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Ministry of Transport

Fares, payment structure, journey planning

Keeping public transport affordable for all while ensuring the financial sustainability of the public transport system.

Last updated 21 January 2026

Policies

The Public Transport Council (PTC) regulates public transport fares and ticket payment services. Public transport fares are reviewed annually based on a fare formula, which balances the need to keep public transport system financially sustainable, while ensuring that fare adjustments are reasonable and affordable for commuters.

Commuter tapping a transit card at an MRT fare gate, with others queuing behind.

Distance-based fares

Under the distance-based fare structure introduced in 2010, commuters pay fares according to the distance travelled from origin to destination, for up to five transfers made within a journey.

Learn more about the travel fares.

Commuters walking through fare gates at an MRT station with digital signs and posters in the background.

Fare regulation framework

It is important for our public transport system to be financially sustainable. The public transport system is funded by both Government subsidies and commuter fares. Neither can be raised beyond the ability of taxpayers to bear nor commuters to pay. Operators have to be incentivised to be efficient and to make productivity improvements to generate viable revenue streams, rather than to rely solely on fare increases and subsidies to cover increases in operating costs.

PTC conducts a Fare Review Exercise annually to ensure that fare adjustments will not overburden commuters, while taking into account adjustments to costs. It is guided by a fare formula which protects the interests of commuters by capping the fare adjustment, rather than allowing operators to pass on full operating costs to be borne by commuters.

Learn more about the fare adjustment formula and mechanism.

Commuter tapping a wallet containing a card on a fare gate at an MRT station entrance.

Fare concessions

We provide targeted concession schemes to keep fares affordable for select groups of commuters, including lower-wage workers, persons with disabilities, seniors, full-time national servicemen (NSF) and students. These commuters enjoy per journey fares that are up to 70 per cent lower than standard adult fares, or discounted monthly concession passes that provide unlimited bus and train rides. Children below 7 years old can travel for free.

Learn more about the fare concessions.

Morning pre-peak scheme

Commuters can save up to 50 cents when they tap in before 7.45am at any rail station on weekdays (except Public Holidays). This scheme, introduced in December 2017, encourages more commuters to travel before the morning peak hours to spread out the passenger load.

Learn more about the morning pre-peak fares scheme.

Free morning off-peak rail rides on NEL/SPLRT

To moderate travel demand during the morning peak and improve the experience for commuters, rides from selected stations on the North East Line (NEL) and Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) taken before and after peak hours (before 7.30am, and between 9.00am and 9.45am) are free. This took effect since 27 December 2025.

This benefits all NEL commuters, as those who shift their travel times can enjoy free rail travel, while others will see reduced congestion and fewer missed trains.

Learn more about the free morning off-peak rides.

Travel Smart Journeys

Travel Smart Journeys (TSJ) was introduced in February 2020 and has since been enhanced to complement the Free Morning Off-Peak Rail Rides to further encourage NEL/SPLRT commuters who use buses for the first and last mile of their journeys to shift their travel times.

Eligible commuters receive points per ride that can be redeemed for travel credit, when they take select buses during the weekday morning peak from Punggol, Sengkang, Buangkok, or Hougang to popular destinations such as Paya Lebar or the Central Business District or to connect to select train stations. Since 27 December 2025, all commuters can sign up and benefit from TSJ, regardless of their travel history.

Learn more about Travel Smart Journeys.

Account-based ticketing payment

Launched in 2019, the SimplyGo payment system allows commuters to travel by tapping their contactless bank cards (AMEX/MasterCard/NETS ATM/Visa) or mobile wallets on bus fare readers or train fare gates, instead of carrying an additional card.

Adult EZ-Link and concession cardholders may also choose to convert their existing card-based ticketing cards to account-based ticketing cards to enjoy benefits such as being able to perform top-ups for family members via the SimplyGo mobile application without having the card physically present, and to block lost cards quickly so as to protect the stored value in the account.

Learn more about the ride payments.

Close-up of a person tapping a contactless bank card on a blue MRT fare reader with a green arrow indicator.

Resources

Resources related to public transport

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