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Public Transport for Newcomers (SimplyGo)

Updated 26 Oct 2026 3 min read New to SG Editorial Team
A commuter tapping to enter a bright, modern Singapore MRT station
Short answer

You can tap in with a contactless bank card or phone (adult fares, no sign-up), or use a SimplyGo EZ-Link card topped up in the app. Fares are distance-based, from about S$1.28 a ride, the same whether you transfer or travel direct.

On this page6 sections · tap to jump
  1. 01The ways to pay
  2. 02How fares are calculated
  3. 03Watch the foreign-card fee
  4. 04If you commute a lot
  5. 05Concessions, children and planning routes
  6. 06Getting started

Singapore’s buses and MRT trains are clean, frequent and cheap, and you can start using them the minute you land — no card purchase required if you have a contactless bank card. Here is how paying works, and how to keep fares low, from the official sources.

The ways to pay

For adult fares, you have a few options:

Card: pay by contactless bank card at adult fare with no sign-up, SimplyGo EZ-Link topped up in app, cash on buses only at higher fare, foreign card fee S$0.60 per day

Ways to pay for buses and trains as a newcomer.

  • Contactless bank card or mobile wallet (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, NETS; Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.) — tap in and out, no registration needed. You are charged the normal adult card fare.
  • SimplyGo EZ-Link card — a stored-value card you top up (including in the SimplyGo app), charged the adult card fare.
  • NETS prepaid card and legacy EZ-Link/NETS FlashPay cards.
  • Cash — buses only, at a higher fare, with no change given.

How fares are calculated

Fares are distance-based: you pay for how far you travel, and the fare is the same whether you go direct or transfer between buses and trains on one journey. Adult card fares start at about S$1.28 for up to 3.2 km and rise with distance to roughly S$2.57 for the longest trips; cash bus fares are higher.

Watch the foreign-card fee

Using a foreign-issued contactless bank card works, but a Foreign Bank Card Admin Fee of S$0.60 per day of use applies. If you are staying more than a few days, a local SimplyGo EZ-Link card (or a locally issued bank card) avoids this.

If you commute a lot

An Adult Monthly Travel Pass gives unlimited basic bus and train rides for a flat S$122. If you ride twice a day on longer routes, do the sum — it can beat pay-as-you-go. Concession cards and passes exist for students, seniors and others, but not for the contactless-bank-card method.

Concessions, children and planning routes

Children travel free on basic bus services and trains if they are below 0.9m tall and accompanied by a fare-paying passenger, or with a Child concession card. Concession cards and monthly concession passes give lower fares to students, seniors, persons with disabilities and national servicemen — but they need proof of eligibility and are not available through the contactless-bank-card method. To plan a trip, use an official or maps app to compare MRT and bus options; because fares are distance-based and transfers within a journey are free, the cheapest route is usually the shortest total distance, not the one with the fewest changes. Trains run from early morning until around midnight.

Getting started

  1. Day one: tap a contactless bank card or your phone.
  2. Staying a while: buy a SimplyGo EZ-Link card and pair it with the app.
  3. Heavy commuter: compare the S$122 monthly pass with pay-as-you-go.
  4. Keep topped up: maintain a small balance to avoid being turned away at the gate.

Round out your setup with the other basics: getting a SIM card and opening a bank account.

General information only, from LTA and the Public Transport Council, with the date each figure was checked. Fares change — confirm the current fares and passes on the official LTA, PTC and SimplyGo pages.

Sources

  1. Plan Your Journey — paying for your ride — Land Transport Authority (as of October 2026)
  2. Public transport fares & passes — Public Transport Council (as of October 2026)