Travel Fares

Bus and train (MRT and LRT) fares in Singapore are charged according to the total distance travelled in a journey, which is known as the Distance Fares system. It lets you make transfers without paying additional charge each time you board a bus or train during your journey.

Distance Fare System

Under Distance Fares, the rules are

  1. The maximum duration between the first and last boarding (not alighting) of a bus or train within a journey is two hours.

    Your stored value travel card will be rejected by the fare gate if you exceed this duration. You will need to pay an administrative charge of $2 at the Passenger Service Centre to exit the fare gate. If you are at an unmanned LRT station, you can contact the Operations Control Centre via the intercom for assistance.

    The time limit also applies to Concession card holders with valid concession passes.
  2. A maximum of five transfers can be made within a journey.
  3. Multiple train transfers are allowed with no additional boarding charges.
  4. The maximum duration before you are charged is 45 minutes for transfers between train station and bus service, or between different bus services.
  5. The maximum duration before you are charged is 15 minutes for transfers between different train stations.
  6. The current bus service must not be the same number as the preceding bus service.
  7. No exit and re-entry at the same train station.
    • If you are transferring trains at the Bukit Panjang, Newton or Tampines MRT interchange stations, you will need to tap out from the particular MRT line that you first took and tap in again at the connecting line to continue your journey within 15 minutes to make a transfer. Transfers made after 15 minutes at the MRT interchange station will be considered a new journey.
What constitutes a transfer?

    A transfer can be from

  • the MRT/LRT to a bus service
  • the MRT/LRT to another MRT/LRT
  • a bus service to another bus service
  • a bus service to the MRT/LRT
What does not qualify as valid transfers?
  • A transfer between two MRT stations that takes more than 15 minutes
  • Transfer from a bus to another bus of the same service number or to/from a subsidiary service (e.g. transfers between Bus Services 98, 98A and 98B)
  • Transfer to/from Sentosa Bus, Night Services and Chinatown Direct Services
  • When a Bus Concession Pass, Train Concession Pass or Hybrid Concession Pass is used
  • A journey that has more than five transfers

 

Examples of scenarios that do not fulfil the transfer rules:

Ms Letchmi took Bus Service 197 and alighted at 7.51am at a bus stop along North Bridge Road. At 9am, she boarded Bus Service 63 at Victoria Street. When she tapped her card upon boarding, the card reader displayed "New Ride". She was puzzled that her trip on Bus Service 63 was considered a new journey.

The rules of Distance Fares state that the time limit between transfers is 45 minutes. When Ms Letchmi boarded Bus Service 63, she had exceeded the 45-minute allowance between successive transfers. As such, her trip on Bus Service 63 was correctly charged as a new journey.

Mdm Tan boarded her usual Bus Service 131 at Shenton Way at 10.03am and alighted at the bus stop near HarbourFront MRT Station at 10.30am. She then ran a quick errand in the vicinity before taking a train at HarbourFront MRT Station at 11.05am. Her train ride was within the 45-minute allowance between transfers. Thereafter, Mdm Tan alighted at Yew Tee MRT Station, where she subsequently transferred to Bus Service 302 at 12.15pm. Mdm Tan was charged the full fare of $0.71 for her ride on Bus Service 302. She felt that she was overcharged for this leg of her journey as her usual fare was $0.05.   

The rules of Distance Fares state that the maximum duration between the first and last boarding (not alighting) of a bus or train within a journey is two hours. By the time Mdm Tan boarded Bus Service 302, it had been more than two hours since she first started her journey on Bus Service 131 at Shenton Way. As such, her trip on Bus Service 302 was considered a new journey, and the $0.71 fare was correctly charged.

Mr Ali boarded Bus Service 19 and alighted at CIAS Cargo Complex. He later took the same Bus Service 19, and realised he did not get to enjoy the transfer fare for his second bus trip. He felt he had been overcharged. 

The rules of Distance Fares state that commuters cannot take the same bus service more than once in a journey. As Mr Ali had taken the same bus service for his second trip, it did not qualify as a valid transfer. Thus, his two trips on Bus Service 19 were considered as two separate journeys.

Adult & Concessionary Fares

Adult
Workfare Transport
Child
Persons with Disabilities
Senior Citizen
Student