Distance fares & transfer rules

Distance fares

Distance Fares are used across public buses and MRT/LRT trains in Singapore, charging fares based on the total distance travelled in one journey, regardless of the mode of transport used and whether they are travelling direct or making transfers. This is to ensure a fair pricing system where passengers are charged based on their actual usage of the transport network.

Transfer rules

With Transfer Rules, commuters can be assured that they have sufficient time to make transfers between different MRT lines without having to pay an additional boarding fee.

A transfer can be from:

• the MRT/LRT to a bus service

• the MRT/LRT to another MRT/LRT

• a bus service to another bus service

• a bus service to the MRT/LRT

Under the Distance Fares Rules,

• A maximum of five transfers can be made within a journey.

• The maximum duration before you are charged is 45 minutes for transfers between train station and bus service, or between different bus services.

• The maximum duration before you are charged is 15 minutes for transfers between different train stations.

• The current bus service must not be the same number as the preceding bus service.

• No exit and re-entry at the same train station.

What does not qualify as valid transfers?

• A transfer between two MRT stations that takes more than 15 minutes

• Transfer from a bus to another bus of the same service number or to/from a subsidiary service (e.g. transfers between Bus Services 98, 98A and 98B)

• Transfer to/from non-public buses (e.g., premium bus services, shuttle buses, temporary buses, special buses, privately operated cross-border buses, tourist buses)

• When a Bus Concession Pass, Train Concession Pass or Hybrid Concession Pass is used

• A journey that has more than five transfers