About 60,000 more households to qualify for public transport vouchers after income limits eased
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Households can use the vouchers to top up fare cards or buy monthly passes after the fare hike kicks in on Dec 26.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
- About 60,000 more lower-income households with a per capita income up to $2,100 will qualify for increased public transport vouchers of $80, up from $60 last year.
- A 7% fare hike will take effect from Dec 26, but monthly pass prices remain unchanged, encouraging frequent users to save an average of $26 monthly.
- Public Transport Council requires operators to contribute $23.94 million from fare increases to the Public Transport Fund to support vouchers for lower-income commuters.
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SINGAPORE – About four in 10 households will qualify for public transport vouchers aimed at cushioning the impact of fare hikes. This is an increase of about 60,000 households from the previous year.
Furthermore, lower-income homes with a per capita income of $2,100 will be eligible for the vouchers, up from $1,800 previously, said the Ministry of Transport (MOT).
The value of these vouchers will also increase to $80 for every household, up from $60 in 2025.
Households can use the vouchers to top up fare cards or buy monthly passes when the fare hike kicks in on Dec 26.
From end-December, those who received a voucher during the public transport vouchers exercise in 2025 and continue to meet the income eligibility criterion will automatically receive their vouchers, MOT said.
They will receive notification letters via post or SMS.
In the second stage, starting in early 2027, households that meet the income eligibility criterion but previously did not receive a voucher can apply for the vouchers online or in person at community centres or clubs.
More details will be announced later, MOT added.
The changes come amid a 7% fare hike that will add up to 13 cents to bus and train fares for adult travellers from Dec 26, due to an increase in energy costs driven by the Middle East crisis.
Speaking to reporters at the annual fare review on Sept 29, the Public Transport Council (PTC) said it encourages frequent public transport users to use monthly passes to manage their transport expenses.
The price of monthly travel passes for adults will remain at $122, while senior citizens and people with disabilities will continue to pay $55 for a hybrid monthly concession pass valid for buses and trains.
Prices of all monthly passes will stay the same as the previous year, so about 110,000 more travellers – or 4% of all passengers – can benefit from switching to a monthly hybrid pass after the fare hike, the PTC said.
The switch can save travellers an average of about $26 each month, it added.
There are now 126,000 monthly pass users, which account for 5% of all public transport users.
The cost of travel for Workfare Transport Concession Scheme card holders will remain unchanged at $92 a month, benefiting about 190,000 such users, or 7% of all passengers, said the PTC.
It reduced the prices of monthly hybrid passes in the public transport fare review in 2025.
For instance, adult passengers now pay $122 for a monthly pass, down from $128 before the review in 2025. Seniors and people with disabilities pay $55, instead of $58.
The PTC said monthly passes give passengers who travel frequently and consistently throughout the month the option to limit their monthly public transport expenditure.
It added that it is exploring a new function to alert travellers on the SimplyGo app when their monthly expenditure on public transport exceeds the cost of a monthly pass – whether they are students, national servicemen, adults, senior citizens or people with disabilities.
When asked about the possibility of rolling out an automatic fare cap, PTC chair Janet Ang said there are difficulties in ensuring the efficiency of a price cap.
For example, if the cap is priced too high, it may not be fair to the different passenger groups.
As for whether monthly passes can be used to cover express bus fares, Ang said the PTC is studying it.
PTC chief executive Leow Yew Chin said the inclusion of express bus fares in monthly passes will involve costs that have to be cross-subsidised by other users, including those who do not take express buses.
In line with any fare increase, public transport operators are required to contribute part of their increased fare revenue to the Public Transport Fund.
The Government draws from the fund to disburse public transport vouchers to help lower-income households cope with fare increases.
For the latest fare review exercise, the PTC will require SBS Transit (SBST) Rail and SMRT Trains to contribute 30% of their expected increase in revenue – a total of $23.94 million – to the Public Transport Fund.
That works out to $8.07 million from SBST Rail and $15.87 million from SMRT Trains.
In response to queries, SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai said: “Commuters rely on our services every day, and we take that responsibility seriously.
“We will continue working with the Land Transport Authority and our industry partners to deliver safe and reliable services.”
SBST spokeswoman Grace Wu said the operator is facing ongoing cost pressures, with energy costs remaining high and a competitive labour market putting pressure on manpower costs.
“The fare adjustment will help us manage these rising operating costs, while we remain committed to maintaining the safety, reliability and quality of our services.”