Welcome to the tiny island of Singapore. An island which spans about 50 kilometers from the Airport to Tuas (East to West). Singapore offers one of the world’s most efficient public transportation system – bus, mrt, lrt and taxi. Bus being the cheapest way to get around, and taxi the fastest and most expensive way to get around!
You will probably be using the bus and mrt most of the time. First thing you need to get is an “ez-link card”. No, people don’t just magically tap their wallets and they’re able to get through the MRT. There’s a thing called Ez-Link card, and by definition its “a contactless stored value ticket for use on the MRT, LRT and the buses”.
How does it look like?
Front - Back
Where to get an Ez-link card?
You can buy it at Transitlink Ticket Offices or Passenger Services Center (Read: MRT stations with those ticket offices or Bus interchanges)
How much is it?
You have to shell out $15, the card is $5 (non-refundable) and $10 will be the value inside the card. Take note, if the value remaining is low (less than $3), you won’t be able to get into the MRT and you will have to top up.
Top-up? What’s that?
Singapore lingo for load (eg: Kelangan ko ng lagyan ng load ang ez-link ko – I need to top-up my ez-link). Minimum top-up is $10, max is $100. You can top-up with those automatic ticketing machines (only use exact change or NETS) or you can go to the passenger service center (those actual people) to top-up and they do give change if you have a large bill.
So I got an ez-link, now what?
No. 1 Rule – Tap in, Tap out. At the MRT, look at the arrows! You might be tapping at the wrong gate if the barrier won’t open for you. When taking the bus, ALWAYS board at the front of the bus and TAP IN! When you reach your destination, you can exit either in front or back door of the bus. DON’T FORGET TO TAP OUT! If you don’t tap out on the bus your ez-link will be deducted the maximum fare (eg: $2.60 instead of $0.69 only).
Tap-in, tap-out – WHAT and WHERE?!
Ok here’s what the reader on the bus looks like:
On the MRT:
And so that’s it, now you have an ez-link card, you should be able to get from one place to another (for as long as you ez-link has money in it). Stay tuned to my next post on how to get around Singapore!
Goodluck!
Side note: If you are still holding the old ez-link card, it will only be valid until September 30, 2009!! You can get replacement for free from any Transitlink Ticket Offices, Post Office, roving chuva.. read more here: http://www.ezlink.com.sg/corporate/corp_2009.5.jsp
Further reading: http://www.ezlink.com.sg/index.jsp
great very informative. damn! why do you need to tap out? before was just you need to pay and then when you to go down. just buzz then you can go.. hahhaa
ReplyDeletelol to prevent cheaters! :D
ReplyDelete