Getting around Singapore: MRT, buses, SimplyGo and Grab

Short answer: tap a card, ride the MRT, and only reach for Grab when it's late, raining or you've got a pram and three bags.

The short version

• You can tap on with a contactless Visa, Mastercard or Amex, including an Australian one. Foreign Mastercard and Visa cards attract a S$0.60 admin fee per day of travel [1].
• Fares are distance-based. From 26 December 2026, adult card fares rise by 12 to 13 cents a trip [2].
• The adult Monthly Travel Pass stays at S$122 for unlimited basic bus and train travel [2].
• The MRT runs from about 5.30am to midnight [4]. After that it's taxis or ride-hailing, which Smartraveller says is legal and widely used [4].
• Changi has nonstop flights to every major Australian city, and the MRT goes straight to the terminal.

Paying: SimplyGo, cards and your Aussie bank card

Singapore's public transport payment system is called SimplyGo. In practice that means you have three ways to pay.

Option 1: your contactless bank card or phone

Just tap at the gate or on the bus. American Express, Mastercard, NETS and Visa cards with the contactless symbol all work, including foreign-issued ones [1]. Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay and Garmin Pay also work [1]. Maestro and Cirrus debit cards don't [1].

The catch for Australians is the fee. A Foreign Bank Card Admin Fee of S$0.60 per day applies to foreign-issued Mastercard and Visa cards [1]. Your Australian bank may also charge its own foreign transaction fee. For a holiday, who cares. For daily commuting, that's an extra S$12 or so a month before your bank's cut, so switch to a local card once your bank account is open.

A few other things to know [1]:

• You pay normal adult fares. Concessions don't apply on bank cards.
• Visa, Amex and NETS fares add up and charge once a day. Mastercard fares can be held for up to five days or until S$15 is spent.
• Always tap in and out with the same card or the same phone and wallet. Swap halfway and you'll be charged as if you didn't tap out.
• If you forget to tap out on the MRT, you're charged a flat S$2.50.

Option 2: a stored-value card

A SimplyGo EZ-Link card or a NETS prepaid card is a top-up card, like Opal or myki. Top up in the SimplyGo app or at a kiosk [3]. Handy for kids old enough to travel alone, visitors and anyone who wants to keep transport off their credit card.

Option 3: a concession card or pass

Students, seniors and some other groups get concession cards with lower fares. Monthly passes go on a card too. If you're getting a Monthly Travel Pass or concession, you need a card, not your phone.

Cash still works on buses, at higher fares, and only with exact change [3]. Don't bother.

Fares, passes and how to pay less

Fares depend on distance, and transfers between buses and trains don't cost an extra boarding charge if you stay within the time and transfer rules [3]. The 2026 fare review lifts fares from 26 December 2026 [2]:

Ways to keep the bill down:

1. Tap in before 7.45am on weekdays. You get 50 cents off train fares, and the scheme continues after the fare review [2].
2. Do the maths on a Monthly Travel Pass. At S$122 [2], it pays off if you take several longer trips each day. Many commuters who live near work spend less on pay-as-you-go.
3. Let little kids ride free. Children under 0.9 metres travel free with a paying adult, and children under seven with a Child Concession card also ride free [2][3].
4. Get the student cards sorted. If your kids go to school here, check which concession they qualify for. International school students may need extra steps, so ask the school.
5. Use the Singapore Tourist Pass for visitors. When the family comes to stay, it gives unlimited bus and train travel for one, two or three days [3].

The MRT and the buses

The MRT is the backbone: air-conditioned, frequent and easy to follow, with colour-coded lines and station codes like EW13 or NS25. Smartraveller notes it runs across the island between about 5.30am and midnight [4]. Last trains vary by station, so check before a late dinner on the other side of the island.

Buses fill in the gaps and go places the MRT doesn't, such as many condo estates and the quieter parts of the west and north. They're numbered, signed in English and generally on time. Board at the front, tap on, and tap off when you get off so you're charged the right fare.

LTA's MyTransport app shows train operating times, station exits, bus services and live bus arrival times [3]. Google Maps and Citymapper also work well here.

Etiquette that might surprise you:

• Queue for the train doors, and let people off first.
• Don't eat or drink on trains or in paid areas of stations. It's an offence, not just bad manners.
• Give up the reserved seats when someone needs them. People notice.
• Durians aren't welcome on public transport. You'll see the signs.

Grab, taxis and other ride-hailing

Grab is the app most Australians use, and it does rides, food delivery and payments. Gojek and a few other ride-hailing apps compete with it, and the big taxi operators have their own booking apps. Prices go up at peak times, when it rains and around closing time in nightlife areas, so compare two apps if you're in a hurry.

Smartraveller says metered taxis from official ranks are safe and that ride-share services are legal and widely used [4]. Taxis add surcharges for peak hours, late nights and some locations, such as the airport. Always tell the driver which route you prefer if you have one.

Two rules to remember. You can't smoke in a taxi or private-hire car on a paid trip, and Smartraveller warns that penalties for swearing at or assaulting drivers can be severe [4].

Child car seats are a common question for families. Rules for taxis are different from private cars, and many parents book a ride-hailing option that offers a child seat. Check the app before you book.

Cycling, walking and park connectors

Singapore is flat and much more bike-friendly than it was a decade ago. The Park Connector Network links parks, rivers and coastal areas around the island, and it's popular for weekend rides, runs and walks. Shared bike apps operate in many areas, and you can usually find a bike near an MRT station.

Some local rules differ from home:

• E-scooters and power-assisted bikes have strict rules about where you can ride them, including bans on footpaths. Check before you buy one.
• Use the overhead bridges and crossings. Jaywalking is an offence.
• The heat is the real enemy. Ride early, carry water, and expect afternoon storms most of the year.

Walking works better than you'd think, thanks to covered walkways between MRT stations, bus stops and HDB blocks. Underground links and malls connect much of the CBD and Orchard Road.

Changi and getting home to Australia

Changi Airport is on the East West Line. Change at Tanah Merah for the airport branch, which stops at Changi Airport station for Terminals 2 and 3, with a short walk or Skytrain to Terminals 1 and 4. If you've got big bags and kids, a taxi or Grab is often easier.

Singapore is one of the best-connected places for Australians. Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Scoot run nonstop flights to the major Australian cities. Perth is roughly five hours away, and the east coast closer to eight. Singapore is also only two or three hours behind the east coast, depending on daylight saving, so a late-night flight usually lands you at home in the morning.

Before you fly, check Smartraveller for Singapore's customs rules [4]. Chewing gum and vapes in your carry-on are a bad start when you come back.

New in town and not sure which bus goes where? Ask in Cooee Singapore, our Facebook group for Australians in Singapore.

Sources

1. Contactless bank cards on public transport – SimplyGo
2. Public Transport Fare Review 2026 – Land Transport Guru
3. Plan your journey – Land Transport Authority
4. Singapore travel advice – Smartraveller

Keep reading

• Driving in Singapore on an Australian licence: conversion and the COE
• Cost of living in Singapore vs Sydney and Melbourne
• Renting in Singapore as an Australian
• Leaving Australia: the checklist before you go