Overview
Singapore's public transport is built around the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), the island country's principal mode of railway transportation and the oldest, busiest and most comprehensive heavy rail metro system in Southeast Asia. The system began operations in November 1987 with a single 6 km stretch of five stations, and has since grown to span the length and breadth of the main island, with the exception of the forested core and the rural northwest.
For a visitor, the system is remarkably easy to use end to end. Trains run daily from about 5:30 AM to midnight, with extended hours on some holidays and schedule changes posted on the operator websites. Trains are fully automated and driverless, air-conditioned, and arrive every 2 to 7 minutes. Stations are typically surrounded by shopping centres and food outlets, and all feature platform barriers, with platform screen doors at MRT stations, plus Wi-Fi, lifts, climate control and accessibility provisions. In 2024 the MRT averaged around 3.41 million rides per day, and in 2025 daily ridership averaged 3.49 million, so you will rarely be alone on the platform.
A typical journey works like this: plan your route, tap in at the fare gate with a stored-value card or contactless bank card, ride to your interchange or destination, and tap out. The island-wide heavy rail network interchanges with automated guideway transit networks localised to select suburban towns, collectively known as the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system, which along with public buses provide the last-mile link between MRT stations and HDB public housing estates. Construction and procurement are overseen by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), a statutory board of the government, which grants operating concessions to the for-profit operators SMRT and SBS Transit.
The network
The MRT network encompasses approximately 246.6 km (153.2 mi) of grade-separated route on standard gauge. As of July 2026 there are 146 operational stations across six operational lines, arrayed in a circle-radial topology. Two more lines and 44 stations are under construction, alongside ongoing extension works on existing lines, which will schedule the network to roughly double in length to about 460 km (290 mi) by 2040. Much of the early network is elevated above ground on concrete viaducts, with a small portion running at-grade; newer lines are largely subterranean, incorporating several of the lengthiest continuous subway tunnel sections in the world.
The six operational MRT lines are:
- North–South Line — the first line, opened 7 November 1987, and given priority because it passes through the Central Area with high public transport demand.
- East–West Line — created when the original direct Yishun–Lakeside service was split after the eastern sector to Tanah Merah was completed; it serves Changi Airport via Expo and Changi Airport stations, opened in 2001 and 2002.
- North East Line — opened 20 June 2003 and operated by SBS Transit, one of the first fully automated heavy rail lines in the world; its extension to Punggol Coast opened on 10 December 2024.
- Circle Line — part of the circle-radial topology that gives the network its shape.
- Downtown Line — one of the newer, largely subterranean lines.
- Thomson–East Coast Line — another of the newer lines, largely underground.
Infill stations have been added to existing lines over the years: Dover opened on 18 October 2001, Canberra on 2 November 2019, and Hume, the first underground infill station, on 28 February 2025.
The Light Rail Transit (LRT) system is a series of automated guideway transit networks localised to select suburban towns, complementing the mainline by linking MRT stations to HDB public housing estates. The first LRT trains began operation on the Bukit Panjang LRT on 6 November 1999. Other LRT networks serve towns such as Sengkang and Punggol.
Public buses are run by the same two operators, SBS Transit and SMRT, and run from about 5:30 AM to midnight. They are slower and less extensive than the MRT, with queues at peak hours, but they fill the gaps the rails do not reach. Fares are distance-based: SMRT bus fares run roughly SGD 0.92–2.17 and SBS Transit bus fares roughly SGD 1.19–2.47.
Ferries are not part of the urban transit network; they serve offshore and cross-border routes rather than city commuting, so plan to use rail and bus for getting around Singapore itself.
Tickets & fares
Single-trip tickets, formerly called Standard Tickets, were phased out in March 2022 and are no longer available, so you will need a stored-value card or a contactless bank card to ride. All prices below are approximate and change, so check current fares before you travel.
- EZ-Link Card — a stored-value, rechargeable, reusable card valid on the MRT and public buses. It costs about SGD 10, made up of a SGD 5 non-refundable card cost plus SGD 5 of stored value, and is valid for 5 years. Buy or top it up at SimplyGo Ticket Offices and Kiosks in MRT stations and bus interchanges, at 7-Eleven, at EZ-Link vending machines, and at some bookstores. It can also be used for retail purchases such as food and drinks.
- NETS FlashPay Travel Card — a reloadable, multi-purpose card for transport, shopping and dining. It is sold at convenience stores for about SGD 12 including SGD 7 of loaded value, and is also available at SimplyGo Ticketing Offices and Passenger Service Centres in metro stations and at some gas stations.
- Contactless credit or debit card — you can tap to ride with a credit or debit card, which is the simplest option if you are only in town briefly.
- Singapore Tourist Pass — unlimited metro and public bus rides within operating hours. A 1-day pass costs about SGD 17, a 2-day pass about SGD 24 and a 3-day pass about SGD 29. The 1-day pass starts at first use and ends at the end of that same day's public transport service, not 24 hours later; the 2- and 3-day passes must be used on consecutive days. The pass is not valid on premium services such as Night Owl, Sentosa Express and RWS8.
Fares are distance-based rather than zoned, so you tap in at the start of your journey and tap out at the end, and the system charges you for the distance travelled. On buses you can also pay cash in the fare box, but exact change only is accepted, no change is given, and you receive a printed ticket as proof of payment. Taxis are metered, with rates starting at about SGD 4.40, a peak-hour surcharge of 25% of the metered fare, a location surcharge of SGD 3–8 depending on the pickup point, and a late-night surcharge of 50% of the metered fare between midnight and 5:59 AM; fares are set by independent cab companies under a standard framework regulated by the Land Transport Authority.
From the airport
Changi Airport (SIN) is Singapore's main airport and serves all commercial jet flights. It is split into four main terminals, T1 to T4, and at landside there is also an indoor shopping mall called Jewel Changi Airport, essentially an indoor park with the famous Rain Vortex at its centre — a good place to hang out for a few hours before your flight.
On the MRT, the journey to town takes about 45 minutes, with an easy cross-platform transfer at Tanah Merah. To ride, you will need to use a credit or debit card or purchase an EZ-Link card. Grab or Gojek rideshare and taxis are the fastest way to the city and cost about SGD 20–30 including a SGD 5 airport surcharge, or SGD 3 during off-peak hours; an additional 50% surcharge applies between 1 AM and 6 AM. Note that there are no direct public transport links from the alternative airports at Johor Bahru, Batam or Tanjung Pinang, so if you fly into one of those you will have to arrange your own transport onward.
Etiquette & customs
Singapore's transit culture is orderly and rule-conscious, and following local norms will make your journeys smoother.
- Queuing — queue at bus stops and platform boarding points; queues are longest at peak hours, and letting people off before you board is expected.
- Escalators — stand on one side and leave the other side clear for people walking past.
- Priority seating — priority seats are reserved for the elderly and handicapped and are enforced by social convention. Offering your seat to an elderly passenger is a standard courtesy.
- No eating or drinking — there is a strict no eating and drinking policy on trains, so finish your snacks and drinks before you board.
- Rush hour — expect crowded trains and longer queues at peak hours; move into the carriage rather than blocking the doors, and keep your bag close.
Official links
Survival terms
Singapore's transit signage and announcements are in English, so the key terms you will see are already in English. The local Chinese, Malay and Tamil names below are useful if you want to recognise them on signage.
- Subway/metro — 地铁 (dìtiě) in Chinese; MRT in English signage
- Ticket — 车票 (chēpiào) in Chinese; tiket in Malay
- Line — 线 (xiàn) in Chinese; laluan in Malay
- Entrance — 入口 (rùkǒu) in Chinese; masuk in Malay
- Exit — 出口 (chūkǒu) in Chinese; keluar in Malay
- Transfer — 换乘 (huànchéng) in Chinese; pertukaran in Malay
- Single fare — 单程票价 (dānchéng piàojià) in Chinese
- Day pass — 日票 (rìpiào) in Chinese
Before you set out each day, check the operator websites for any schedule changes or extended holiday hours, since these are posted there rather than at every station.