Getting Around Singapore: A Guide to MRT and Buses for Interns

03 Nov Getting Around Singapore: A Guide to MRT and Buses for Interns

As with any other city, there are several ways to get around in Singapore: MRT, buses, and taxis. But, just like in other cities, there are a few tips and tricks you’ll want to know, just so you’re not scrambling to figure out how to commute on the first day of your internship in Singapore!

In this guide, we will share helpful tips about the local transportation system, particularly:

1. Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)
2. Bus
3. Taxi

Along the way, you will also find the rules, how to find your nearest station, how the bus compares with the MRT, peak hours, and a checklist for your first morning.

Let’s get started.

MRT (Singapore Metro)

What to know about Singapore’s MRT

The MRT is Singapore’s metro or subway system, and it’s open every day from 5:30 AM until midnight. Not only is the MRT easy and quick, but it’s also one of the most inexpensive modes of transportation in Singapore. This could explain why, in 2024, there was an average of 3.41 million MRT rides per day. It’s also air-conditioned, providing a welcome respite when you’re sweating from the heat, especially if you opted for a summer internship!

On some holidays like Hari Raya Puasa or Eid al-Fitr, the MRT’s operating hours are extended. You may check the SMRT and SBS Transit websites to stay ahead of changes in schedule.

What are the rules for using public transport in Singapore?

A few rules matter in your first week, and they apply on the train and on the bus.

1. Do not eat or drink on the MRT or LRT, including in the station, except in a place marked for it. Chewing gum is also banned on railway premises. The same no-eating rule applies on public buses. The maximum penalty is 500 SGD.
2. Tap in and tap out with the same card or phone. Take it out of your wallet before you reach the gate or the reader, so you are charged the right fare.
3. On a bus, cash has to be the exact fare. The driver cannot give change, and the printed ticket is your proof until you get off. A card fare is lower.
4. Offer a priority seat to someone who needs it more. That includes older passengers, pregnant passengers, people with a disability or mobility difficulty, young children, unwell passengers, and anyone with a “May I Have a Seat Please” card. Priority queues at stations and interchanges are for these passengers too.
5. Let people get off before you board.

How do I find the nearest MRT station?

Download MyTransport.SG before your first day. Near You lists the MRT stations and buses around you. The same app, and LTA’s journey planner, shows the route, the fare, the travel time, and which station exit to use. The exit matters. Many stations connect into a mall, and the wrong exit can add a long walk in the heat.

If a colleague gives you a code such as NS22 or EW16, look it up on the rail network map. Use that code when you ask for directions. Walk the route once before your first morning, so Monday is not the first time you see the exit.

Types of Singapore MRT tickets and how to get them

There are different types of Singapore metro tickets that you can use for the MRT, and for each one, there are also various ways to secure them (just in case the travel card that Absolute Internship gives you runs away).

Before we get started, keep in mind that single-trip tickets (formerly known as Standard Tickets) were phased out in March 2022. If you still hear about them, just remember that they’re no longer available!

EZ-Link Card

EZ-Link is a stored value card, which means it’s rechargeable and reusable. This can be used for both the metro and public buses. It’s the most commonly used ticket, and is probably what you’ll be using during your internship in Singapore.

A card costs 10 SGD. 5 SGD is the actual price of the card and is non-refundable, while the other 5 SGD is consumable. EZ-Link cards have a validity of 5 years.

Getting your EZ-Link is actually pretty easy. You can buy one in SimplyGo Ticket Offices or SimplyGo Kiosks located at MRT stations as well as bus interchanges, in convenience stores like 7-Eleven, in EZ-Link vending machines (which you may find in some malls), and even in a few bookstores! You can also top up your card in most of these locations.

Fun fact: you can use this card to buy yourself milk tea, noodles, or snacks for your late-night cravings.

NETS FlashPay Travel Card

Just like the EZ-Link card, the NETS FlashPay Travel Card is reloadable. While EZ-Link is mainly focused on transportation, NETS FlashPay is more multi-purpose. You can use it not just for riding the MRT and bus, but also for shopping and dining.

You can buy a card at convenience stores for 12 SGD, which includes a 7 SGD load you can use. You can also purchase a NETS FlashPay card at a SimplyGo Ticketing Office or Passenger Service Center (both of which can be found in metro stations), as well as at gas stations like Shell. You can even check out platforms like Klook for some fun promos!

Singapore Tourist Pass

The Singapore Tourist Pass is basically a card that gives you unlimited use of the metro and public buses, within operating hours, of course. There are three different types: 1-day, 2-day, and 3-day passes, which indicates the validity of your card.

For a 1-day pass, the validity begins the first time you use it, and lasts only until the end of the public transport service on that same day. Again, it won’t last for 24 hours, but just until the end of the day. 2- and 3-day passes must be used on consecutive days.

Note as well that you cannot use this pass for premium transport services like the Night Owl, Sentosa Express, and RWS8.

Here is the price list for the Singapore Tourist Pass:

1-day pass: SGD 17

2-day pass: SGD 24

3-day pass: SGD 29

Using the MRT as your choice of transportation in Singapore is probably the best idea. The stations are always clean, and safe during the evening. Also, if you miss a train, there’s no need to worry as the next one will come by within 2 to 7 minutes!

Bus

When it comes to taking the bus in Singapore, there are two operators, SBS Transit and SMRT, that go different routes and run from 5:30 AM until midnight.

The same distance on a basic bus or on the train costs the same card fare, whichever operator runs the bus. As of 27 December 2025, an adult card fare starts at 1.28 SGD for a trip up to 3.2 km. For convenience, you can use a fare calculator to see how much it will cost to get from one point to another.

Just like with the metro, you can use an EZ-Link card, a NETS FlashPay card, or a Singapore Tourist Pass to pay for your bus ride. Simply tap your card on the reader and you’re good to go! You can also opt to pay in cash by dropping money into the cash box near the driver. Note, however, that the cash box cannot dispense change, so you need to pay the exact amount. The short adult cash fare is 2.10 SGD. If you pay in cash, the driver will provide you with a printed ticket as proof. Hold on to it, at least until the end of the ride.

How does Singapore’s bus system compare to the MRT?

Use the MRT for the main part of the commute, and the bus when your housing or office sits away from a station.

You can mix bus and train in one journey without a second boarding charge if you stay inside the transfer rules: up to five transfers, within two hours, with 45 minutes to move between a station and a bus or between buses, and 15 minutes to move between stations. Tap in and out each time with the same card.

The MRT is the faster option for a longer trip. Trains run every 2 to 3 minutes in weekday peak hours, and about every 5 minutes off-peak. An express bus that runs alongside an MRT line will not be faster than the train. Buses come about every 7 to 10 minutes in that same peak, and they are the better choice for the last stretch, or for any address the rail line does not reach. They also sit in traffic, so add time on weekday mornings.

Only buses take cash, and cash costs more than a card.

What are the peak hours for public transport in Singapore?

Bus and train fares stay on the distance table all day. Taxi fares are the ones that rise in peak hours, and those clock times are in the taxi section below.

Weekday mornings are when platforms and buses are fullest. LTA’s station guide lists the busiest morning window at each station, and most of those windows fall between 7:15 AM and 8:45 AM. Check MyTransport.SG during your first week, because the busy 20 minutes changes by station. Trains still come every 2 to 3 minutes in weekday peak hours. Buses come about every 7 to 10 minutes then, and about every 9 to 13 minutes off-peak.

You pay less if you move the rail trip earlier. On weekdays except public holidays, tapping in before 7:45 AM gives you the morning pre-peak fare, which is up to 50 cents lower. From 27 December 2025, a first rail ride can be free if you tap in before 7:30 AM, or between 9:00 AM and 9:45 AM, at selected North East Line stations or any Sengkang-Punggol LRT station. Check that station list before you count on the free ride.

What should I know before taking a taxi in Singapore?

For the utmost convenience, you can take a cab. Fares cost less than in many bigger cities, and you get comfort and privacy. A daily cab can still use up a lot of your travel allowance, so save it for luggage, a night after the trains stop, or a morning when you cannot miss your start time.

The meter sets a street-hail fare. Outside the city center you can hail a taxi on the road or at a taxi stand. A private-hire car cannot be hailed on the street. If you book through an app, the fare has to be shown before you confirm. A booked taxi also adds a booking fee: 2.30 SGD outside peak for most companies, and 2.50 SGD for Prime. In peak, that fee changes by company, so read it before you confirm.

Standard taxis start at 4.40 SGD to 5.20 SGD. Premium taxis start at 5.00 SGD to 5.50 SGD. On top of the meter:

1. Weekday peak, excluding public holidays, is 6:00 AM to 9:29 AM. Every day, including public holidays, peak also runs from 5:00 PM to 11:59 PM. Weekends and public holidays add another window from 10:00 AM to 1:59 PM. The surcharge is 25% of the metered fare.
2. From midnight to 5:59 AM, the surcharge is 50% of the metered fare.
3. A location surcharge applies when the trip starts at that place. The city area surcharge is 3 SGD, from 5:00 PM to midnight. Changi Airport is 8 SGD from 5:00 PM to midnight and 6 SGD at other times. Gardens by the Bay adds 3 SGD when you are picked up there.

A 7:00 AM weekday ride from your housing to the office is the flag-down fare, plus the meter, plus the 25% peak surcharge. The city surcharge applies from 5:00 PM to midnight. The Gardens by the Bay surcharge applies when the pickup is at Gardens by the Bay.

Most taxis take cards and NETS as well as cash. A cashless payment can include an extra charge, and a small number of older yellow-top taxis may not have a card terminal. Feel free to check the full table on this guide by Singapore’s Land Transport Authority.

What tips do you have for first-time visitors using public transport in Singapore?

Do this before the first morning at the office:

1. Make sure you can pay. The travel card from Absolute Internship is the simple option. If you do not have it yet, use an EZ-Link card or a contactless bank card through SimplyGo. Single-trip tickets were phased out in March 2022.
2. Save the route in MyTransport.SG, including the station exit and the bus number if you need one.
3. Time the trip on a weekday if you can. A Sunday evening ride will feel faster than Monday at 8:00 AM.
4. Leave earlier than the app suggests in the first week.
5. Tap in and tap out with the same card.
6. Keep food and drinks out of the station, the train, and the bus.
7. Offer a priority seat when someone needs it.
8. If you miss a train, the next one is usually a few minutes away. If you miss the last train, take a taxi or a booked car, and expect the late-night surcharge after midnight.

Interning in Singapore? Absolute Internship gives you a travel card, so the first commute is not something you sort out alone. See the Singapore internship program, then apply if the dates fit.

Hopefully you learned a lot about Singapore’s transportation system and have devised your plan for how you want to get to your internship every day. Happy traveling!