Taking the bus or MRT is about to get slightly more expensive again.
From 26 December 2026, adult card fares for public buses and trains will increase by 12 cents for journeys of up to 3.2km and 13 cents for longer journeys.
Concession fares will rise by five cents per journey, while adults paying cash on buses will pay 20 cents more.
Overall, public transport fares will increase by 7 per cent under the 2026 fare adjustment.
Adult Fares to Increase by 12 or 13 Cents
The increase means the amount an adult card user pays will depend on the distance travelled.
For journeys of up to 3.2km, the fare will increase by 12 cents. For journeys longer than 3.2km, commuters will pay an additional 13 cents.
The changes apply to distance-based adult card fares on buses and trains.
Meanwhile, concession fares will increase by five cents per journey.
Adult commuters who still pay cash on public buses will see a larger increase of 20 cents.
The new fares take effect on Saturday, 26 December.
Overall Fare Adjustment Is 7%
The 7 per cent adjustment is higher than the 5 per cent increase approved for 2025.
Under last year’s exercise, adult bus and MRT fares increased by nine or 10 cents from 27 December 2025, depending on the distance travelled.
The Public Transport Council regulates Singapore’s public transport fares through a fare adjustment formula designed to account for changes in the cost of running the system.
Among the cost factors considered are inflation, wages and energy prices. The current fare formula also includes fixed components intended to account for productivity and changes in public transport capacity.
For 2026, higher energy costs contributed to the latest adjustment.
The way those costs are reflected in fares has also changed. From the 2026 exercise, the reference period used for cost factors runs from July of the previous year to June of the review year, shortening the lag between changes in operating costs and their effect on fares.
Fares Have Increased in Recent Years
The latest adjustment continues a series of annual fare increases.
Public transport fares rose by 7 per cent in 2023, followed by 6 per cent in 2024 and 5 per cent in 2025.
In 2024, for example, adult fares went up by 10 cents per journey, while concession fares increased by four cents.
The 2026 changes will now add as much as another 13 cents to an adult’s bus or train journey from 26 December.
