Getting around Singapore by MRT: everything you actually need to know
Singapore's MRT is the best argument for public transport anywhere on earth: clean, fast, air-conditioned, cheap and almost unfailingly punctual. It will take you to nearly everything you came to see. And the single most useful thing to know is this: in 2026, most visitors don't need to buy any kind of ticket or card at all.
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Just tap your own card — the SimplyGo answer
Singapore's system, SimplyGo, accepts contactless Visa, Mastercard and Amex, plus Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay, at every MRT gate and on every public bus. You tap your own card or phone on the way in, tap out on the way out, and the correct fare is charged.
There is no registration, no queue, no deposit and no card to buy. For the overwhelming majority of visitors this is the right answer and the end of the decision.
Two caveats: everyone in your group needs their own card (you cannot tap two people through on one card), and foreign-card holders should check their bank's foreign transaction fee, since each trip is charged separately.
What the MRT costs
Fares are distance-based. Following the fare revision in December 2025, adult card fares run roughly S$1.28 for a short hop (up to about 3.2km) to around S$2.57 for the longest journeys (over 40km). A typical tourist day of three or four trips costs about S$5–8.
Children below 0.9m in height travel free. Buses use exactly the same card and the same distance-based fare structure, and transfers between bus and train within a journey are charged as one trip rather than two.
Should you buy the Singapore Tourist Pass?
The Singapore Tourist Pass gives you unlimited travel for a set number of consecutive days. Recent pricing was around S$17 / S$24 / S$29 / S$37 / S$45 for 1 to 5 days.
Do the maths before you buy it. If a normal tourist day costs S$5–8 in fares, a S$17 one-day pass only pays for itself if you're making six or more trips in a day. Most visitors don't. The pass makes sense if you're deliberately criss-crossing the island — Changi to Sentosa to Jurong Bird Paradise in a day — and rarely otherwise.
The EZ-Link card (around S$10, of which S$5 is a non-refundable card cost and S$5 is usable credit) is the third option. It's a fine souvenir and useful if you don't have a contactless bank card, but it's strictly worse than just tapping your phone.
Recommendation: tap your own contactless card. Buy nothing.
From Changi Airport into the city
The MRT runs from Changi on the East-West (green) line. You change at Tanah Merah and continue towards the city. It costs a couple of dollars and takes roughly 45 minutes to the centre.
The trains run from around 5.30am to around 11.30pm. If you land after that, your options are the airport shuttle bus (a fixed fare, cheaper than a taxi) or a taxi/Grab, which will be 10–15× the MRT fare and is subject to a late-night surcharge. Don't be sentimental about it at 2am — but do know the MRT is the sensible option at any civilised hour.
Before you leave the airport, walk into Jewel — the indoor rainforest with the world's tallest indoor waterfall, attached to Terminal 1. It's free, and it's better than most countries' actual attractions.
The rules that carry real fines
Singapore's reputation for strict rules is largely a caricature, but on the MRT the rules are real, posted and enforced:
- No eating or drinking on trains or in stations — including water. Fine up to S$500.
- No durian. The sign is real and it is the only one with no stated fine, which locals find funny.
- No smoking anywhere in the system.
- Stand on both sides of the escalator — Singapore officially discourages walking on escalators, though in practice people keep the left clear.
Also: let people off before you get on, keep the reserved seats free, and move to the middle of the carriage. Everyone does, and it's why the system works.
The lines you'll actually use
North-South (red) — Orchard, Marina Bay, City Hall, and up to the Botanic Gardens area.
East-West (green) — Changi Airport, Bugis, City Hall, Tiong Bahru, out to Jurong.
Downtown (blue) — Chinatown, Bugis, Bayfront (for Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay). The most useful line for visitors.
Circle (orange) — loops the city, useful for Botanic Gardens, Holland Village and Dakota (for Old Airport Road hawker centre).
Google Maps handles Singapore's transport perfectly, including bus routes and live timings. You don't need another app.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an EZ-Link card in Singapore?
No. Since SimplyGo, you can tap your own contactless Visa, Mastercard or Amex, or Apple/Google/Samsung Pay, directly at any MRT gate or on any bus. There's no registration and nothing to buy. An EZ-Link card (around S$10) is only worth it if you don't have a contactless bank card.
How much does the MRT cost in Singapore?
Fares are distance-based, running roughly S$1.28 for a short trip up to around S$2.57 for the longest journeys. A typical day of sightseeing costs about S$5–8 in total.
Is the Singapore Tourist Pass worth it?
Usually not. It costs around S$17 for one day of unlimited travel, but a normal day of sightseeing only costs S$5–8 in fares — so it only pays off if you're making six or more trips in a day. It's worth it only if you're deliberately criss-crossing the island.
How do I get from Changi Airport to the city?
Take the MRT on the East-West (green) line, changing at Tanah Merah. It costs a couple of dollars and takes about 45 minutes. Trains run from roughly 5.30am to 11.30pm; if you land later, use the airport shuttle bus rather than a taxi.
Can you eat or drink on the Singapore MRT?
No — eating and drinking anywhere in the MRT system, including drinking water, is prohibited and carries a fine of up to S$500. Durian is banned outright.