Hello SG

Getting around

Bus & MRT — how to travel in Singapore

Map links, route planning tools, and the fare rules that decide whether your trip is charged once or multiple times.

Start here in 2 minutes

  • 1Open the LTA journey planner (or MyTransport app), enter where you are and where you are going, then follow one route all the way the first few times.
  • 2If you travel at night, check the last train for your exact station and direction before you leave. There is no single network-wide last-train time.
  • 3Choose one payment method and stick to it for that trip. Do not switch cards halfway.
  • 4For buses, save your boarding stop and your alighting stop in the app so you do not miss your stop.
  • 5Leave 10-15 extra minutes when going to appointments (MOM, hospital, embassy).

1. How to pay

No paper ticket needed. Tap a card or phone on entry and on exit.

  • 1SimplyGo EZ-Link card — buy and top up at MRT station ticketing machines and convenience stores.
  • 2A contactless bank card or mobile wallet (Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, NETS Tap) — tap directly, no separate transit card needed.
  • 3Keep enough value in your transit card. If balance is too low, the reader can reject it and you may be denied boarding.
SimplyGo cards do not show your fare or remaining balance at the gate. Check both in the SimplyGo app.

2. Tap in and tap out — both times

  • 1Tap when you board the bus or enter the MRT gate.
  • 2Tap again when you get off the bus or leave the MRT gate.
  • 3On buses, board from the front door and exit from the rear door unless the bus signs say otherwise.

3. How the fare is calculated

  • Fares are based on the total distance of your whole journey, not the number of vehicles you take.
  • Changing between bus and train inside one journey does not start a new fare. You are charged once for the distance.

4. Transfer rules

Several trips count as one journey only if all of these are true:

  • 1No more than 2 hours between your first boarding and your last boarding in the journey.
  • 2You do not board the same bus service number twice in a row.
  • 3At Bukit Panjang, Newton and Tampines you must tap out of one line and tap in to the next. Do this within 15 minutes or it becomes a new journey with a new fare.

5. If you travel late

Trains generally run from around 5.30am to around midnight, but station-by-station times differ.

  • 1Check first and last train timings on SMRT or SBS Transit pages for your station and direction.
  • 2If you miss the last train, use bus directions in MyTransport/Google Maps before booking an expensive ride.
  • 3When phone battery is low at night, screenshot your route before leaving.

5. Maps and planning your trip

For a bus, the planner tells you the stop name and how many stops to stay on. Bus stops show the service numbers that stop there and a stop ID you can check in the app.

Quick map links for common worker destinations

Open directly in Google Maps.

Mistakes that cost money

  • Forgetting to tap out — you pay the maximum fare.
  • Using one card to enter and a different card to exit — charged as separate trips.
  • Taking a long break mid-journey — after 2 hours it becomes a new journey and you pay again.
  • Boarding the same bus number twice in a row — the second ride is charged as a new journey.
  • Using outdated blog screenshots for routes — always check live planner links before leaving.

Fares and rules are set by LTA and can change. Check the official links above before relying on anything here for a trip that matters.

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