Young children ride public transport free in Singapore, and whether they need a card depends on their height.
> Quick view: under 0.9m needs no card. From 0.9m until age 7, get a Child Concession Card, which SimplyGo lists as free to apply for, in person at any SimplyGo Ticket Office. It stops working on 30 April of the year your child turns 7.
MRT Card for Kids: Which One Does Your Child Need?
| Your child | Card needed | Fare on MRT, LRT and basic buses |
|---|---|---|
| Under 0.9m, with a fare-paying adult | None | Free |
| 0.9m or taller, below 7, not in primary school | Child Concession Card | Free |
| In primary school | School Smart Card, issued through the school | Student fare |
Under 0.9m tall: free automatically, no card. Any child below 0.9m in height travels free on public transport as long as they're accompanied by a fare-paying commuter. You don't need to apply for anything. Tap in as usual with your own card and your little one rides along free.
0.9m or taller, below 7 and not yet in primary school: you need a Child Concession Card. The Child Concession Card is a stored-value travel card that lets them keep travelling free on MRT, LRT and basic bus services. Free travel does not apply to Express, Premium Bus Services or City Direct Services. SimplyGo's card page says adult cash fare applies on those, while its fares page adds that student cash fare may apply, so check with the bus captain when you board.
How Much the Child Concession Card Costs
- Application fee: free, as listed on SimplyGo's Child Concession Card page
- Each eligible child gets one card
- $13 administrative fee to replace a lost card or re-apply later
- Damaged and faulty cards are replaced for free
How to Apply
Apply in person at any SimplyGo Ticket Office. There are 31 on SimplyGo's list, and their hours differ: Ang Mo Kio and Changi Airport open 8am to 9pm daily, while Bayfront is closed on weekdays and several offices close for a meal break.
Bring:
- Singapore Citizens and PRs: the child's original Singapore-issued birth certificate
- Non-citizens: the child's original passport
- If you're applying on the child's behalf: your own original NRIC or passport
The card is encoded with your child's name, birth certificate/passport number, date of birth and card expiry date, so it can't be bought off a shelf. It works immediately, with no activation.
When It Expires and Moving to Primary School
The Child Concession Card is valid until 30 April of the year your child turns 7, regardless of which month they were born. That date lines everyone up for the switch to primary-school concession.
When your child starts Primary 1, they'll receive a School Smart Card from their school. Until that card arrives, a Primary 1 pupil can still ride free on their existing Child Concession Card (as long as it's within its validity). The new card starts working once you top it up in the SimplyGo app or at a ticketing service kiosk, with a $2 minimum, and you don't need to visit a Ticket Office.
Once the new student card is in hand, or you no longer need the child card, return it at any SimplyGo Ticket Office with the cardholder's proof of identity. An expired card can't be refunded on the spot: the office issues a receipt and you collect any remaining value after 10 working days.
Not going to a primary school that year? Call the SimplyGo hotline on 6883 5048 at least three months before the expiry date. Your child will be issued a Non-MOE School Smart Card (Primary level) if eligible.
Good to Know
- Do you need to top up? Only for the excluded services (Express, Premium, City Direct).
- Where to top up: SimplyGo Ticket Offices, SimplyGo Kiosks (NETS and credit/debit card only), Assisted Service Kiosks, Top-Up Kiosks, POSB/DBS and OCBC ATMs, 7-Eleven (a convenience fee applies) and the SimplyGo app. The minimum is $2 in cash or $5 by ePayment. Top-ups are no longer available at AXS Stations from 29 Aug 2026.
- Forgot the card? SimplyGo says to pay the adult cash fare or use another travel card. On buses, a child between 0.9m and 1.2m may pay the student or adult cash fare, and a child above 1.2m pays the adult cash fare on basic and express services.
- Lost the card? Report it on 6883 5048. The report can't be reversed even if the card turns up, so search first. Remaining value is refunded after 10 working days, and a replacement at a Ticket Office costs $13.
