COMMUTERS can get their hands on the new ez-link cards which have more features by the end of December.

These cards will allow commuters to pay for Electronic Road Pricing tolls and parking charges on top of the usual MRT and bus fares.

They just need to be slotted in new in-vehicle units which can read the card.

The IUs will be made available in January.

Commuters can buy the new ez-link cards at Transitlink offices in most MRT stations, or they can get trade in their current cards from January for free.

More details on where to exchange the cards will be released closer to the changeover date, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in a statement on Tuesday.

The current ez-link cards will be phased out eventually but LTA said that there is more than enough time for commuters to get them change.

Another feature of the new card is that there will be no travel deposit.

Currently, cards cost $15 which consists of a $5 fee for the card, $7 in stored value, and a $3 travel deposit which can only be used for travelling - and not to make other purchases in shops.

The new cards cost the same - $15 - but there is no travel deposit so commuters can use the full $10 in stored value for whatever they want.