Bus and MRT fare rise on 26 December 2026: adults pay 12 to 13 cents more per trip

The bus and MRT fare rise on 26 December 2026 adds 12 cents to adult card fares for trips up to 3.2km and 13 cents for longer ones. Student, senior and persons with disabilities card fares go up 5 cents. Monthly passes stay at their current prices, and so do card fares for Workfare Transport Concession Scheme (WTCS) holders.

The Public Transport Council (PTC) announced the 2026 Fare Review Exercise on 29 September 2026. It is the largest single rise in cents so far, although the 7.0 per cent overall increase is less than half of the 14.7 per cent the formula would have allowed.

New fares for the bus and MRT fare rise on 26 December 2026

Here are examples from PTC’s fare tables for adult card fares. A “basic” journey on trunk bus services uses the same distance bands as the train.

• Trunk bus, up to 3.2km: S$1.28 now, S$1.40 from 26 December.
• Trunk bus, 3.3km to 4.2km: S$1.38 now, S$1.51 from 26 December.
• Trunk bus, 9.3km to 10.2km: S$1.86 now, S$1.99 from 26 December.
• Feeder bus: S$1.28 now, S$1.40 from 26 December.
• Express bus, up to 3.2km: S$2.28 now, S$2.40 from 26 December.
• MRT and LRT, up to 3.2km, tapping in at 7.45am or later: S$1.28 now, S$1.40 from 26 December.
• MRT and LRT, over 40.2km, tapping in at 7.45am or later: S$2.57 now, S$2.70 from 26 December.

Tapping in before 7.45am on weekdays (excluding public holidays) still earns the early-bird discount on the train. The shortest train trip goes from 78 cents to 90 cents in that window.

Cash fares and concessions

If you still pay cash on buses, the increase is bigger. Adult cash fares go up 20 cents a journey, and student, senior and PwD cash fares go up 10 cents. A trunk bus ride of up to 3.2km moves from S$2.10 to S$2.30 in cash, which is S$0.90 more than the card fare.

• Adult card fares: plus 12 cents (up to 3.2km) or 13 cents (longer trips).
• Student, senior and PwD card fares: plus 5 cents.
• Adult cash fares: plus 20 cents.
• Student, senior and PwD cash fares: plus 10 cents.
• WTCS card fares and all monthly passes: no change.

Help with the increase

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) is raising Public Transport Vouchers from S$60 to S$80 per eligible household. The per capita income ceiling goes up from S$1,800 to S$2,100, so about 4 in 10 households will qualify, around 60,000 more than before. MOT’s release does not say when the vouchers will be issued, so we will update this once it does.

Households that need extra help can approach their local Community Centre or Club. MOT also warns of fake messages about the vouchers. Officials will never ask you to transfer money or give bank log-in details; call the ScamShield helpline at 1799 if you are unsure.

The Government is also giving close to S$200 million in additional subsidies for 2027 to cover the 7.7 per cent of the adjustment that has been deferred. Train operators SBS Transit Rail and SMRT Trains must put 30 per cent of their expected extra revenue into the Public Transport Fund, which is S$8.07 million and S$15.87 million respectively.

Why fares are going up

PTC’s formula for 2026 produced 5.3 per cent, mainly because of higher energy prices. On top of that, 9.4 percentage points were carried over from earlier exercises, giving a ceiling of 14.7 per cent. PTC granted 7.0 per cent and deferred the other 7.7 percentage points to future reviews.

The overall increase brings in about S$176.9 million a year in extra fare revenue. PTC says fares remain affordable: the second quintile of households spent 1.7 per cent of income on public transport in 2025, and the second decile spent 2.4 per cent.

What you can do before 26 December

1. If you travel a lot, compare your monthly spend with a monthly pass. PTC says about 110,000 more card commuters could save an average of about S$26 a month by switching to a monthly hybrid pass.
2. Stop paying cash on buses. Tapping a card saves 90 cents on the shortest trunk ride after the increase.
3. Check whether your household qualifies for the S$80 vouchers under the new S$2,100 per capita ceiling.

Travelling on the new lines? The TEL5 and DTL3e extension opens on the same day, 26 December 2026. Wage pressure is also behind a separate change: see how the bus captain starting salary rises S$450 from 1 January 2027. If cost of living is on your mind, our MOM labour market summary for 3Q 2026 has the job figures.

Full details are on the PTC fare review page.