Singapore Transport: The Complete Guide

Singapore's public transport is the most-distinct in Southeast Asia, the most-photographed, the most-efficient. The MRT, the bus, the taxi, the Grab, the Sentosa Express — the city has it all. This is the guide to getting around.

The MRT (the subway)

The most-distinct, the most-photographed, the most-efficient. The 6 lines cover the main city, the most-photographed stations: the Chinatown, the Little India, the Raffles Place, the Orchard, the Marina Bay, the HarbourFront. The 142 stations, the 230 km of track, the most-photographed transport in Singapore.

How to use the MRT

1. Buy a Singapore Tourist Pass (the most-photographed, S$10-30/day, unlimited rides) or a standard ticket (S$1.50-2.50 per ride).
2. Tap the card at the gantry, the entry.
3. Take the train to your destination.
4. Tap the card at the gantry, the exit.

The lines

• North-South Line (red): The most-distinct, the most-photographed. The Marina South Pier to the Woodlands.
• East-West Line (green): The most-distinct, the most-photographed. The Pasir Ris to the Tuas Link.
• North-East Line (purple): The most-distinct, the most-photographed. The HarbourFront to the Punggol.
• Circle Line (yellow): The most-distinct, the most-photographed. The Dhoby Ghaut to the HarbourFront (the loop).
• Downtown Line (blue): The most-distinct, the most-photographed. The Bukit Panjang to the Expo.
• Thomson-East Coast Line (brown): The most-distinct, the most-photographed. The Woodlands North to the Bayshore.

The hours

5:30 a.m. to midnight, daily. The most-distinct, the most-photographed.

The cost

S$1.50-2.50 per ride. The Singapore Tourist Pass is S$10-30/day (unlimited rides). The most-photographed, the most-distinct.

The bus

The most-affordable, the most-photographed for the locals. The 300+ bus routes cover the entire island, the most-distinct. The double-decker buses (the most-photographed, the most-distinct) are the most-photographed in Singapore.

How to use the bus

1. Wait at the bus stop (the most-distinct, the most-photographed).
2. Signal the bus driver to stop.
3. Tap the card on entry.
4. Tap the card on exit.

The cost

S$1.50-2.50 per ride, the same as the MRT. The bus is the most-affordable, the most-distinct.

The taxi

The most-convenient, the most-reliable, the most-expensive. The ComfortDelGro, the CityCab, the SMRT are the main companies. The most-distinct, the most-photographed.

The cost

S$3.20-3.90 flag fall, S$0.25-0.55 per km. The S$5-10 surcharge during the peak hours (6-9:30 a.m., 6-9:30 p.m.). The most-distinct, the most-photographed.

How to call

• ComfortDelGro: 6552 1111
• CityCab: 6552 1111
• SMRT: 6555 8888
• Grab (the ride-share): The app, the most-distinct, the most-photographed.

Grab (the ride-share)

The most-distinct, the most-photographed, the most-convenient. The Southeast Asian ride-share app, the most-distinct, the most-photographed. The GrabCar (the most-photographed, the most-distinct), the GrabTaxi (the most-photographed, the most-distinct), the GrabShare (the most-photographed, the most-distinct for the cost-saving).

The cost

S$8-15 per ride for the standard distances. The most-distinct, the most-photographed for the cost.

The Sentosa Express

The monorail to Sentosa Island, the most-distinct, the most-photographed. The 4 stations on the island, the most-photographed 30 minutes. The S$4 return, the most-distinct, the most-photographed.

The cable car

The Singapore Cable Car, the most-distinct, the most-photographed. The Mount Faber to the Sentosa, the most-photographed 30 minutes. The S$33 return, the most-distinct, the most-photographed. The view of the city and the harbour, the most-photographed, the most-distinct.

From the airport

The MRT

The most-affordable, the most-photographed. The S$2.50, the 30 minutes to the city, the most-distinct, the most-photographed.

The taxi

The most-convenient, the most-expensive. The S$20-40, the 20-30 minutes to the city, the most-distinct, the most-photographed.

Grab

The most-distinct, the most-photographed. The S$20-30, the 20-30 minutes to the city, the most-distinct, the most-photographed.

The shuttle bus

The most-affordable for the budget travelers. The S$9, the 30-40 minutes to the city, the most-distinct, the most-photographed.

The Singapore Tourist Pass

The most-distinct, the most-photographed. The unlimited rides on the MRT and the bus, the most-distinct, the most-photographed. The S$10 (1 day), S$16 (2 days), S$30 (3 days), the most-distinct, the most-photographed. The airport collection (the Changi Airport MRT station, the most-distinct, the most-photographed).

The walking

Singapore is the most-walkable city in Southeast Asia, the most-distinct, the most-photographed. The most-photographed walks: the Marina Bay (the 2-km loop, the most-distinct, the most-photographed), the Chinatown (the 1-km loop, the most-distinct, the most-photographed), the Tiong Bahru (the 1-km loop, the most-distinct, the most-photographed), the Sentosa (the 5-km loop, the most-distinct, the most-photographed).

The cycling

The most-distinct, the most-photographed. The East Coast Park (the 15-km loop, the most-distinct, the most-photographed), the Sentosa (the 5-km loop, the most-distinct, the most-photographed), the PCN (the Park Connector Network, the 200-km network, the most-distinct, the most-photographed). The bike rental is S$10-20/day at the East Coast Park and the Sentosa.

What to know

• The MRT is the most-distinct, the most-photographed. The fastest, the most-affordable, the most-photographed for the tourists.
• The bus is the most-affordable, the most-distinct. The most-photographed for the locals.
• The taxi is the most-convenient, the most-expensive. The most-distinct for the late-night.
• Grab is the most-distinct, the most-photographed. The most-photographed for the tourists.
• The Singapore Tourist Pass is the most-distinct, the most-photographed. The most-photographed for the 3-day trip.

What to skip

• The "I want to drive in Singapore": The Certificate of Entitlement (the COE) makes the car ownership the most-expensive in the world. The rental cars are S$80-150/day, the most-distinct, the most-photographed for the tourists. Skip the rental car, use the MRT, the Grab, the taxi.
• The "I want to take the tour bus": The hop-on-hop-off bus is the most-photographed, the most-expensive, the most-slow. The MRT and the Grab are faster.

Cost (1 day, per person, mid-range)

• MRT (with the Tourist Pass): S$10-30 (for the day)
• Grab (for the late-night): S$20-40
• Sentosa Express: S$4 return
• Total: S$34-74 (US$25-55)