Public transport in Singapore is cheap, efficient, and reliable. Singapore public transport includes buses, Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) or metro, and Light Rail Transit (LRT). Bus and MRT networks are extensive and almost all the attractions are within walking distance from MRT stations or bus stops. The LRT network is limited and is only present in the northern and eastern parts of Singapore. If you are visiting Singapore as a tourist, you will not be using LRT.
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What Is EZ-Link Card
The public transport in Singapore has an integrated payment system. That means you can pay on any public transport using a single contactless card. The most common contactless card used is the EZ-Link card. But there are cards from other operators also like Nets Flashpay card. Both the cards cost the same and work the same way. There is literally no difference between them.
All the details about the EZ-Link Card mentioned in the rest of the article also hold true for the Flashpay card unless specified otherwise.
Where To Buy EZ-Link Card
Both EZ-Link and Flashpay cards are available at TransitLink ticket offices at most of the MRT stations and convenience stores like 7-Eleven and Cheers.
Travelex Money Exchange counter at Changi Airport keeps only the Flashpay Card. If you are arriving in Singapore in the wee hours and want to use MRT or bus to reach the city centre, your only option is to buy a Flashpay card from the Travelex Money Exchange counter as the TransitLink ticket office generally remains open between 8 AM and 9 PM.
EZ-Link Card Cost
The card costs SGD 5 (~ INR 300) non-refundable fee and a minimum of SGD 3 (~ INR 180) balance need to be maintained to travel.
You can save the SGD 5 non-refundable fee if you buy Singtel $15 hi!Tourist 2-in-1 SIM Card. It is a sim card embedded in an EZ-Link card. The sim card has the same feature as SGD 12 priced sim card and the EZ-Link card has SGD 3 balance. So effectively you have got an EZ-Link card free with the sim card.
Also Read: How To Travel Singapore On A Budget
The card is valid for 5 years, so you may keep the card if planning to visit Singapore more than once in 5 years. Otherwise, take back the balance left on the card from the TransitLink office at the MRT station before leaving Singapore.
How to Top Up EZ-Link Card
The EZ-Link card can be easily topped up using General Ticketing Machines at MRT stations. Just place the card on the panel and wait for the machine to read the card. Enter the top-up amount and deposit the cash. And voila, the EZ-Link card is topped-up. You can top up in multiples of 10 using the machine.
You can also top up using a credit or debit card but currently, only Singapore cards are accepted.
Alternatively, you can also get your card topped up at convenience stores but they will charge a convenience fee.
How To Use EZ-Link Card
Using an EZ-Link card or Nets Flashpay card is super easy. Tap the card on the panel before entering the MRT platform and tap again before exiting the platform. Similarly, on the bus, tap the card on the panel as you enter the bus and tap again before getting off the bus. Commuters are recommended to enter the bus through the front gate and disembark through the rear gate. The panel are placed at both ends but in some buses, rear panels cannot be used for entry.
If you forget to tap out before exiting, the maximum fare will get deducted.
Advantages of EZ-Link Card
Cost Saving
Using EZ-Link card is sometimes cheaper than cash. The fare is calculated according to the distance travelled. If you make a transfer from bus to MRT or bus to bus or MRT to bus, it is treated as a single journey instead of separate journies and fare is calculated accordingly. Up to a maximum of 5 transfers are allowed within a single journey. We were charged many times just SGD 0.01 on the EZ-Link card for the transfer.
Convenience
It is very convenient to use EZ-Link card. You don’t have to ask for the fare cost from place A to B. Just tap the card on entry and exit and the fare is deducted from the balance stored in the EZ-Link card.
If you want to pay using cash, you will have to keep lots of spare change and give the exact amount to the driver as no change is given back by the driver. Also, you may have to queue up for a ticket at the MRT station.
Buying an EZ-Link card is a no-brainer if you are going to board lots of buses and MRT as non-refundable fare will be recovered in a few transfers and it is super convenient to use. We would recommend buying an EZ-Link card if you are planning to use public transport at least 5 times as you will definitely lose some cents on paying by cash because it will be highly unlikely that you will have an exact change every time.
Singapore Tourist Pass
If you are staying in Singapore for less than 4 days, you may opt for Singapore Tourist Pass which offers unlimited travel on buses, MRT, and LRT. The Singapore Tourist Pass costs SGD 20 (~ INR 1200) for a one-day pass, SGD 26 (~ INR 1560) for a two-day pass, and SGD 30 (~ INR 1800) for a three-day pass.
All three passes include an SGD 10 (~ INR 600) refundable deposit which gets refunded back if the pass is returned within 5 days of buying it. That means, effectively Singapore Tourist Pass costs SGD 10 (~ INR 600), SGD 16 (~ INR 960), and SGD 20 (~ INR 1200) for one-day, two-day, and three-day passes respectively.
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