Bet you didn’t know this was a thing, but some MRT stations in Singapore are quietly hiding a perk: free table tennis facilities at selected stations. And if one of your New Year’s resolutions is to “exercise more” without committing to an expensive gym membership or daily workouts, you’ll be glad to know you can easily squeeze in a quick game on your way home after work or school without going out of your way.
Image adapted from: LTA
At the moment, there are only 3 MRT stations in the whole of Singapore with free table tennis facilities. You’ll find them at Esplanade and Marina Bay MRT Stations on the Circle Line, as well as the newest addition, Bayshore MRT Station on the Thomson-East Coast Line.
Sorry to everyone else living near stations on other lines. While the North-Easties at least have free MRT rides to look forward to, the rest of us can only hope this is the start of a very good trend. Let’s all keep our fingers, and perhaps even toes, crossed that more stations will be added over time.
Image adapted from: Wink+
All you need to do is download the Wink+ app (App Store | Google Play), then follow these steps:
And you’re all set! This is probably one of the simplest workout bookings you’ll ever make, mainly because there’s no payment page to stress over.
Image credit: @smrtsingapore via Instagram
The table tennis facilities are open daily from 10am to 9pm, which works for both early birds and after-work players. Each slot lasts 1 hour, so the latest slot you can book is 8pm.
To keep things fair for everyone, each user can only book up to 2 hours per day, and any bookings exceeding the limit will be automatically cancelled. Don’t even think about hogging the tables just ‘cause they’re free to use.
Image credit: @smrtsingapore via Instagram
A few more things to keep in mind before you head over: you’ll need to bring your own bats and balls. Once you’re there, check in at the Passenger Service Centre before you start playing, and remember to sign out when you’re done. And of course, do your bit to keep the area clean so everyone can enjoy the facilities for as long as possible.
Here’s a quick rundown of where to find the free table tennis facilities at the MRT stations:
| MRT station | Exact location | Facilities |
| Bayshore MRT | Near Exit 4 | Tables 1 & 2 |
| Marina Bay MRT | Near Exits 1, 2 & 5 | Tables 1 & 2 |
| Esplanade MRT | Near Passenger Service Centre | Tables 1 & 2 |
Image credit: @smrtsingapore via Instagram
In case it isn’t obvious enough, these table tennis facilities are indoors and air-conditioned, which means there’s no need to worry about the blazing sun or sudden rain showers.
At the time of writing, there are still plenty of slots available, especially at the newest Bayshore location, but we all know Singaporeans love free stuff, so they probably won’t last long. Slots open 14 days in advance – it might be worth planning ahead and claiming your spot if you have your eye on a particular date and time.
More sports facilities in Singapore:
Cover image adapted from: @smrtsingapore via Instagram
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