A train carriage from a decommissioned MRT train has been transformed into Singapore’s first-ever train hotel, complete with original interior features.
Singapore’s First Train Hotel Opens at One-North
Train Pod @ one-north was officially launched on 11 Apr 2025 by Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, and Culture, Community and Youth.
The unique accommodation, which will open for bookings in the second half of 2025, features eight rooms housed in a carriage from a third-generation Kawasaki-Nippon Sharyo C751B train.
Advertisements
This train model operated on the North-South and East-West lines from 2000 to 2024 before being decommissioned in May 2024.
Each air-conditioned room measures about 7.5 sqm and is equipped with bunk beds that can accommodate two guests, along with an en-suite bathroom.
The rooms retain distinctive features of the train’s original interior, including the MRT map and posters from the Land Transport Authority’s gracious commuting campaign.
Guests can even watch a 30-minute video of a train journey from Redhill to Joo Koon stations, filmed from the train captain’s cabin, on their television screens.
The rooms also come with WiFi and access to Netflix.
Facilities and Sustainability Features of Train Pod @ One-North
Outside the train carriage, guests have access to common amenities including vending machines for food and drinks, a coin-operated washing machine and dryer, an outdoor kitchen, and refrigeration facilities.
The outdoor dining area is furnished with original MRT train seats that have been repurposed as benches.
Advertisements
The check-in process uses facial recognition technology to verify registered guests, who are then issued access cards. Room rates will range from $80 to $90 on weekdays and $100 to $120 on weekends, excluding GST and service charge.
It took approximately $300,000 and eight months of work to refurbish the train carriage.
The transformation process involved transporting the carriage from SMRT’s Tuas Depot to JTC’s LaunchPad @ one-north using a trailer, with two heavy-duty cranes lifting the train car into position.
Other parts of the train have been reused creatively, with train seats converted to park benches and the driver’s seat retained as a feature of the hotel.
Singapore’s Growing Upcycled Accommodation Trend
Train Pod @ one-north is created by local start-up Tiny Pod and supported by JTC Corporation, a government agency that manages Singapore’s industrial spaces and infrastructure.
Advertisements
It builds on Tiny Pod’s existing concepts, including pop-up shipping container hotels at LaunchPad @ one-north, Gardens by the Bay, and Haw Par Villa, which were first launched in 2020.
JTC provided Tiny Pod with opportunities to collaborate with other local start-ups, such as Igloohome for smart lock systems and Vouch for self check-in technologies.
This concept follows another creative accommodation launched in December 2023 – The Bus Collective, a resort hotel with rooms made from old public buses.
Located next to Changi Village Hawker Centre, it was created by travel agency WTS Travel in partnership with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Singapore Land Authority.
Mr Seah Liang Chiang, founder of Tiny Pod, noted that the appeal of Train Pod lies in its blend of nostalgia, sustainability, and novelty.
Advertisements
While the structure is currently permitted to operate at its current location for up to seven years, Tiny Pod is open to expanding the concept if public response is positive.
Yap Eai-Sy, JTC’s director for New Estates Business Development and Marketing, said: “Train Pod @ one-north is a progression from Tiny Pod’s shipping container hotel testbed at one-north. More than just a space to test new concepts, LaunchPad can also facilitate growth and product development.”
These five GRCs could see the tightest battle in GE2025; here’s why:
Read Also:
- Trump Exempts Electronics from 125% China Tariffs, Sparing Smartphones and Computers
- Elderly Charity Shop Owner Baffled by Over 50 Boxes of Mystery Donation Blocking Store Entrance
- DNA from Two Men Discovered on Murdered Singaporean Woman’s Clothing as Court Orders Comparison with Main Suspect
- Former Police Officer Convicted in Fatal Maid Abuse Case That Left Victim Weighing Just 24kg
- Teen Arrested in Johor for Selling AI-Generated Fake Nudes of School Peers for RM2 Each
