Bus fares will increase by 5% overall starting from December 27, with the increase being lower than

Public bus and MRT fares will increase by 5% overall starting from December 27, a rise lower than last year. In addition to the existing annual subsidy of over 2 billion yuan for public transport operations, the government will inject an additional 200 million yuan to offset the cost of delaying the fare adjustment this year. This subsidy amount is the highest ever recorded.

The Public Transport Council announced this afternoon (14th) that it has completed its fare review. To ensure that fares remain affordable, the council will approve a 5% increase, which is far below the maximum allowable adjustment of 14.4%.

Adult fares for each trip on regular buses and MRT services will increase by 9 cents to 10 cents, lower than last year’s increase. For cash payments, student fares will rise by 5 cents, while senior citizens and persons with disabilities will see a 10-cent increase, and adult fares will increase by 20 cents. The announcement noted that cash payments account for less than 1% of all public transport trips.

The fare difference between express and regular buses will also be adjusted. Adult fares will increase by 40 cents, concession fares by 20 cents, and cash payments will rise by 60 cents.

Fares for short trips will remain unchanged for around 2 million concession card holders traveling distances of up to 3.2 kilometers. For trips between 3.3 and 7.2 kilometers, fares will increase by 3 cents, while those exceeding 7.2 kilometers will rise by 4 cents. Fares for persons with disabilities and low-wage workers under the Employment Concession Fare Scheme will continue to be fully subsidized by the government.

To ease the burden on frequent public transport users, monthly ticket prices will be reduced by up to 5%. Adult monthly ticket prices will drop from 128 yuan to 122 yuan; low-wage workers’ monthly tickets will fall from 96 yuan to 92 yuan; and monthly tickets for persons with disabilities will decrease from 58 yuan to 55 yuan.

Public transport vouchers to assist low-income families

To help low-income families cope with the fare adjustment, the government will continue to distribute 60-yuan Public Transport Vouchers (PTV). This assistance is funded by the Public Transport Fund, into which SBS Transit and SMRT have contributed 20% of their expected revenue increase, totaling around 10.65 million yuan.

Continued improvement of public transport network and services

The government will continue to invest in enhancing public transport connectivity and reliability. Since the launch of the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Program in 2024, authorities have added 14 new bus routes and strengthened 52 existing routes, with more improvements expected by the end of the year.

In addition, the government will invest an additional 1 billion yuan over the next five years to strengthen MRT asset management and enhance the professional capabilities of rail staff. New MRT plans were also announced this year, including the Jurong Region Line West Coast Extension, as well as feasibility studies for the Seletar Line and Tengah Line.

Balancing affordability and fiscal sustainability

The Public Transport Council noted that any fare adjustment is never easy for passengers to accept, but it is a necessary step to maintain the system’s fiscal sustainability. Despite rising operating, maintenance, and labor costs, the council decided not to implement the maximum allowable increase to ease the burden on commuters.

Public Transport Council Chairman Florence Hong said, “We have taken a balanced approach to ensure that the public transport system can continue to improve and develop while ensuring that transport services remain accessible, affordable, and sustainable for everyone.”