Singapore Public Transport Guide

Singapore MRT Network

Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network covers over 130 km across six lines serving 130+ stations. The network is operated by SMRT Trains and SBS Transit under the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

The six MRT lines are:

• North-South Line (NSL) — Red line, 27 stations from Jurong East to Marina South Pier
• East-West Line (EWL) — Green line, 35 stations from Tuas Link to Pasir Ris (with Changi Airport branch)
• North-East Line (NEL) — Purple line, 20 stations from HarbourFront to Punggol
• Circle Line (CCL) — Orange line, 33 stations in a loop around the city
• Downtown Line (DTL) — Blue line, 35 stations from Bukit Panjang to Expo
• Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) — Brown line, currently 43 stations and expanding

MRT Operating Hours

MRT trains run daily from approximately 5:15 AM to midnight, with some variation by line and station. First train times are typically between 5:15 AM and 5:30 AM. Last trains depart between 11:00 PM and 12:30 AM depending on the line and direction.

During peak hours (weekdays 7:30–9:30 AM and 5:30–8:00 PM), trains run every 2–4 minutes. During off-peak hours, frequency is typically every 5–7 minutes.

SG Arrivals shows the exact first and last train times for every station and direction, along with real-time estimated arrival countdowns.

How to Check MRT Arrivals

To check real-time MRT arrival times using SG Arrivals:

1. Open the MRT tab at the bottom of the screen
2. Search for your station by name (e.g. "Orchard") or station code (e.g. "NS22")
3. Tap the station card to expand and see arrivals in both directions
4. Use the Nearby button to find stations closest to your current location

Arrival times are estimated based on published schedules and are updated every minute.

MRT Line Details

North-South Line (NSL / Red Line): Runs from Jurong East (EW24/NS1) in the west to Marina South Pier (NS28) in the south, passing through Orchard, City Hall, and Raffles Place. Key interchange stations include Jurong East, Bishan, Dhoby Ghaut, City Hall, and Raffles Place.

East-West Line (EWL / Green Line): The longest line, running from Tuas Link (EW33) in the west to Pasir Ris (EW1) in the east, with a branch to Changi Airport (CG2). Key stations include Jurong East, Clementi, Buona Vista, City Hall, Tampines, and Tanah Merah.

North-East Line (NEL / Purple Line): Fully underground line from HarbourFront (NE1) to Punggol (NE17). Key stations include Dhoby Ghaut, Little India, Farrer Park, Serangoon, and Hougang.

Circle Line (CCL / Orange Line): A loop line connecting the outer residential areas to the city. Key stations include Bartley, Serangoon, Bishan, Caldecott, Botanic Gardens, Holland Village, and Marina Bay.

Downtown Line (DTL / Blue Line): Runs from Bukit Panjang (DT1) to Expo (DT35). Key stations include Beauty World, Botanic Gardens, Stevens, Bugis, Chinatown, and Bayfront.

Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL / Brown Line): The newest line, running from Woodlands North (TE1) to Sungei Bedok (TE31), with ongoing extensions. Key stations include Woodlands, Springleaf, Caldecott, Stevens, Orchard, Marina Bay, and Bayshore.

Singapore Bus Network

Singapore's public bus network comprises over 350 bus services operated by SBS Transit, SMRT Buses, Tower Transit, and Go-Ahead Singapore. There are approximately 5,000 bus stops across the island, serving both residential estates and commercial areas.

Bus services are categorised as:

• Trunk services — main routes connecting towns and interchanges
• Feeder services — short routes within housing estates connecting to MRT stations
• Express services — limited-stop routes for faster travel
• Night Owl services — overnight buses running after MRT hours (NR1–NR8)
• Cross-border services — buses to Malaysia via Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints

Real-Time Bus Arrival Information

SG Arrivals provides real-time bus arrival times sourced directly from LTA DataMall. The data is updated every 30 seconds and shows:

• Next bus arrival time in minutes
• Second and third bus arrival times
• Bus load status: Seats Available, Standing Available, or Limited Standing

To check bus arrivals: open the Bus tab, search for your bus stop by name, road name, or 5-digit stop code, then tap the stop card to see all services and their live arrival times. You can also search by service number (e.g. "65") to see all stops on that route.

Cross-Border Bus Services to Malaysia

Several bus services connect Singapore to Johor Bahru and other parts of Malaysia:

• Causeway Link CW1–CW7 — frequent services via Woodlands Checkpoint (JB Sentral)
• SBS Transit 160 — Buona Vista to JB Sentral via Woodlands
• SBS Transit 170 — Queen Street to JB Sentral via Woodlands
• SBS Transit 950 — Jurong East to Johor Bahru via Tuas Second Link

SG Arrivals shows schedules and real-time status for cross-border services in the Bus tab under the Cross-Border section.

Singapore Public Transport Fares

Singapore uses a distance-based fare system for MRT and bus travel. Fares are calculated based on the total distance travelled, with transfer discounts applied when you transfer between MRT and bus within 45 minutes.

The latest fare revision took effect on 28 December 2024. Adult card fares start from $0.83 for journeys under 3.2 km and increase by distance. Cash fares are higher than card fares.

Concession card types available:

• Adult (EZ-Link / NETS FlashPay)
• Senior Citizen (65 and above)
• Student (primary, secondary, ITE, polytechnic, university)
• Persons with Disabilities (PWD)
• Workfare Transport Concession

How to Calculate Your Fare

Use the Journey tab on SG Arrivals to calculate your fare:

1. Enter your origin and destination
2. Select your pass type (Adult, Senior, Student, etc.)
3. The app will show the fastest routes and the exact fare for each

The fare calculator uses the official LTA distance-based fare table and accounts for transfer discounts between MRT and bus services.

Journey Planning Tips

For the most efficient journey in Singapore:

• Use MRT for longer distances — faster and more predictable than buses
• Bus is often better for short trips within the same estate
• Transfer between MRT and bus within 45 minutes to get the transfer discount
• During peak hours (7:30–9:30 AM and 5:30–8:00 PM), trains and buses are more crowded
• Check the crowd level indicators on SG Arrivals to find less crowded trains

Changi Airport (SIN)

Singapore Changi Airport is one of the world's busiest and most awarded airports, serving over 100 airlines and connecting Singapore to more than 100 countries. The airport has five terminals: T1, T2, T3, T4, and Jewel (a mixed-use complex).

Changi Airport is accessible by MRT via the East-West Line (Changi Airport station, CG2) and the Changi Airport branch line from Tanah Merah (EW4). The journey from the city centre takes approximately 30–40 minutes.

Tracking Flight Arrivals and Departures

SG Arrivals provides real-time flight information for Changi Airport:

• Search by flight number (e.g. "SQ321") to track a specific flight
• Search by airline name to see all flights from that carrier
• Search by destination city to find flights to or from a specific location
• View scheduled and estimated times, terminal assignment, and flight status

The Flights tab is useful for meeting arriving passengers or confirming your own departure details.

Getting to Changi Airport

The fastest way to get to Changi Airport from the city is by MRT:

• Take the East-West Line (Green) to Tanah Merah (EW4), then transfer to the Changi Airport branch (CG line)
• The airport station (CG2) is directly connected to T2 and T3 via covered walkways
• T4 is served by a free shuttle bus from T2/T3

Alternatively, bus services 24, 27, 34, 36, 53, 65, 109, and others serve the airport. Taxis and ride-hailing services (Grab) are also available from the taxi stands at each terminal.

Save Your Favourite Commutes

Sign in to SG Arrivals with your Google account to save your regular commutes. Saved commutes appear on your dashboard with live timing updates, so you can see at a glance how long your journey will take right now.

You can save up to 5 commutes, pin the most important ones to the top, and set departure reminders to receive a push notification before you need to leave.

Push Notifications

SG Arrivals supports Web Push notifications for:

• Last train alerts — get notified 30 minutes before the last MRT train on your favourite lines
• Departure reminders — set a daily reminder to leave for your saved commutes at the right time
• Service disruptions — receive alerts when there is a disruption on lines you use

Enable notifications in the More tab under Notification Settings. Notifications work even when the app is closed, as long as you have installed SG Arrivals on your home screen.

Install SG Arrivals on Your Phone

SG Arrivals is a Progressive Web App (PWA) — you can install it on your Android or iOS home screen for a native app-like experience without visiting an app store.

• On Android (Chrome): tap the three-dot menu → "Add to Home screen"
• On Samsung Internet: tap the menu → "Add page to" → "Home screen"
• On iOS (Safari): tap the Share button → "Add to Home Screen"

Once installed, SG Arrivals works offline for core features and loads faster than in a browser.

Nearby Stations and Stops

Tap the Nearby button on the MRT or Bus tab to use your device's GPS to find the closest stations and stops. Results are sorted by walking distance, so you always see the most convenient option first.

Weather Alerts

SG Arrivals shows real-time weather alerts from the National Environment Agency (NEA). If rain is forecast for your area in the next 2 hours, a weather badge appears at the top of the screen so you can plan accordingly.