What’s changing and when
Singapore’s adult fare for both MRT and basic public buses will increase by nine or 10 cents per journey starting December 27, with the exact rise depending on the distance travelled. The Public Transport Council (PTC) announced a 5 per cent overall fare increase for 2025, a gentler rise than the 6 per cent hike in 2024 and the 7 per cent in 2023. Concessionary fares for seniors, students, people with disabilities, and low-wage workers will go up by three or four cents, under the same review.
Details of the fare changes
For adult card fares, the increment is nine cents for trips up to 17.2km and 10 cents for longer journeys. Examples given by the PTC include: an MRT ride from Tanah Merah to Tanjong Pagar, about 14km, will cost $2.02 (up from $1.93); a trip to Jurong East at 26.2km will rise to $2.42 (from $2.32).
Concessionary travelers—around two million people—will see fares rise by three cents for journeys between 3.3km and 7.2km, and by four cents for trips longer than 7.2km. For a senior traveling from Tanah Merah to Paya Lebar (6.1km), the fare becomes 94 cents (up from 91 cents); a trip to Jurong East would be $1.07 (up from $1.03). Short journeys of up to 3.2km remain unchanged for concessionaries, a deliberate move given that more than a third of concessionary trips are short.
Express buses and cash fares
Express buses, including City Direct Services, continue to carry a premium over basic bus services. The overall allowance for express trips will see adults pay an extra 49–50 cents per ride—comprising the base nine or 10-cent fare rise plus a 40-cent express-bus premium. Concessionary riders face a 20–24 cent increase, consisting of the basic rise plus a 20-cent premium.
Cash fares on public buses will rise by 20 cents for adults, 10 cents for seniors and persons with disabilities, and 5 cents for students. Cash fares last rose in 2023, and cash payments account for a small fraction of trips today.
Support measures for commuters
To cushion the impact, monthly travel passes for adults, seniors and disabled commuters will drop by 5 per cent from December 27: adults at $122, down from $128; seniors and people with disabilities at $55, down from $58; and low-wage workers under the Workfare Transport Concession Scheme at $92, down from $96. About 155,000 passengers could benefit from these reduced prices.
Additionally, the government will issue public transport vouchers worth $60 to households with monthly income up to $1,800 per person. Each eligible household will receive one voucher to top up fare cards or buy passes.
Cost considerations and funding
The PTC notes that the 2025 increase, while higher than inflation, remains below the allowable cap of 14.4 per cent and follows a new reference period for cost factors such as energy prices and wages. From 2026, the reference period shifts to July of the previous year through June of the review year, allowing fares to react more quickly to real-time costs. In the transition, data from January 2024 to June 2025 informed the 2025 adjustment.
Transport operators SBS Transit Rail and SMRT Trains were asked to contribute portions of the fare increase to the Public Transport Fund, supporting households coping with higher costs. The 2025 plan includes government subsidies and a broad funding framework for ongoing network improvements under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme.
Why this matters for riders
For daily commuters, even modest fare increases can influence budgets, particularly for those relying on public transport for work and school. The PTC argues that, with the new adjustment rules and continued subsidies, fares remain affordable for most households, with lower-income groups protected for short trips and some relief through subsidised passes.
As the city-state continues to modernise its transit network, riders can expect a mix of fare policy changes, subsidies, and service improvements designed to balance affordability with the costs of running a dense public transport system.
