US to Singapore

[the lynx]

And just curious, there are a number of people who prefer the bus service rather than mrt..is it just fewer people or is the service better?

Since most of the regulars and mods have already touched on the mentioned places with great details, I will just share in for your question above.

Bus vs MRT is subjective to where you are exactly. MRT doesn't spread wide enough to cover everywhere so this is where buses come in - to fill up where MRTs do not reach. Sometimes, one could make do with bus alone if the route starts from his doorstep to his office. As for MRTs, most people have to walk for a distance or even take a feeder bus to get to MRTs.

If you already looked into the maps that zzm and nutnut shared, you will notice the colourful lines marking the different MRT routes. You will also notice that there are areas that the lines do not run though, especially Bukit Timah, East Coast, Thomson Road and South Tuas. Hence this is where the buses come in. Anyway in another 10 years or so, these areas will have new own MRT lines.

And some people favour buses because it may be faster than MRTs (using expressways) and it is easier to get a seat throughout the entire journey as compared to MRTs, where one would kill for a seat in the name of kiasuism. I guess it is all in each and every one's preference.

The trick is finding the buses that have favourable (and direct) route from your chosen locations.

You probably will attempt to dig every single bus route possible at this point of time but being unfamiliar, you may be a little confused.

Hope you have fruitful search during your stay here!

[zzm9980]

And some people favour buses because it may be faster than MRTs (using expressways) and it is easier to get a seat throughout the entire journey as compared to MRTs, where one would kill for a seat in the name of kiasuism.

I can't claim this is the norm since I don't often take this route, but last Wednesday morning I took the MRT from Changi (airport) towards the city. From Changi, you need to transfer at Tanah Merah.

I started to wait at 8:15am in the morning for a train towards the city. The platform was packed. Every single train that approached was already packed liked a sardine can. (For reference, there are only three stations east of Tanah Merah) Every time a train approached, maybe one or two people were able to squeeze into each door. It took five trains before I was able to get on.

So something to consider moving somewhere based on MRT. Try it in the morning during a commute time first.

[the lynx]

And some people favour buses because it may be faster than MRTs (using expressways) and it is easier to get a seat throughout the entire journey as compared to MRTs, where one would kill for a seat in the name of kiasuism.

I can't claim this is the norm since I don't often take this route, but last Wednesday morning I took the MRT from Changi (airport) towards the city. From Changi, you need to transfer at Tanah Merah.

I started to wait at 8:15am in the morning for a train towards the city. The platform was packed. Every single train that approached was already packed liked a sardine can. (For reference, there are only three stations east of Tanah Merah) Every time a train approached, maybe one or two people were able to squeeze into each door. It took five trains before I was able to get on.

So something to consider moving somewhere based on MRT. Try it in the morning during a commute time first.

And that's because you have a large herd coming from Pasir Ris and Tampines!

[zzm9980]

And that's because you have a large herd coming from Pasir Ris and Tampines!

Yeah I realized. But it screws up the whole commute east of Paya Lebar, since few people get off before then. That's why I suggest testing the commute if possible, to see if you're "down-herd" or not

[x9200]

Thanks x9200, its good to hear from someone who lived in the area. Have you moved out?

I've been checking the property sites but don't really know which buildings would be good to live in. Would you be able to suggest properties I could look at? And I'll plan to pass by and check them out. Sorry if this is a request for an agent but I know that whenever I've lived in an area, I always know of addresses that would be good to live in.

Yes, we moved out out already. I will send you later PM about the place but as for more general suggestion there are probably many nice condos around and many of them are very fresh developments. A rough estimation you should get using google street view - it is updated for the area for this year already.
Take this junction:
http://maps.google.com.sg/maps?q=1.3108 ... 1&t=h&z=17

as your starting point and go few hundred meters each direction. It also depends on your aesthetic preferences - majority of brand new condos are some kind of (as I called it to myself) zen style, with rectangular bathroom basins etc, all simplistic and balconies like fishtanks. They are very nice (as per my taste) but to add to your list from the other thread, also typically smaller than the old ones with the design more like some ***** hotels (oval basins, gold-plated taps etc . So ultimately you have to see it to with your own eyes. Regardless if using googles will be successful or not, I suggest you arrive in person at the said junction and walk around. The actual Holland Village is more to the West (500m or so) but I found this a bit off the are location more attractive

[hhnc]

Thanks everyone...your comments have been very helpful

Update....I was told that our budget is 9-10K which gives us a LOT more options. The company has hired a relocation company to get us acquainted with areas and an agent who took us around to gibe us a sampling of the types of condos in various areas. This is just my impression based on where we are in life

As others have mentioned, Holland village and east coast are great family areas but not for us since we didn't want too many children around and I found that I couldn't really walk to places without having a lot of traffic beside me
I checked out the area around Gleneagles Hospital and really liked it with the botanical gardens and Tanglin mall but it still wasn't what I envisioned.

We saw a few properties on Nassim, Grange and these were better since they were so close to Orchard and shopping but I don't know if I'd want to live there for two years and fight the hordes of people!

Robertson Quay is still my favourite. I love how we can walk along the river, its not as crazy as CQ and if we could get a condo with a great river view.....

I've also learned that newer, razzle dazzle condos are quite small. Its better to go for an older remodeled condo even though you may not get all the super facilities. Really, I'd rather have more space in my living areas than an eighth garden.

Aster, if I were able to find what I wanted in RQ, where would one go to shop for groceries, a wet market, hawker place? You can actually PM me directly. Thanks!

[aster]

Aster, if I were able to find what I wanted in RQ, where would one go to shop for groceries, a wet market, hawker place?

Glad you like the RQ area. Groceries are easy, you have a Cold Storage (popular supermarket chain in Singapore) at UE Square (Google has the location slightly too far to the left, it's actually just behind the Park Hotel) for all your needs. Plus to top it off, you've got the only Singaporean branch of Japanese supermarket chain Meidi-Ya in the basement of Liang Court, which is next to the Novotel in CQ. You should check it out, it's quite impressive.

If you live further along the river then you might find the Cold Storage at Great World City to be nearer or just a better choice as it's one of their bigger ones.

And if you need anything 24/7 (they might stop selling booze at a certain hour though) then there's a Fairprice on Killiney Road.

For food courts, check out the Kopitiam at Liang Court. Very close. A short walk up to Orchard will get you close to Plaza Singapura or Somerset 313, both of which have food courts (having said that, most malls here do!).

Also check out some of the bus routes as they come in handy. From River Valley Road you can take 195 to Marina Square for instance, where you have a food court with probably the best view in Singapore.

[zzm9980]

Marina Square for instance, where you have a food court with probably the best view in Singapore.

Especially during the Gran Prix. But don't tell too many people that.

[hhnc]

Thank you all
Heading back to the States and hopefully things will get finalized soon. Have really enjoyed my stay in Singapore.

[aster]

Marina Square for instance, where you have a food court with probably the best view in Singapore.

Especially during the Gran Prix. But don't tell too many people that.

Bet it's completely packed. Or is it Singapore's best kept secret?

[aster]

Thank you all
Heading back to the States and hopefully things will get finalized soon. Have really enjoyed my stay in Singapore.

Good stuff. Once you're over here and settled in we should definitely have a beer.

[the lynx]

Marina Square for instance, where you have a food court with probably the best view in Singapore.

Especially during the Gran Prix. But don't tell too many people that.

Bet it's completely packed. Or is it Singapore's best kept secret?

Well it is no longer a secret now!

Gonna give it a try next time

[zzm9980]

Especially during the Gran Prix. But don't tell too many people that.

Bet it's completely packed. Or is it Singapore's best kept secret?

Well it is no longer a secret now!

Gonna give it a try next time

It's one of my "secret" spots. Secret is used loosely, as I was pointed there on a different forum. If you go on the Friday night during the practice session about 6pm (session starts at 7) you can get a real good spot.

Another good spot (much less known) is to walk back and away from the glass (and away from the escalator in) and you'll find a hallway to an external fire escape. There are usually a dozen or two people sitting outside on that stairwell. It's another really good spot, and by 6pm is completely shaded.

The last good spot (and my favorite, if you don't mind losing your hearing) is by the Mandarin Oriental loading dock. I'll leave figuring out how to get there as an exercise to the reader.