New trail from Botanic Gardens to Marina Bay

We Singaporeans are always on the lookout for new cycling routes to tackle, and there soon may be a new way to experience our city’s most iconic spots. In the URA Draft Master Plan 2025, a new 10km-long route linking Botanic Gardens to Marina Bay is set to become a reality, and it’ll take pedestrians through Orchard, Fort Canning, Pearl’s Hill, and Duxton too.

The idea is to stitch together existing nature parks and public spaces into a continuous green corridor, only this time around, it’s in highly urban areas in town. Here’s a preview of what the Master Plan has to offer.

9 highlight stops along Fort Canning & Pearl’s Hill

Botanic Gardens.

By now, most avid cyclists – and speed walkers – would’ve already conquered many of the park connectors around Singapore. The problem with the park connectors, however, is that they skirt the edges of the city. This new 10km-long route will take you through Central Singapore and the following spots:

1. Botanic Gardens
2. Dhoby Ghaut Green
3. Fort Canning Park
4. Union Square
5. Pearl’s Hill City Park
6. Duxton Plain Park
7. New Marina Bay Park
8. Marina Bay Promenade
9. Gardens by the Bay

You might be thinking that these attractions around the heart of town are very “been there, done that”. But there will be new landscaped spaces, connections, and lifestyle zones added to these places to make them more inviting for strolls and short breaks.

At the Orchard and Dhoby Ghaut area, the Dhoby Ghaut Green urban park will be redeveloped and linked to the Istana Park, creating a family-friendly space surrounded by greenery. From here, a new elevated link will connect directly into Fort Canning Park, tying the area’s cultural and historical grounds into the corridor.

Fort Canning Park.

The route between Fort Canning Park and Pearl’s Hill City Park via Union Square will sport a new Hill-to-Hill Connection. Pearl’s Hill City Park is also slated for more enhancements like landscaping to support more biodiverse habitats.

From there, the route flows into Duxton Plain Park, where you can have a charming walk or bike ride through the hidden backlanes of conserved shophouses, before heading towards a brand-new park at Marina Bay.

Check out the proposed map of the entire route below:

Image credit: URA

When will this new 10km-long route be open?

Truth is, there is no telling when this new route will be officially open. This is all just a proposed master plan from the URA; some of these upcoming spots have been in the making since 2020.

The good news is that, unlike redeveloping an ulu part of town that’s still riddled with trees and unmarked trails, this route runs through many urban areas and parks that are already built up. So yes, you can still hop on your bike or lace up your shoes to trace this route yourself; it just won’t have the full landscaping and new lush connections. But once everything falls into place, this could easily be the go-to trail for both cyclists and casual strollers.

Get ready for a new 10km cycling & walking route in Singapore

With its mix of greenery, heritage, and waterfront views, this upcoming 10km-long route might just be the most Singaporean way to spend a weekend outdoors. Here’s hoping we don’t have to wait too long before it’s all ready.

Check out other cycling and walking trails around Singapore:

• Discover nostalgic features along the Punggol Heritage Trail
• Changi Airport has a new bamboo grove with a walking trail
• Cycling routes in Singapore sorted by difficulty