Recently, I walked my friends to the Bukit Panjang MRT station after hosting a gathering at my place. They were heading back to their homes in Novena and Hougang.

It was about 20 minutes past eleven at night, and by the time we reached the station, we were upset that the station had already closed.

The last train leaves the station at 11.35pm daily. Subsequently, I discovered that the last train at Punggol MRT station departs at an even earlier time: 11.28pm.

In Taipei, the last trains leave terminals at midnight, while those in Hong Kong leave their terminals as late as 1am.

Singapore is now seeking ways to encourage its population to take public transport, and extending train operating hours would certainly be a stimulus.

This is especially true for many Singaporeans who have social activities with friends or families running late into the night after work.

Ng Wei Shee