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Singapore’s Public Transit System

By shivaniinsingapore

One of the best things about Singapore is its public transit. One can literally get from one end of Singapore to the other within the time frame of an hour and a half to two hours. The public transit system here is referred to as the MRT, and to use it, you must have an EZ-Link card (identical to a SmarTrip). There are four basic lines: the Circle line (this is the line that contains the stop for NUS called Kent Ridge) , the Northeast Line (this line has Chinatown and Little India on it), the North-South Line (this line contains a major shopping district called Orchard Road, as well as "downtown" Singapore, known as Marina Bay), and finally, the East-West Line (this line contains mainly residential areas, as well as one of the largest street markets for shopping). You may only have a minimum balance of 3 Singapore dollars (SGD) before the system forces you to add a minimum of $10 SGD; traveling on the MRT usually costs anywhere from $1-$2 SGD one way.


The MRT is rather simple to use, and the maps are as easy to read as the DC Metro maps. However, a significant difference lies in the fact that there are MANY  more rules for using the MRT than on the Metro. For instance, eating or  drinking (even water) inside the station can have fines up to $500 SGD, which is roughly $400 US. Also, taking pictures is prohibited inside the MRT, which is unfortunately why I do not have a picture for this entry. In addition, there are reserved seats for those who are traveling that are injured, have small children, or for women that are pregnant. It is common courtesy/common expectation in Singapore to stand up and give up your seat for someone that is elderly as well. Although there is no official penalty for sitting in a reserved seat, many locals still graciously allow others to take their seat if necessary. It is also uncommon for people to hold hands on the MRT. A local Singaporean website called Stomp is basically a site in which people can send in pictures of peoples' actions that they deem to be obscene/annoying/irksome. A lot of pictures uploaded to that site involve people partaking in outlandish behavior on the MRT. For example, one picture showed two students of the opposite sex hugging on the MRT. The caption read:" Class monitor and bf in school uniform 'hug on the MRT like nobody's business'".

Aside from the MRT, other forms of transportation include a public bus system and taxis. The public bus system is something that I have yet to figure out, so I can't really comment much on it at the moment. My campus also has an internal bus shuttle that runs about every five minutes from about 7 AM to midnight each day; however, it is very simple to walk to class (usually only takes about ten minutes or so). These buses get crowded fairly quickly, so I walk to class for the most part. Taxis in Singapore are considered to be expensive. There is about a $3 SGD fee for waving down a cab, and if you travel during peak hours or during "late" hours, you can get charged an additional 25%-50% of your metered fare. Therefore, many people tend to stick to public transport systems and try to make it back before the closing time of public transit (usually around 11PM-midnight on weekends).

Some families have their own cars, but it is VERY expensive to have a car in Singapore. Automobiles in Singapore carry one of the heftiest taxes and cost a lot more than cars in the US. One of my local friends mentioned that his family spent over $130,000 for their car, in addition to the fees incurred in obtaining a driving permit and license plate. Thus, I usually see a lot of families using the MRT as opposed to driving on the roads.

The other great part about Singapore is that it is rather difficult to get lost! In addition to a great public transit system, the locals are always willing to help you find your way around Singapore. Most of the Singaporeans I have met are extremely friendly and helpful. However, local Singaporeans have a dialect here that is colloquially known as Singlish, which can be very difficult to understand, as it is a blend of English, Hokkien, and Malay. There are several terms that Singaporeans use that took me a long time to understand, but here are a few of the common terms:

Chope- save a seat

Lah/leh- an added expression at the end of a sentence (used to express excitement usually)

Ang Moh- term used to describe people that are Caucasian (but some of my local friends have told me that this term is often used to describe all foreignersl)

Walao- used to show shock or astonishment

Mugging- memorizing/studying

In restaurants, instead of using "carry out", you have to use the term "take away". Finally,  a lot of my local friends add the phrase "is it?" at the end of a majority of their questions.
Singapore's public transport system is very efficient and well maintained. It is extremely useful to get to places for very small fares!