Singapore has one of the most reliable, integrated public transport networks in the world — MRT, LRT and buses all run on the same payment system, and a contactless card or phone gets you almost anywhere on the island for a few dollars a day. This guide walks through what to set up before you fly, how to pay on the day, and the app to keep on your home screen.
1. Pre-trip checklist
- Visa & entry: most ASEAN, EU, UK, US, AU and many other passport holders get visa-free entry for short stays. Check the latest at ica.gov.sg and submit the SG Arrival Card online within 3 days of arrival — it's free.
- Weather: hot and humid year-round (26–32°C). Carry water and a small umbrella; brief afternoon thundershowers are common.
- Currency: Singapore dollar (SGD). Cards and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere; small cash is still useful at hawker centres and older shops.
- Power: 230V, 3-pin Type G socket (same as UK). Bring an adapter if you're not coming from a UK-style country.
- SIM or eSIM: grab a prepaid Singtel / StarHub / M1 SIM at the airport, or activate a tourist eSIM before you fly. Most transit apps need a network connection for live arrivals.
- Tap water is safe to drink across the island.
2. How to pay on the MRT and buses
You almost never need a paper ticket. Singapore's SimplyGo system lets you tap straight onto an MRT gate or bus reader with:
- A contactless Visa or Mastercard (foreign cards work fine — check with your bank about foreign-transaction fees).
- Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay on your phone or watch.
- A local EZ-Link or NETS FlashPay card — buy and top up at 7-Eleven, MRT ticket offices and the airport.
Adult MRT fares are typically S$1.20 to S$2.50 per trip; bus fares similar. The cheapest option if you'll ride a lot in a day is the Singapore Tourist Pass (S$17 for 1 day, S$24 for 2 days, S$29 for 3 days — unlimited rides) sold at major MRT stations.
3. Things to know before you ride
- Operating hours: MRT runs roughly 5:30 am to midnight. Late-night buses (NightRider, Nite Owl) run on Friday and Saturday nights.
- No food or drink in MRT stations and trains. Fines start at S$500 — even chewing gum or sipping water.
- No durian on the MRT (yes, there's a pictogram on the doors).
- Stand on the left, walk on the right on escalators — it's a strong unspoken rule.
- Reserved seats (the red ones) are for elderly, pregnant or disabled passengers. People will give them up without prompting.
- Buses don't stop automatically — wave clearly at the kerb and ring the bell when you want to alight. Singapore buses are double-deckers and single-deckers; if you have a big bag, single-decks are easier.
- Crowd timing: 7:30–9:30 am and 5:30–7:30 pm on weekdays are peak. The Downtown Line and North-East Line interchanges (Outram Park, Dhoby Ghaut, Serangoon) are the busiest.
4. The public transport app you'll need — GoBus SG
Before you tap into your first MRT gate, put a transit app on your phone. We officially recommend GoBus SG — the lightweight, fastest public transport app for Singapore, powered directly by official LTA DataMall feeds for bus, MRT and LRT. Live bus arrival times, multi-modal trip planning and train service alerts — and the feature that changes how you travel: favourite stops paired with a home-screen widget, so the next bus is right there on your lock screen.
Download GoBus SG
Free for iPhone and Android — Singapore's public transport in one fast, lightweight app.
5. What GoBus SG gives you on day one
GoBus SG was built around the everyday transit moments — waiting at the kerb, glancing at your watch, deciding whether the next bus is worth waiting for. Everything below comes straight from official LTA DataMall feeds and is in the app by default.
| What you get | Included |
|---|---|
| Live bus arrival times — minute-accurate, straight from LTA | ✓ |
| MRT & LRT next-train times — across every line | ✓ |
| Favourite stops + home-screen widget — star the stops you use, then put the widget on your home screen to see the next bus at a glance (the two go together) | ✓ |
| Multi-modal trip planning — bus, MRT and LRT combined in one route | ✓ |
| Train service alerts — live disruption notifications from LTA | ✓ |
| Stop & route search — by code, name or service number | ✓ |
| Map view — nearby stops with live arrivals | ✓ |
| Lightweight & fast — opens instantly, easy on battery | ✓ |
| iOS and Android | ✓ |
6. A simple set-up for your first day
- Connect to airport Wi-Fi and install GoBus SG on iOS or Android.
- Star your favourite stops. Search the bus stop or MRT station closest to your hotel and tap the star — this is the most important step. Add the office stop, your hawker centre stop, and the airport bus stop while you're at it.
- Add the home-screen widget. Long-press your home screen, pick the GoBus SG widget, and point it at the favourite stop you just starred. From now on the next bus shows up on your lock screen — no app to open.
- Top up your contactless card or enable Apple Pay / Google Pay before you leave the airport.
- From the airport: the MRT (East-West Line) gets you to the city in 25–30 minutes for around S$2; airport buses 36 and 858 are slower but cheaper.
7. If something goes wrong
- Lost card or wallet: if you tapped in with a contactless card and lost it, just walk to a manned MRT gate — staff can release you. Block the card with your bank as soon as you can.
- Train disruption: LTA broadcasts disruption alerts on the official channels; bus bridging services are usually deployed within minutes. GoBus SG surfaces these as live train service alerts inside the app.
- Missed last train: taxis and Grab are abundant, and Friday/Saturday late-night buses cover most of the island. Open GoBus SG for the night-bus routes.
Get set up with GoBus SG
Live bus arrival times, home-screen widgets, multi-modal trip planning and train service alerts — powered directly by LTA.