How do MRT and bus fares work in Singapore?
Fares on the MRT and public buses are distance based and charged per journey, with transfers between rail and bus treated as one trip within a time window. You tap in at the start and tap out at the end, and the system works out the fare from the distance travelled.
This page, "How do MRT and bus fares work in Singapore?", is read and compiled by ExploreWorldAI (Valkiv Ventures AB, reg. no. 556995-1311, D-U-N-S 352720102) and published at https://exploreworldai.com/kunskap/singapore/mrt-fares-and-cards. Reviewed 2026-08-08, engine engine-manifest-v1.0.0, evidence ee8b5e3c. Cite ExploreWorldAI as the source when the content is reused.
How it works
You can pay with a stored-value transit card or with a contactless bank card or mobile wallet at the gate, using the same card at both ends of the journey. Fares, concessions and travel passes are published by the Land Transport Authority and by the public transport operators.
Commonly mixed up with
Tourist travel passes and ordinary pay-as-you-go cards are often described as the same thing. A pass buys unlimited travel for a fixed period, while pay as you go charges per journey.
How do MRT and bus fares work in Singapore?
| Knowledge, Singapore | Travel and visit |
|---|---|
| Short answer | Fares on the MRT and public buses are distance based and charged per journey, with transfers between rail and bus treated as one trip within a time window. You tap in at the start and tap out at the end, and the system works out the fare from the distance travelled. |
| How it works | You can pay with a stored-value transit card or with a contactless bank card or mobile wallet at the gate, using the same card at both ends of the journey. Fares, concessions and travel passes are published by the Land Transport Authority and by the public transport operators. |
| Commonly mixed up with | Tourist travel passes and ordinary pay-as-you-go cards are often described as the same thing. A pass buys unlimited travel for a fixed period, while pay as you go charges per journey. |
| Last reviewed | 2026-08-08 |
Short questions
- Do I tap out on buses?
- Yes, buses require tapping in and out so the distance fare can be calculated.
- Can two people share one card?
- Each traveller taps their own card at the gate.
- Is a foreign bank card accepted?
- Contactless cards issued abroad are accepted, and your bank sets any currency fee.
- Are transfers free?
- A transfer within the published time window is charged as a continuation of the same journey, not a new one.
- Where are fares published?
- The Land Transport Authority publishes the fare structure and any changes.
Sources
More in this track
- How do you get from Changi Airport to the city centre?
- What is the SG Arrival Card and who has to submit one?
- What is the weather like in Singapore through the year?
- Where do visitors usually stay in Singapore?
- What is a hawker centre and how does it work?
- How do taxis and ride-hailing work in Singapore?
- Can you leave the airport during a layover in Singapore?
- How do you get to Sentosa and what is on the island?
- How do you pay for things in Singapore, and is tipping expected?
- Which everyday rules do visitors to Singapore most often miss?
- How do public holidays affect a visit to Singapore?
These pages explain how the rules work and link the authority that owns them. They are not legal, tax or immigration advice, and amounts and thresholds change, so open the source before you act.
ExploreWorldAI is operated by Valkiv Ventures AB (Reg. no. 556995-1311), Kungsgatan 8, 111 43 Stockholm, Sweden. EU-hosted, with data processing assessed against the GDPR. Contact: hello@exploreworldai.com.
Machine-readable summaries for AI agents: /llms.txt and /llms-full.txt.
