Bus Fares

In Singapore, bus services fares are calculated based on total distance travelled in kilometres.

The current fare model was introduced in July 2010. Distance-based through fares (DBTF) charges commuters a fare computed based on the cumulative distance traveled in a single trip, so long as all transfers are made in accordance with certain transfer guidelines. Fare revisions are conduced annually.

There are two modes of fare payment on buses: Contactless Card and Cash. Certain commuter groups are issued with concession cards that entitle them to discounted concessionary fares, In addition, travel passes can be purchased that allow unlimited use of buses throughout their validity period.

Under the Bus Contracting Model, all fare revenue is collected by the Government, more specifically the Land Transport Authority (LTA), which then pays bus operators a fixed sum of money regularly to offset its operating expenditures.

Current Fares

Current Distance-Based Fares for Buses are based on the most recent fare revision, with effect from 23 December 2023. (2023 Fare Review Exercise)

There are two types of Distance-based fares: Basic Fares and Express fares, which apply to most bus services in Singapore. The remaining minority of bus services charge Flat Fares which will be discussed separately.

The Basics of Fare Payment

Fare categories

There are currently two categories of public bus fares:

• Basic Fares
  Trunk / Feeder Bus Services
• Express Fares
  Express / City Direct Services

Flat fares have been discontinued officially in 2022 with the complete withdrawal of the relevant bus services (ie Premium, Chinatown Direct, Nite Owl & NiteRider services). Non-air-conditioned bus fares have been phased out since the full retirement of such buses.

Commuter Groups

Different commuter groups pay fares in accordance with different fare bands. Children under the age of 7 holding a Child Concession Card travel free on all Basic and Express bus services.

Students, Senior Citizens, Persons with Disabilities and Persons under the Workfare Transport Concession Scheme enjoy concessionary (discounted) fares on all Basic and Express bus services.

Paying Your Fare

There are 2 main methods of fare payment onboard buses.

• Card Fare Payment
  Contactless fare payment using Mastercard, NETS & Visa contactless bank cards, Mastercard/Visa cards added to mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Fitbit Pay, Garmin Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay), SimplyGo EZ-Link cards, SimplyGo Concession cards or NETS prepaid cards.
  Stored value cards such as NETS Flashpay & regular EZ-Link cards are also accepted.
• Cash Fare Payment
  No change will be provided

Card Fare Payment

Upon boarding the bus, tap your Contactless ePurse Application (CEPAS)-compliant card / supported bank cards on the Bus Card Validator. The fare from the boarding stop to the last stop of the route is automatically deducted. If the card balance is insufficient, a “Please Pay Cash” error message will be shown with 5 continuous beeps.

When alighting, tap your card at the exit reader and the fare difference between your alighting stop and the last stop will be refunded to you.

Cash Fare Payment

For cash payment, it is advised to check the distance that you are travelling, and prepare the correct amount corresponding to the distance band, which can be found in the fare table at every bus stop.

Upon boarding the bus, drop your fare into the coinbox beside the Bus Captain and state your fare for easier reference (Both coins and notes are accepted). You may be asked for your intended destination or to tap your concession card (if you are paying concessionary fares) by the Bus Captain for verification on correct fare payment. Do remember to take your bus ticket from the ticket dispenser and retain them as random checks by an appointed Bus Inspector may be conducted. The fine for fare evasion or under payment of fares will be $50, regardless of distance travelled.

For passengers boarding buses in Johor Bahru, cash payment in Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) is accepted. The fare is numerically similar to the equivalent distance cash fare. For example, Larkin Terminal to Kranji MRT costs S$2.20 as per December 2016 fares, but RM2.20 is also accepted.

A detailed explanation on the fare structure can be found here.

Readers Unavailable – Please Pay Cash

This practice has been discontinued.

In the event that the EZ-Link readers are faulty and unable to accept payments for the bus fare, the following discounted cash fares for all passengers apply. However, with the Bus Contracting Model implemented from September 2016, Buses with all its Entry EZ-Link readers faulty are not permitted to operate on revenue service.

Calculate Your Bus Fare

Use the official bus fare calculator here

Distance Fare Rules

See Also: Distance-Based Fares

With a contactless card, commuters are charged a fare based on their total journey distance (whether on the bus or train), without additional costs incurred when transferring between different modes of transport.

The guidelines are:

• Pay with the same card
• Make up to 5 transfers within a single journey, with a 45-minute allowance between each transfer
• Train network transfers (Train – Train) are allowed only between different stations and within 15 minutes.
• Make the last tap-in of your journey within 2 hours of the first tap-in
• Current bus service must not be the same number as the preceding bus service

Travel & Concession Passes

Monthly Travel/Concession Passes offer unlimited rides for within their one-month validity period. Tourists using the Singapore Tourist Pass also enjoy unlimited rides within their validity period.