince Edward Road MRT
- It may also be worth looking beyond the three stations
- Will rents near the new stations increase?
- Use 99.co’s Home Finder to balance travel time and rent
Why CCL6 matters to renters across Singapore
The most immediate benefits will be felt around Keppel, Cantonment and the southern end of Shenton Way, where the new stations will bring rail access closer to homes, offices and commercial areas that previously depended more heavily on buses or longer walks to nearby MRT stations.
Cantonment will improve access to Spottiswoode Park and the former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, while Prince Edward Road will serve offices around Shenton Way, Anson Road and Palmer Road. Keppel will support existing workplaces along Keppel Road and, over time, future developments within the Greater Southern Waterfront.
However, the impact of CCL6 will extend well beyond these three stations. By closing the gap between HarbourFront and Marina Bay, the line will create a more direct route through the southern city and reduce the need for additional transfers.
Renters living near Pasir Panjang, Kent Ridge, one-north, Mountbatten or Paya Lebar will also gain easier access to major employment and education areas across the Circle Line, including HarbourFront, the CBD, Marina Bay, Buona Vista and Bishan.
The completed loop will also provide more alternatives to the crowded City Hall and Raffles Place interchanges. As such, the main benefit is not only a potentially shorter journey, but also fewer transfers, greater flexibility and more reliable options when the usual route is crowded or disrupted.
Who could benefit most from renting near the new stations?
While better transport access is useful to almost everyone, certain renter profiles may find these neighbourhoods particularly appealing.
Households with split commutes
Choosing a rental home becomes more complicated when the people living together travel to different parts of Singapore each day. One person may work in the CBD, another may be based in one-north or Kent Ridge, while a child may attend school near Bishan or elsewhere along the Circle Line.
The same challenge applies to couples working on opposite sides of the city and housemates trying to find a fair meeting point. Renting close to one person’s workplace may make their commute extremely convenient, but it could leave everyone else travelling across Singapore or making several transfers each day.
In these situations, a home near Cantonment, Keppel or Prince Edward Road could provide a more balanced starting point. The CBD and Marina Bay would remain easily accessible, while the Circle Line continues west towards HarbourFront, Labrador Park, Pasir Panjang, Kent Ridge, one-north and Buona Vista. In the other direction, it connects renters to Promenade, Mountbatten, Paya Lebar and the wider eastern side of the network.
For example, a couple could balance commutes to Shenton Way and one-north, while a group of housemates working in the CBD, Paya Lebar and Kent Ridge may be able to keep everyone’s journey within a more reasonable range.
Not every trip will be direct. Nevertheless, the completed loop could reduce the need for lengthy detours and transfers through busy central interchanges. For households with several daily destinations, that balance may be more useful than living as close as possible to any one workplace or school.
Professionals with irregular hours
Renters working late or travelling frequently between offices may value a location with several transport options.
The areas surrounding Cantonment and Prince Edward Road are already supported by bus routes and nearby roads. With the addition of direct Circle Line access, renters will have more flexibility in planning their journeys.
This could be useful for professionals who occasionally work from different offices, attend meetings around Marina Bay or one-north, or need regular access to HarbourFront.
Renting near Keppel MRT
Keppel station sits along Keppel Road and will have three entrances, including a 24-hour underpass connecting two of them. It will initially serve nearby business areas, including PSA International and Keppel Distripark, while also supporting the future Greater Southern Waterfront.
Why renters may like the area
The main appeal of the Keppel area is its position between HarbourFront, the CBD and Singapore’s southern coastline.
Renters can remain close to the city while enjoying a setting that may feel less dense than the heart of the CBD. Depending on the development and unit orientation, some homes around the broader Keppel and Telok Blangah area may also offer harbour, sea or city views.
For people drawn to a more waterfront-focused environment, this part of Singapore may feel especially attractive. HarbourFront, Sentosa, Mount Faber and the Southern Ridges are also relatively close, providing more leisure options than a typical downtown neighbourhood.
Once CCL6 opens, residents will also gain a direct Circle Line connection towards Cantonment, Prince Edward Road and Marina Bay. In the opposite direction, HarbourFront will remain one stop away, followed by Telok Blangah, Labrador Park and Pasir Panjang.
Who it could suit
Keppel may be a strong fit for:
- renters working around HarbourFront, Pasir Panjang or the port and logistics areas
- couples with one workplace in the CBD and another around one-north or Kent Ridge
- renters who want city access but prefer to stay outside the main CBD
- households that enjoy being near waterfront and outdoor areas
- renters taking a longer-term view of the Greater Southern Waterfront
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Renting near Cantonment MRT
Cantonment station has been integrated with the former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, which is a national monument. The station will improve access to the heritage site, Spottiswoode Park, Cantonment Towers and surrounding residential streets.
Among the three new stations, Cantonment may offer one of the clearest immediate benefits to renters because it sits close to established residential neighbourhoods.
Why renters may like the area
The neighbourhood around Cantonment offers a blend of city convenience and residential character.
To one side, renters have Tanjong Pagar and the CBD. On the other, there are quieter streets around Spottiswoode Park, Everton Park and Kampong Bahru. Depending on the property, residents may be within reach of traditional food centres, cafés, supermarkets, parks and the wider Outram area.
The area also offers a wider range of housing choices than a purely commercial CBD location. These may include older HDB flats, older private developments, newer condominiums, rooms for rent and co-living options. This variety could help renters find a better balance between space and location.
Who it could suit
Cantonment could be suitable for:
- CBD workers who want to live close to work without being in a purely commercial district
- healthcare workers based around Outram
- families seeking a more residential environment near the city
- housemates with workplaces split between the CBD, HarbourFront and one-north
- renters who enjoy heritage neighbourhoods and older housing estates
- tenants who want both HDB and condominium options within the broader search area
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Renting near Prince Edward Road MRT
Prince Edward Road station sits near the southern end of the CBD and will improve rail access around Palmer Road, Shenton Way and Anson Road. This location may be the most attractive of the three for renters whose main priority is staying close to the CBD.
Why renters may like the area
Living near Prince Edward Road could allow some CBD workers to walk or take a very short train ride to work.
At the same time, the new station creates a direct Circle Line route towards Marina Bay in one direction and Cantonment, Keppel and HarbourFront in the other. This could be especially useful for renters who regularly travel between offices in the CBD and business areas around HarbourFront, Pasir Panjang or one-north.
The neighbourhood also sits near Tanjong Pagar, where dining, supermarkets, cafés and everyday services are more widely available. Therefore, renters can stay close to a major employment centre without being completely separated from residential amenities.
Who it could suit
Prince Edward Road may appeal to:
- professionals working around Shenton Way, Anson Road or Marina Bay
- couples who want to reduce one CBD commute while retaining access to western employment hubs
- renters who prefer a modern condominium or apartment
- people who prioritise convenience over having a larger home
- tenants who work long hours and want to minimise their daily travel
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It may also be worth looking beyond the three stations
Renters do not necessarily need to live directly beside Keppel, Cantonment or Prince Edward Road to benefit from CCL6. Once the loop is completed, several established Circle Line neighbourhoods could become more attractive because their southern connections will improve.
Pasir Panjang and Kent Ridge
These areas may appeal to people working or studying around the National University of Singapore, the National University Hospital, Science Park or the wider Kent Ridge area.
With a more direct route towards the CBD and Marina Bay, renters may be able to remain close to western workplaces while improving access for another household member who works downtown.
Labrador Park and Telok Blangah
These neighbourhoods provide relatively convenient access to HarbourFront and the southern waterfront. Renters may find a mix of condominium and HDB options in the broader area, while still benefiting from the new direct route through Keppel and Cantonment.
Mountbatten and Paya Lebar
The completed loop will also improve southern and western access for commuters from the eastern side of the Circle Line. For households with one person working in Paya Lebar and another in the CBD, HarbourFront or Kent Ridge, staying in the East may become more practical than before.
One-north and Buona Vista
These areas already serve major technology, research, media and education clusters. However, rents close to the main employment nodes can be high. Some renters may choose to live along another part of the Circle Line and commute directly. With CCL6, the range of reasonable options will extend further towards the southern CBD.
Will rents near the new stations increase?
New MRT access can strengthen rental demand, particularly when a station removes a difficult last-mile journey or opens a direct route to major employment areas.
However, renters should not assume that every nearby property will immediately become much more expensive. Rental prices are also shaped by the number of available homes, property age and condition, unit size and layout, distance from the station entrance, nearby amenities, competing developments, overall rental market conditions, as well as the number of tenants searching in that area.
The impact may also vary across the three stations. Cantonment and Prince Edward Road are surrounded by more established residential and commercial areas, so demand could respond more quickly. Keppel’s longer-term appeal may grow gradually as the Greater Southern Waterfront develops and more homes, offices and amenities are introduced.
For renters, this means there may still be opportunities to compare older and newer developments before the new travel patterns become fully established. Nevertheless, paying more simply to be beside a new station may not always be worthwhile. A home that is 10 minutes from the station but offers an additional bedroom could provide better everyday value than a smaller unit directly above or beside the MRT.
Use 99.co’s Home Finder to balance travel time and rent
Rather than searching only by station name, renters can use 99.co’s Home Finder to compare homes based on budget, location and daily travel needs.
The tool allows users to set their price range, property type and bedroom requirements before anchoring the search around an important destination, such as a workplace, school or preferred neighbourhood. Suitable projects are then displayed on a map, making it easier to see how different options compare across the selected budget range.
Renters can also view commute times to their chosen destination and narrow the results to available homes that fall within their preferred travel-time limit, making it easier to focus on options that suit both their budget and daily routine.
Home Finder also provides project-level rental information and keeps suitable developments visible even when no units are currently listed. Renters can then set an alert for a specific project and be notified when a new rental listing becomes available there.
This makes it easier to plan ahead rather than wait until the last minute to begin searching. By identifying suitable projects early, comparing typical rental prices and tracking new listings over time, renters can build a clearer picture of what their budget may secure before their current lease ends or their moving date approaches.
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