Running the Kallang
River PCN Loop

The Kallang River PCN corridor is one of the most consistently used running paths in Singapore. It begins at the northern end of Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park — accessible from Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 or the park's main car park near the dog run — and follows the naturalised Kallang River channel south through Marymount, Potong Pasir, and Geylang Bahru before opening out at Kallang Basin near the Sports Hub.

The route is broadly point-to-point. Most runners turn back somewhere between the 6 km mark (around the Potong Pasir MRT connector) and the Kallang Basin endpoint, depending on how much total distance they want. A full out-and-back from Bishan to Kallang Basin and back is 24.8 km.

Route Overview

The first 4 km, from Bishan-AMK Park through to the Braddell area, runs along the naturalised river channel where NParks removed the concrete lining in 2012. This section has the most varied scenery — exposed gravel banks, secondary vegetation, and occasional herons. The path itself is 2.5–3 m wide and well-maintained tarmac.

At around the 4 km mark, the path passes under the Central Expressway (CTE) and transitions into a straighter section alongside the canalized lower Kallang River. The path widens to 4 m here and feels more exposed. A short uphill ramp near the Potong Pasir connector (around 5.2 km) is the only notable elevation change on the entire route.

The final 3 km into Kallang Basin crosses several secondary roads — including Geylang Road — at controlled crossing points. These are managed with pedestrian signals and typically involve a 30–60 second wait during peak hours.

Surface and Conditions

The majority of the corridor is sealed tarmac in good condition. Minor surface cracking is present in the Marymount section (roughly km 2.5–3.5) but nothing that affects running. The Bishan-AMK Park segment uses a slightly coarser aggregate surface that can feel harder underfoot after 10+ km.

Drainage on the path is generally good. After heavy rain, a 200 m section just south of the Braddell connector tends to accumulate standing water, typically clearing within an hour of rain stopping. The lower Kallang River section from km 7 onwards floods occasionally during extreme weather events; NParks closes this stretch temporarily when the river level rises above a marked indicator post near the Bendemeer connector.

Water Points and Facilities

Water cooler units are located at the following approximate positions along the corridor:

• Bishan-AMK Park near the main toilet block (start)
• Marymount connector rest shelter (~2.8 km)
• CTE underpass rest area (~4.1 km)
• Potong Pasir connector shelter (~5.2 km)
• Geylang Bahru Park (~9.4 km)
• Kallang Basin rest area (end)

Toilet facilities are at the start (Bishan-AMK Park), at the CTE underpass shelter, and at Kallang Basin near the Sports Hub ticketing area. NParks maintains the mid-route shelters to a reasonable standard.

Timing and Foot Traffic

The Bishan-AMK Park segment is busy on weekend mornings from 6:30 am onwards, particularly between the dog run and the playground section. By 8:30 am on Saturday and Sunday, the park section has enough pedestrian traffic that running pace is dictated partly by crowding. Weekday mornings before 7:30 am are significantly quieter.

The lower corridor from Potong Pasir to Kallang Basin is lighter on foot traffic throughout the week. The exception is the section immediately around Geylang Bahru Park, which sees moderate use from the surrounding housing estates during evening hours (6–8 pm).

Practical Notes

Cyclists use this corridor regularly, predominantly in the Bishan-AMK Park section. Path etiquette is generally observed — cyclists ring bells and pass at low speed — but it is worth staying left and being aware when in the park section. Below the CTE, cyclist density drops substantially.

The route connects to the Round Island Route near Kallang Basin, which extends the run south toward Marina Bay or east toward the East Coast PCN if additional distance is needed. NParks publishes updated PCN maps that show the full connection points.

There is no dedicated bike parking at Bishan-AMK Park's PCN entrance — runners arriving by public transport should use Ang Mo Kio MRT (NS16) and walk approximately 1.2 km to the park's northern entrance, or take the 132 or 165 bus to the park's road-side stops.