Get around Singapore
Getting around Singapore is fairly easy: the public transportation system is relatively easy to use and taxis are reasonably priced when you can get one. Very few visitors rent cars. Gothere.sg does a pretty good job of figuring out the fastest route by MRT and bus and even estimating taxi fares between any two points.
If you are staying in Singapore for some time, the EZ-link contactless RFID farecard or a Nets Flash Pay card might be a worthwhile purchase. Those who are familiar with Hong Kong's Octopus card, London Underground's Oyster card or Japan Railway's IC cards will quickly understand the concept of the EZ-link and Nets Flash Pay card. You can store value on it and use it on the MRT trains as well as all city buses at a 15% discount. The card costs $12, including $7 stored value, and the card can be "topped up" in increments of at least $10 at the farecard vending machines or 7-Eleven stores. You can use the same card for 5 years. The card technology was changed in 2009, but if you have any old cards lying around, they can be exchanged for free with value intact at TransitLink offices in all MRT stations.
Alternatively, the Singapore Tourist Pass available at selected major MRT stations (including Changi Airport and Orchard) also includes ez-link card functionality and a variety of discounts for attractions. Prices start at $8 a day for unlimited travel on MRT and buses, but you need to a travel a lot to make this alone pay off.
Single tickets can be purchased for both MRT and buses, but it's a hassle, and in the case of buses it delays everyone else because the driver has to count fare stages to tell you how much you need to pay.
Distance based fares have been introduced since July 2010 to further integrate Singapore's public transport fare structure. All commuters will be charged a fare according to the total distance traveled, on the bus, LRT and MRT, and make transfers without incurring additional cost. Fares are now computed on a journey basis, without a boarding charge being imposed for every transfer trip that makes up the journey.
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Distance based fares
Please remember these points to enjoy full benefits of distance based fares:
- Pay with an EZ-Link or NETS Flashpay stored value card
- Make at most 5 transfers within a single journey, with a 45-minute allowance between each transfer
- Take at most 2 hours to complete a journey
- Enter and exit the train network only once in a journey and
- Do not take the same bus service number more than once in a journey
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The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Singapore
