Recently, Singapore has been highlighted as one of the travel destinations through the show, \"<짠내투어>\" (roughly translated as \"짠내 tour\", referring to a budget travel show). Singapore has always been a popular travel destination for Koreans. It's a well-developed tourist spot in Southeast Asia, and its relatively small size makes it appealing to many.
When planning a trip to Singapore, which is rich in sights, food, and activities, a helpful tip is to understand its public transportation. If you're going on a free-and-easy trip instead of a package tour, transportation is paramount. Especially since Singapore is relatively small, the more familiar you are with its transportation, the more you can enjoy your trip! That's why we've prepared five tips after thoroughly analyzing Singapore's public transportation.
Singapore Free & Easy Trip:
In-depth Analysis of Public Transportation: 5 Tips
1. MRT
The most frequently used public transport when traveling in Singapore is probably the MRT. Simply put, it's the subway. With six lines connecting everywhere from the airport to the city center, it's a very convenient mode of transport. You can also purchase tickets through unmanned ticket vending machines, just like in Korea.
Similar to Korea, you need to pay a SGD 0.1 deposit and an additional fare depending on the distance. You can get your deposit refunded at an unmanned ticket vending machine at your destination station. A single trip usually costs around SGD 1.00 to SGD 2.30, including the deposit.
2. BUS
Even without using the MRT, you can use the BUS. However, there are three things to keep in mind when using buses in Singapore.
First, there are no announcements. Unlike in Korea, there's no service that tells you the current and next stops, so if you don't know exactly where to get off, you may experience inconvenience.
Second, you won't get change if you pay in cash. This is a difficult cultural aspect to understand for us, but if you're paying cash, you'll have to forgo change or prepare the exact fare. Lastly,
Third, the fares for regular buses and air-conditioned buses are different. Singapore buses are divided into regular and air-conditioned buses, and their fares differ. Regular buses are about 20% cheaper than air-conditioned ones, so keep this in mind.
3. EZ-Link Card / Tourist Pass
When using the MRT or BUS, it's better to use an EZ-Link card. It's the same concept as Tmoney in Korea. You can purchase and recharge it at most MRT stations, bus stops, and 7-Elevens.
Upon initial purchase, you need to pay SGD 12, including a SGD 5 deposit and SGD 7 credit. For subsequent top-ups, the minimum amount is SGD 10. If you have any remaining credit at the end of your trip, only the credit amount (excluding the deposit) is refundable.
Since it can be used to purchase drinks at 7-Eleven, among other things, it's also a good idea to use it up instead of getting a refund.
Besides the EZ-Link card, there's a tourist pass called \"Tourist Pass\", which allows unlimited use of public transport for SGD 10 per day. However, it can only be purchased at the airport and designated MRT stations.
Including a SGD 10 deposit, a 1-day pass costs SGD 20, a 2-day pass costs SGD 26, and a 3-day pass costs SGD 30. You can also get your deposit refunded by returning the used Tourist Pass to the point of purchase.
4. Taxi/Grab
Singapore is a country with strict regulations. Therefore, overcharging is rare, but to hail a taxi, you should use taxi stands located at hotel entrances and shopping center entrances.
The base fare is SGD 3-5 for up to 1km, and below 10km, SGD 0.22 is added per 400 meters; above 10km, SGD 0.22 is added per 350 meters.
Also, surcharges apply during peak hours. From 6 AM to 9:30 AM and from 6 PM to 12 AM, a 25% surcharge applies, and from 12 AM to 6 AM, a 50% surcharge applies, so please keep this in mind.
If you plan on using a taxi, consider \"Grab\" as well. While Uber is famous worldwide, Grab has far more drivers in Southeast Asia, making it more convenient to use. Plus, you can choose the type of car depending on the amount of luggage, and you can pay in cash, which is very convenient.
Trishaw
5. Trishaw
This is recommended for those who want to use a different mode of transportation other than the subways, buses, and taxis commonly used in Korea.
It's a \"Trishaw\". It's a mode of transport that combines a bicycle and a rickshaw. It's better to use it as a way to sightsee rather than a means of transportation between tourist spots.
They gather around Bugis Junction Street from around 3-4 PM, and a tour of Chinatown and Little India takes about 30 minutes. You usually pay around SGD 25, but you should always haggle before getting on.
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