In Singapore, young children ride public transport for free — but exactly how depends on your child's height, and there's one card most parents eventually need. Here's the whole thing in plain English.

The two ways young kids ride free

1. 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 — just tap in as usual with your own card and your little one rides along free.

2. 0.9m or taller, but below 7 and not yet in primary school — you need a Child Concession Card. Once your child hits 0.9m, they're tall enough that the system expects a 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, so those still cost a fare.

What it costs

  • $5 card cost + $3.10 personalisation fee = $8.10 to get the card
  • Both fees are non-refundable
  • If you ever need to re-apply or replace it, there's a $13 administrative fee

How to apply

Apply at any SimplyGo Ticket Office (at selected MRT stations and bus interchanges). Bring your child's birth certificate or passport — the card is personalised and 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.

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 Primary 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). Once the new student card is in hand — or you no longer need the child card — you can return it at any SimplyGo Ticket Office for a refund of any remaining stored value (bring the cardholder's proof of identity; the office issues a receipt and you collect the refund after about 10 working days).

Good to know

  • Do you even need to top up? Since eligible travel is free, you only need value on the card if you'll use it on the excluded services (Express, Premium, City Direct).
  • Top-up change from 29 Aug 2026: top-ups for EZ-Link and SimplyGo EZ-Link cards will no longer be available at AXS Stations. You can still top up via the SimplyGo app, at ticket offices, General Ticketing Machines, and convenience stores like 7-Eleven and Cheers.
  • Keep the card safe — because it's personalised, replacing a lost one means the $13 admin fee and a fresh application.