8 Supernatural Stories & Spooky Encounters of Singapore’s Train Network

Singapore, a mix of diverse cultures and religions, has its share of urban legends and myths.

Let’s dive into some of these urban legends and supernatural tales that have plagued the country’s train network since its inception in 1987.

Information presented in this article are meant for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to actual persons, places or pets are strictly coincidental.

SGTrains will not be responsible for any consequences arising from the reading of this article. Do take the information presented with a pinch of salt.

6 Allegedly Haunted Sections on the Train Network

1. Bishan MRT station

Bishan MRT station platform. (File Photo: SGTrains)

Bishan MRT station was built on the grounds of the former Pek San Teng Cemetery, which was cleared for the construction of the station and the bigger Bishan Town.

Legend has it that at the old platforms at Bishan MRT station (the present-day Northbound platform), headless figures were seen around the haunting timings of the last train.

It was also reported that maintenance staff reported seeing coffin bearers in the tunnels between Bishan MRT station and Novena MRT station.

There was also a tale of a young man on the train at Bishan MRT station, who witnessed a woman sitting opposite him and calmly removed her head and placed it on her lap.

The young man got spooked out and dashed out of the train just in time.

2. Novena MRT station

Novena MRT station platform. (File Photo: SGTrains)

Similar to Bishan MRT station, Novena MRT station was also built on a former cemetery.

Headless apparitions and phantom passengers were reported on the last trains of the day. Passengers who did not cast a reflection on the train windows were also a common sight.

3. Woodleigh MRT station

Woodleigh MRT station platform. (File Photo: SGTrains)

Woodleigh MRT station was built on, you have guessed it, beneath the Bidadari Cemetery.

The station was completed in 2003 but it was never opened to passenger service until eight years later in 2011.

Throughout the years, trains on the North East Line (NEL) whizzed past the completed station at high speed, on its way to either Serangoon MRT station or Potong Pasir MRT station.

In the past, passengers reported seeing a ghostly white figure at the station platform as the train goes past it at high speed.

4. Toa Payoh MRT station

Toa Payoh MRT station platform. (Photo: SGTrains)

Although Toa Payoh MRT station was not built on a burial ground, legend has it that a girl in school uniform was frequently spotted at the platform.

If you approach her, she would stare at you with her soulless eyes and vanish into thin air.

5. Outram Park MRT station

Outram Park MRT station of the East-West Line. (File Photo: SGTrains)

Built beneath the former Outram Prison and Outram Primary School, Outram Park MRT station should have been spared from any supernatural encounters.

It was said that a pale old lady mysteriously vanishes in the station, leaving no traces at all.

6. Lakeside MRT station

Lakeside MRT station platform. (File Photo: SGTrains)

Lakeside MRT station, as the name suggests, is near to the lake at Chinese Garden.

Which brings about some supernatural sightings, such as the rumoured Pontianak was spotted regularly around the station.

Some also recounted that there was a white cloth on a tree near the station. A person took a picture of it and found a pair of red eyes staring at the camera.

2 Unexplainable Encounters on the Train Network

These sightings were kindly contributed by two of our readers. As we do not have the ability to verify these, do take the information presented with a pinch of salt.

1. Paya Lebar MRT station

Paya Lebar MRT station platform on the East-West Line (File Photo: SGTrains)

“I was working until very late at night on that day and was very tired. When I reached Paya Lebar I took the lift up to transfer to the East-West Line.

As I entered the lift and pressed the door close button, the lift door bounced open as it was closing. I thought to myself it could be the door sensor malfunctioning.

I tried to close the door again and the same thing happened. I tried for the third time and the door still refused to close.

I whispered under my breath ‘Brother and sister, sorry I don’t mean to disturb. Sorry.’ Frightened as I was all alone, I ended up taking the stairs.”

– Mr X.

2. Pasir Panjang MRT station

Pasir Panjang MRT station platform. (FIle Photo: SGTrains)

Pasir Panjang was a fierce battlefield during the war, many Allied and Japanese soldiers lost their lives in this area. Hence, together with Kent Ridge and South Buona Vista, it is notorious for being ‘dirty.’

“It was late at night, and I found myself at Pasir Panjang, I forgot why I was there unfortunately, but I remember the grass patch outside the station exit was extremely dark.

There was no forms of light whatsoever on the grass patch. I decided to take a picture of the faint lights in the distant.

My phone took the photo with the flash as it was set to auto mode. As I reviewed the picture, I noticed a white patch in it, and did not match the grass patch as there was nothing at all, except grass.

Needless to say, I hurried down into the station and deleted the photo.”

– Ms. Y

Urban Legends & Myths of the Train Network

1. Turnback Sidings at Yishun MRT station

Exterior view of Yishun MRT station. (File Photo: SGTrains)

In 2007, a torrential downpour caused a landslide on the hill adjacent to the turnback sidings north of Yishun MRT station. The landslide revealed 34,000 forgotten urns, containing human remains, buried under the hill.

Although there were no reported sightings, it is spooky to know that no one knew about these urns as the MRT and Yishun Town was being constructed, and people lived their lives alongside the urns for years before the discovery.

2. Bukit Brown MRT station

Bukit Brown MRT station shell. (File Photo; SGTrains)

Between Caldecott MRT station and Botanic Gardens MRT station on the Circle Line (CCL) lies the station box for the future Bukit Brown MRT station, which sits under the infamous Bukit Brown Cemetery.

The station is not in operation and would only be built once the area around the station is cleared and developed.

Fun Fact Friday: CC18 Station

3. Mount Pleasant MRT station

Similar to the Bukit Brown MRT station, Mount Pleasant MRT station is in close proximity to the Bukit Brown Cemetery.

Mount Pleasant, despite its ‘pleasant-sounding’ name, is notorious for possibly being Singapore’s most haunted hill. It contains another cemetery known as the Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

If one were to ride a vehicle on the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE), graves can be seen on either sides of the road when it passes this area.

In 2017, the construction works for the station caused a grave to collapse, due to soil conditions. The station is slated to open in 2022 as part of Thomson-East Coast Line 3 (TEL3).

4. Teck Lee LRT station

Exterior view of Teck Lee LRT station. (File Photo: SGTrains)

Teck Lee LRT station was built together with the rest of the Punggol LRT’s West Loop in the early 2000s but has never saw passenger service.

The condition of the station was identical as when it was completed in 2003, still fitted with outdated system maps and signs – almost as if it is still stuck in the past.

The station, situated in the middle of a forest, remains fenced up today, with only authorised staff allowed in to perform essential maintenance and upkeeping of the station.

Plants and fauna has enveloped the station entrances and it certainly is one of the creepiest stations around.

5. The Singapore One-dollar Coin

Legend has it that during the tunnelling works for the North-South Line and East-West Line in the 1980s, a fengshui practitioner expressed concerns that the tunnels would affect Singapore’s feng shui.

His solution was to have everyone carry a ‘ba gua’ – an octagonal mirror in Taoist tradition. As Singapore is a multicultural state, it is impossible to make everyone carry a ba gua. Hence, the solution was to inscribe an octogen in the one-dollar coin, something which everyone would carry in their bags and wallets.

If you have not noticed, there are many octogen shapes found around us, besides the one-dollar coin.

Our paper banknotes prior to the introduction of polymer banknotes, came with an anti-counterfeit security hologram that is, you have guessed it, octagonal. The road tax disc for vehicles was octagonal-shaped too.

Conclusion

Although some of these tales are spooky, it is a fascinating cultural heritage of Singapore. Though some commuters may find trains breaking down a spookier affair than these tales.

It does seem that the occurrences were mainly reported on the older lines, perhaps our good brothers and sisters are not yet accustomed to our growing rail network yet! ?

Related Links
First and Last Train Timings – SGTrains
Train Service Status – SGTrains
History of the MRT System – SGTrains

External Links
Landslide unearths Yishun burial site – Environmental News Archive [Accessed 31 Oct 2021]
Bukit Brown Cemetery grave collapses due to Thomson-East Coast MRT Line construction works – Mothership.SG [Accessed 31 Oct 2021]
No more paper road tax discs from February 2017 – The Straits Times [Accessed 31 Oct 2021]

Header Image adapted from Countdown to First Moments at TEL2 Stations
Featured Images adapted from SGTrains File Photo.