Your daily MRT and bus rides will cost 12 to 13 cents more per trip from Boxing Day. The Public Transport Council (PTC) announced the outcome of its Fare Review Exercise 2026 on 29 September 2026: an overall fare increase of 7.0%, taking effect on 26 December 2026. It is the largest per-journey increase for adults so far, driven mainly by higher energy prices from the Middle East conflict. On the same day, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and People's Association (PA) announced bigger Public Transport Vouchers for more households.
> Quick view: from 26 Dec 2026 · adults +12 cents (up to 3.2km) or +13 cents (longer) per card trip · students, seniors, PwD +5 cents · cash fares +20 cents adults, +10 cents concession · Workfare card fares unchanged · all monthly passes unchanged ($122 adult, $55 senior/PwD) · Public Transport Vouchers up from $60 to $80, income ceiling up to $2,100 per person
What changes on 26 December 2026
According to PTC's release, the fare formula produced a 5.3% increase this year. Add the 9.4% deferred from earlier years and PTC could have allowed up to 14.7%. It granted 7.0%, less than half, and the Government will fund the remaining 7.7% with close to $200 million in extra subsidies in 2027.
| Rider | Card fare change per journey | Cash fare change |
|---|---|---|
| Adults | +12 cents (up to 3.2km), +13 cents (over 3.2km) | +20 cents |
| Students | +5 cents | +10 cents |
| Seniors and persons with disabilities | +5 cents | +10 cents |
| Workfare Transport Concession cardholders | No change | Cash fares still rise |
| All monthly passes | No change | n/a |
What your usual trip will cost
These are adult card fares from PTC's Annex B for basic bus services and MRT/LRT (taps at all timings):
| Distance | Now | From 26 Dec 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 3.2km | $1.28 | $1.40 |
| 5.3km to 6.2km | $1.59 | $1.72 |
| 9.3km to 10.2km | $1.86 | $1.99 |
| 15.3km to 16.2km | $2.11 | $2.24 |
| 25.3km to 26.2km | $2.42 | $2.55 |
| Over 40.2km | $2.57 | $2.70 |
For seniors and persons with disabilities, a card ride up to 3.2km goes from 69 cents to 74 cents, and the maximum (over 7.2km) goes from $1.07 to $1.12. For students, the shortest card ride goes from 52 cents to 57 cents and the maximum from 78 cents to 83 cents.
The morning pre-peak discount stays. Tap in on a train before 7.45am on a weekday (not public holidays) and adults still pay 50 cents less than the normal fare, so the shortest pre-peak ride goes from 78 cents to 90 cents. Express bus adult card fares rise by 12 to 13 cents as well, for example from $2.28 to $2.40 for up to 3.2km.
The part that did not go up: monthly passes
PTC kept every monthly pass price unchanged, so heavy users are shielded from the entire increase if they switch.
- Adult Monthly Travel Pass: $122
- Senior and PwD hybrid concession pass: $55
- Workfare Transport Concession hybrid pass: $92
- University students and full-time NSFs (hybrid): $81; secondary and polytechnic students: $49; primary students: $39
PTC estimates that about 110,000 more card users could save an average of about $26 a month by switching to a hybrid pass after the new fares apply. As a rough guide, at the new $2.55 fare for a 26km trip, $122 covers about 48 rides, so a five-day-a-week commuter making that trip twice a day is already close to break-even before counting weekend rides. The SimplyGo app shows your monthly spend so you can check your own numbers.
Public Transport Vouchers: $80, and 60,000 more households qualify
MOT and PA said the voucher goes from $60 to $80 per household, and the income ceiling rises from $1,800 to $2,100 of monthly household income per person. About four in 10 households will qualify, around 60,000 more than before.
- Stage 1 (automatic): households that received a voucher in the 2025 exercise and still meet the income criterion will get one automatically. Notification letters go out by post or SMS from end-December 2026, based on the contact preference from last time.
- Stage 2 (apply): from early 2027, other eligible households can apply online or in person at their local Community Centre/Club. MOT says details will be announced later.
- Redeeming: from 28 December 2026, via the SimplyGo app or any SimplyGo Kiosk, Top-Up Kiosk, Assisted Service Kiosk, SimplyGo Ticket Office or SimplyGo Ticketing Service Centre. Use it to top up a fare card or buy a monthly pass.
- Valid until: 31 March 2028.
Do not miss the current round. MOT's voucher page says applications for the 2025 exercise ($60 voucher, $1,800 per person ceiling) close on 31 October 2026. If your household qualifies and has not applied, do it now at go.gov.sg/ptv or your CC. Getting a 2025 voucher also puts you in Stage 1 for the new $80 voucher, provided you still qualify.
What it means for you
- Adults paying per trip: expect roughly $5 to $6 more a month if you make about 44 trips (two a day on 22 workdays). Heavier riders should compare against the unchanged $122 pass before 26 December.
- Seniors, students and PwD: 5 cents more per trip, and the $55 senior/PwD pass and student passes are unchanged.
- Lower-wage workers on the Workfare Transport Concession card: no change to card fares. The Government absorbs the increase.
- Early risers: the pre-peak train discount before 7.45am on weekdays still saves 50 cents a ride.
Fine print
- Fares take effect on 26 December 2026. Vouchers can be redeemed from 28 December 2026.
- Cash fares rise more than card fares because of cash-handling costs. Less than 1% of journeys are paid in cash, so tapping a card or phone is the cheaper habit.
- Voucher eligibility is based on monthly household income per person. The 2026 application process for Stage 2 has not been published yet. Confirm your eligibility with MOT or your local CC; this article is a summary of official announcements, not financial advice.
- Train operators SBS Transit Rail and SMRT Trains must pay 30% of their expected extra revenue ($23.94 million in total) into the Public Transport Fund that pays for the vouchers.
Sources: Public Transport Council, "Outcome of Fare Review Exercise (FRE) 2026" and Annex A-C, 29 September 2026; MOT and PA joint press release on Public Transport Vouchers, 29 September 2026. Cover: MissLobang graphic based on PTC figures.
