{"id":88846,"date":"2026-09-29T18:03:01","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T10:03:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=88846"},"modified":"2026-09-29T18:03:01","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T10:03:01","slug":"bus-train-fares-in-singapore-to-rise-from-dec-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=88846","title":{"rendered":"Bus, train fares in Singapore to rise from Dec 26"},"content":{"rendered":"


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SINGAPORE \u2013 Adult commuters will pay 12 or 13 cents more for bus and train rides from Dec 26, as public transport fares climb by 7% on the back of higher energy costs driven by the Middle East crisis<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Seniors, students, as well as commuters with disabilities who use the Persons with Disabilities card will pay 5 cents more for each journey.<\/p>\n

This is the highest fare increase so far, after fares rose by up to 11 cents in the 2023 fare review exercise<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

If using cash, adults will pay 20 cents more for each journey, while seniors, students and people with disabilities will pay 10 cents more.<\/p>\n

There will be no change in fares for low-wage workers who are charged concession fares under the Workfare Transport Concession scheme, the Public Transport Council (PTC) said on Sept 29.<\/p>\n

The price of a monthly travel pass will also remain unchanged, at $122 for adults and $55 for seniors and those with disabilities.<\/p>\n

At a press briefing on Sept 29, the PTC said it approved a fare increase of 7% this year, which is less than half of the allowable maximum hike of 14.7%.<\/p>\n

PTC said: \u201cOver the past five years, the PTC has moderated fare increases to strike a balance between keeping public transport fares affordable for commuters and ensuring the financial sustainability of Singapore\u2019s public transport system amid rising operating and energy costs.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommuters have been shielded from the full increase in costs, whenever fares were not fully adjusted by the quantum determined by the fare formula.\u201d<\/p>\n

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To cushion the impact of the higher fares for low-income families, Public Transport Vouchers will go up in value<\/span><\/a> from $60 to $80.<\/p>\n

Eligibility criteria for the vouchers has been widened this year, with households with a per capita income of $2,100 qualifying for the vouchers, instead of the current per capita income of $1,800.<\/p>\n

This works out to 60,000 more households becoming eligible for the vouchers, said the Transport Ministry in a statement.<\/p>\n

Adult commuters will pay an additional 12 cents for shorter journeys of up to 3.2km, while any distance further than that will cost an extra 13 cents.<\/p>\n

When the fare rise kicks in, an MRT ride from Tanah Merah to Bedok, which is about 2km, will cost $1.40, up from $1.28 for an adult commuter who pays by card.<\/p>\n

If the adult commuter heads from Tanah Merah to Jurong East \u2013 a 26.2km ride \u2013 the fare will be $2.55 instead of the current $2.42.<\/p>\n

Seniors will pay 74 cents for journeys of up to 3.2km, instead of 69 cents currently, while any journey longer than 7.2km will cost $1.12, up from $1.07 now.<\/p>\n

The 7% fare increase comprises a 5.3% quantum determined by the fare adjustment formula, and 1.7% quantum that the PTC granted out of the 9.4% that was deferred from 2025.<\/p>\n

In 2025, the fare formula output was 1.5%, with fares rising by 5% overall.<\/p>\n

To cover the 7.7% portion that will be deferred to future fare review exercises, the Government will provide additional fare subsidies amounting to nearly $200 million in 2027.<\/p>\n

This is in addition to the more than $2 billion it provides in operating subsidies for public transport annually.<\/p>\n

The PTC said the largest contributor to the higher fare formula output in its latest review was a \u201csubstantial increase in energy prices\u201d between July 2025 and June 2026 due to the Middle East conflict.<\/p>\n

Energy prices worldwide have soared since the conflict broke out at the end of February 2026<\/span><\/a>, and a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz disrupted the flow of a fifth of the world\u2019s oil and natural gas supplies.<\/p>\n

PTC chairperson Janet Ang said the year-on-year change in the monthly price of diesel fluctuated drastically during the time period taken into account for the fare review exercise, swinging from -14% to 138%.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recognise that it\u2019s a difficult and challenging environment for everyone, but\u2026 public transport is a very energy-intensive industry,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

Commuters affected by the fare increases will be given support, she said, but at the same time, there is also a need to look ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe objective of keeping fares affordable must go hand in hand with sustaining a high-quality transport system that Singaporeans can continue to depend on in the years ahead, and none of those are a walk in the park,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n