Tips and Tricks While Travelling On The MRT

Is it cheaper to travel from Tampines to Bugis using the East-West Line or Downtown Line?

The answer is… as long as you tap-in at Tampines, and tap-out at Bugis, you will be charged the cheapest fare based on the shortest route.

TheSmartLocal collaborated with the Public Transport Council to produce a video featuring two of our train enthusiasts to figure out fun facts and life hacks about the public transport system in Singapore! Check it out!

TL;DW: Here’s 6 Key Points From the Sharing!

1) How are Train Fares Calculated?

•   Train fares are charged based on the shortest distance between the entry station and exit station. •   This includes transferring at out-of-transit-area interchanges such as Bukit Panjang, Newton and Tampines.

•   Transfers made between two different train stations (e.g. Rochor and Jalan Besar) are counted as separate exit and entry points. •   Fares will be charged based on the sum of the distance travelled in the first trip and second trip. •   This can sometimes decrease or even increase your overall journey fares.

P.S. You do not need to physically take the train and tap-in and tap-out to cross-check. Simply use LTA’s Fare Calculator to calculate your fares for journeys on the public transport network!
A true otaku move is when you figure out that Route D is cheaper and faster than Route C without leaving the confines of your home :)

2) Usage of Journey Planners

There are many ways to travel from a place to another, you can ask a train or bus enthusiast for directions… or you can use journey planners such as MyTransport.SG, TransitLink How2Go or Google Maps.

Click to learn more about Planning Your Journey »

3) Furthest Distance between Two MRT Stations

Khatib and Yio Chu Kang stations on the North-South Line (NSL) are two MRT stations which are the furthest apart on the train network. They were once lovers and have broken apart.

There had been a plan to build an MRT station that would have been connected to the abandoned Disneyland project.

4) Crowd Levels of the Next Train Before It Arrives

You can tell how crowded a train is [on the Downtown Line (DTL)] on the train arrival screens situated on the platforms, before it even arrives!

Click to read our commentary on this system when it first launched back in 2018 »

5) Cheaper Fares for Early Birds

If you tap into the train network before 7.45am on weekdays (except Public Holidays), you can actually enjoy a discount of up to $0.50 from your train fare.

Click to learn more about the Morning Pre-Peak Fares »

6) Bonus Tip at City Hall MRT Station

You should watch the video to find out about it! ?