Singapore adults to pay 7-8 cents more per bus, train ride

By Hien Nguyen October 16, 2025 | 02:54 pm PT

Adult commuters in Singapore will see their public bus and train fares rise by 9-10 Singapore cents (7-8 U.S. cents) per journey as overall public transport prices are set to increase by 5%.

Starting Dec. 27, the basic bus and train card fares for adults will rise by 9 cents for trips up to 17.2 kilometers and by 10 cents for longer rides, the Public Transport Council (PTC) said on Tuesday, as reported by The Straits Times.

Fares for concessionary card holders, which include students, seniors, people with disabilities and low-wage workers with workfare transport concession, will rise by 3-4 cents for journeys longer than 3.2km. Fares for shorter trips will remain unchanged.

The council said that more than a third of concessionary trips, or around 450,000, are 3.2km or shorter, mainly for commuting to school, work, or nearby amenities.

Cash fares on public buses will rise by 20 cents for adults, 10 cents for seniors and people with disabilities and five cents for students. Fewer than 1% of public transport trips are paid in cash, according to the council.

A bus picking up passengers at a stop in Singapore. Photo by Unsplash

Express bus services, which offer faster trips from residential areas to city centers and major employment hubs at a higher rate than regular buses, will also see a fare hike, Mothership reported.

Adult passengers will pay 49-50 cents more per express bus ride while concessionary groups will see an increase of 20-24 cents. Cash fares for these services will rise by 60 cents per journey.

The overall fare increase this year is smaller than the 6% and 7% seen in 2024 and 2023, respectively.

From Dec. 27, the price of monthly travel passes will also be reduced by 5% to support frequent public transport users, as reported by Channel News Asia.

The pass will cost S$122 for adults, S$55 for seniors and people with disabilities and S$92 for low-wage workers with workfare transport concession. The discount is expected to benefit about 155,000 passengers, the council said.

The government will also issue S$60 public transport vouchers to households earning up to $1,800 per person per month to help offset the fare hikes. The vouchers can be used to top up fare cards or purchase monthly passes.