Starting December 23, 2023, public transport fares for adults using card payments in Singapore will increase by up to 11 cents, following a 7% overall rise in bus and train fares. This decision was announced by the Public Transport Council (PTC) after their annual fare review.

Adult card fares will rise by 10 cents for journeys up to 4.2 km and 11 cents for longer rides. Concessionary fares for seniors, students, individuals with disabilities, and low-wage workers will see increases of four cents for short journeys and five cents for longer ones. Approximately two million commuters, or half of Singapore’s population, fall into this category.

This fare increase marks the steepest rise since 2019, when fares also increased by 7%. The 11-cent hike is the highest on record. According to the PTC, fares could have increased by 22.6% this year, attributed to a significant rise in energy prices and overall inflation.

Transport operators, SBS Transit and SMRT Trains, initially sought the full fare hike, citing higher operational costs and a slow recovery in ridership. Currently, public transport ridership remains at about 90% of pre-Covid-19 levels.

To mitigate the fare increase’s impact, the government is providing an additional S$300 million in subsidies for public transport, on top of the existing S$2 billion allocated annually. The PTC decided to defer a portion of the fare increase to maintain affordability amid the current economic climate.

In addition to the fare increases, a new monthly concession travel pass for low-wage workers will be introduced at S$96, significantly less than the standard adult monthly travel pass price of S$128. Monthly passes for other concessionary groups, including seniors and students, will see reductions of up to 10%.

The government will also distribute S$50 public transport vouchers to resident households with a monthly income of up to S$1,600, aimed at helping them cope with the fare increase.

Despite the increases, the PTC noted that public transport remains affordable, with average spending on fares representing a small percentage of monthly incomes in various income brackets.