More Than $2.2 Billion Government Support for Public Transport

• Additional $200m to cover the cost of deferring this year’s fare increase on top of the more than $2 billion in annual public transport operating subsidies

• No increase in short-distance journey fares for concession groups; fares for longer-distance journeys capped at 3 – 4 cents per journey for concession groups.

• Monthly pass prices reduced by up to 5%.

• Public Transport Vouchers (PTVs) worth $60 each for lower-income households to cushion the impact of the fare increase.

1.     To ensure that our public transport fares continue to be affordable, the Government supports the Public Transport Council (PTC)’s decision to grant a fare increase of 5.0% at the Fare Review Exercise 2025 (FRE 2025), lower than the maximum allowable fare adjustment quantum of 14.4%.

2.     With the majority of Singaporeans relying on public transport for their commutes, the Government has been providing more than $2 billion in annual public transport subsidies and is committed to working with transport operators and unions to ensure that our bus and train services remain affordable, reliable and sustainable. In addition, the Government has been improving connectivity. Since the launch of the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme in 2024, we have introduced 14 new bus services and enhanced 52 existing services, with more improvements by the end of the year. To support tripartite efforts to strengthen rail reliability, we have committed to investing up to an additional $1 billion over the next five years to enhance the management of rail assets and improve the capabilities of our rail workforce. This year, we also announced further plans to improve rail connectivity and resilience, with the West Coast Extension of the Jurong Region Line and feasibility studies for the Seletar and Tengah lines.

3.     As our public transport network grows and operating costs continue to rise, fare increases are required to ensure that the public transport system remains financially sustainable, so that operators can continue paying their workers fair wages and uplift their capabilities. This will allow us to provide high-quality bus and train services for Singaporeans in years to come. LTA has also put in place measures to hold the operators accountable for meeting their service and reliability standards.

4.     To moderate the fare increase and keep public transport costs affordable for Singaporeans, the Government will do the following: 

a.     Continued Government Subsidies to Defer Bulk of Fare Increase 

The Government will provide more than $200 million in subsidies to cover the cost of deferring the remaining 9.4%-points of allowable fare adjustment to next year’s FRE. This additional subsidy is on top of the more than $2 billion annual public transport subsidies to keep bus and train services running. In total, this equates to more than $1 in subsidies for every journey taken on public transport.

b.     Lower Fare Increase and Reduced Monthly Pass Prices for Concession Groups 

Concessions for lower-wage workers and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) will continue to be fully funded by the Government. We will maintain their fares for short-distance journeys of up to 3.2km, and cap the fare increase at 3-4 cents per journey for travel beyond 3.2km. To cushion heavy public transport users from this year’s fare increase, the Government will also lower the monthly pass prices for lower-wage workers and PwDs – from $96 to $92 for lower-wage workers, and from $58 to $55 for PwDs. 

c.     $60 Public Transport Vouchers To Support Lower-Income Households

To help cushion the impact of an increase in public transport fares on lower-income households, the Government will continue to set aside Public Transport Vouchers (PTVs) worth $60 each for households with monthly household income per person of not more than $1,800. PTVs can be used to top up fare cards or buy monthly passes. The first stage of the PTV exercise will commence by the end of 2025.

5.     The new fares will take effect from 27 December 2025. Members of the public who have queries regarding the concession schemes, including the application process and the eligibility criteria, can call 1800-2255-663 or visit www.simplygo.com.sg