Students can convert concession cards to SimplyGo ones from Sept 7
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Students can convert their school smart cards at selected ticketing machines in all MRT stations and bus interchanges.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE – From Sept 7, students with concession cards or school smart cards can convert them to SimplyGo concession cards, making it more convenient for their parents to top up the cards remotely via the SimplyGo app, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Sept 6.
Students can convert their school smart cards at selected ticketing machines in all MRT stations and bus interchanges.
They can use their original cards, place them on the machines and click “upgrade” to do the conversion.
The SimplyGo concession card can be paired with the SimplyGo app, allowing remote top-ups, automatic top-ups upon low balance and a lost card to be blocked.
Students can continue to enjoy the same subsidised fare for public transport and use the card for contactless payments at Smart Buddy terminals in schools. These are tap-and-pay terminals that can accept payments made through POSB Smart Buddy smartwatches and school smart cards.
Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat in May announced that LTA would act on the feedback given by parents and students, who said they wanted the option of converting their existing school smart cards to SimplyGo concession cards.
The authority noted that there are currently close to 460,000 student school smart card holders.
The conversion is optional, and students can choose to continue using their card-based school smart cards if they prefer.
In a Facebook post on Sept 6, Mr Chee thanked parents and students for their suggestions and said that the authorities are constantly looking for ways to improve the public transport system.
