Transportation in Singapore is predominantly land-based, with a comprehensive network of roads making many parts of the city-state, including islands such as Sentosa and Jurong Island, accessible. The road network is complemented by a robust rail system consisting of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and the Light Rail Transit (LRT), which cover the length and width of Singapore and serve a few neighbourhoods respectively. The main island of Singapore is also connected to other islands via ferryboat services. Furthermore, the city-state maintains strong international connections through two bridges linking it to Malaysia – the Causeway and the Second Link – and the Singapore Changi Airport, a major aviation hub in Asia.
Singapore's transport system is globally recognized for its efficiency and effectiveness. According to McKinsey’s Urban Transportation report, it ranks as the world's best overall, excelling in five criteria: availability, affordability, efficiency, convenience, and sustainability. [1] A study by London consulting firm Credo further highlights the cost-efficiency of Singapore's public transport networks, [2] with integrated multi-modal (bus and train) single-journey regular trunk adult card-based fares ranging from S$0.99 to S$2.26. The Monthly Travel Pass, offering unlimited bus and train rides, is set at S$128 per month. [3]
Public transport, encompassing public buses and the MRT and LRT rail networks, is the most common mode of transportation within the city-state. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) fully integrates public transport, with state ownership and public financing of the public infrastructure and public capital assets of railways [4] and buses. [5] The operation and maintenance of these systems are tendered to bidding operator companies on contract.
Private transport, including cars, motorcycles, and commercial vehicles, is less commonly used due to the country's limited land space and dense population. The LTA has controlled and limited the private vehicle population through the Vehicle Quota System (VQS) ownership market-based license auctions since 1990. High taxes, such as the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) and Additional Registration Fee (ARF), make private vehicle ownership prohibitively expensive, leading to Singapore's reputation as the most expensive country in the world to own a car. [6]
In recent years, Singapore has emerged as a preferred location for the testing and development of autonomous vehicles. This positions the city-state at the forefront of transportation innovation, demonstrating its commitment to leveraging technology to enhance its transport infrastructure. This development further solidifies Singapore's status as a global leader in transport efficiency and sustainability. [7]
Bus transport forms a significant part of public transport in Singapore, with over 4.0 million rides taken per day on average as of 2019. [8] There are more than 365 scheduled bus services, operated by SBS Transit, SMRT Buses, Tower Transit Singapore and Go-Ahead Singapore. There are also around 5,800 buses, most of which are single-deck and double-deck, and a small minority of articulated buses currently in active passenger service.
Since 2016, the Land Transport Authority regulates the public bus service standards and owns relevant assets whereas bus operators bid for operating bus services via competitive tendering, under its Bus Contracting Model.
Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHV) are a popular form of transport, with fares considered low compared to those in most cities in developed countries. Starting rates were $3.20 - $3.90. As of March 2019, the taxi and private hire car population has been increased to 83,037.
In Singapore, taxis can be flagged down at any time of the day along any public road outside of the Central Business District (CBD), while private hire cars can only be booked via ridesharing apps.
As of 2018, there was a total of 957,006 motor vehicles in Singapore, with 509,302 of them being private cars. [9]
Private transport (cars, motorcycles, commercial vehicles) is less commonly used as due to limited land space of the country, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has limited and controlled the population of privately owned vehicles in the country, through the Vehicle Quota System (VQS) ownership market-based license auctions since 1990. [10] As a result, private vehicles are prohibitively expensive and Singapore is known to be most expensive country in the world to own a car.; [6] [11] [12] [13] prospective private vehicle owners are required to place a bid for a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) sold under auction (valid for 10-years, as of October 2023, [14] COEs are priced at more than S$100,000 for all prospective car owners, more than S$80,000 for prospective commercial vehicle owners and more than S$10,000 for prospective motorcycle owners) and pay the Additional Registration Fee (ARF) tax imposed at 100-320% of the open market value (OMV) of the vehicle, among other fees. [11] [15] [16] As a result of the aforementioned taxes, on-the-road car prices in Singapore are approximately 5 times of the on-the-road car prices in Western countries. [6] [11] [12]
Singapore pioneered congestion pricing (the market-based usage management of public roads to reduce congestion at specific times within the city centre and certain expressways), with the Singapore Area Licensing Scheme, which has since been replaced with the Electronic Road Pricing, a form of electronic toll collection.
Traffic drives on the left which is typical in Commonwealth countries.
The planning, construction and maintenance of the road network is fully conducted by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), and this extends to expressways in Singapore. These form key transport arteries between the distinct towns and regional centres as laid out in Singapore's urban planning, with the main purpose of allowing vehicles to travel from satellite towns to the city centre and vice versa in the shortest possible distance. These expressways include:
The influence of expressways on Singapore's transport policy developed shortly after independence during the history of Singapore because of frequent traffic congestion in the Central district. The aim was to encourage residential development in other parts of the island and give residents in these new "satellite towns" a convenient link between their homes and their workplaces (which were mostly situated around the city centre.)
Singapore has two land links to Malaysia. The Johor-Singapore Causeway, built in the 1920s to connect Johor Bahru in Johor, Malaysia to Woodlands in Singapore, carries a road and a railway line. The Tuas Second Link, a bridge further west, was completed in 1996 and links Tuas in Singapore to Tanjung Kupang in Johor.
Before World War II, rickshaws were an important part of urban public transportation. In 1947 they were banned on humanitarian grounds, and replaced by trishaws (cycle rickshaws). [18]
Usage of trishaws as a means of transportation had died out by 1983. [19] However, there are some trishaws left which now serve as tourist attractions, taking tourists for a ride around the downtown district.
The Mass Rapid Transit, which opened in 1987, is a heavy rail metro system that serves as the major backbone of Singapore's public transport system along with public buses; as of November 2022, the network has a length of 230 km (142.92 mi) and 134 stations. The Land Transport Authority, the main planning authority of the MRT, plans to provide a more comprehensive rail transport system by expanding the rail system to a total of 360 km (223.69 mi) by the year 2030, with eight in ten households living within a 10-minute walking distance of an MRT station. [20]
The current MRT network consists of six main lines: the North–South Line, East–West Line, Circle Line and partially-opened Thomson–East Coast Line operated by SMRT Trains (SMRT Corporation) and the North East Line and Downtown Line operated by SBS Transit. Two more lines, the Jurong Region Line and the Cross Island Line, will open in stages from 2027 and 2030 respectively. [21] [22]
In several new towns, automated rubber-tyred light rail transit systems function as feeders to the main MRT network in lieu of feeder buses. The first LRT line, which is operated by SMRT Light Rail, opened in Bukit Panjang in 1999 to provide a connection to Choa Chu Kang in neighbouring Choa Chu Kang New Town. Although subsequently hit by over 50 incidents, some of which resulted in several days of system suspension, similar systems albeit from a different company were introduced in Sengkang and Punggol in 2003 and 2005 respectively, both operated by SBS Transit.
The international railway line to Malaysia is an extension of the Malaysian rail network operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (Malayan Railways). Since 1 July 2011, Woodlands Train Checkpoint serves as the southern terminus of the KTM rail network. Previously, KTM trains terminated at Tanjong Pagar railway station in central Singapore. One more rail link is being planned: the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System between Woodlands North and Bukit Chagar, Johor Bahru.
The national flag carrier is Singapore Airlines. In total, there are three local airlines, all operating out of Changi Airport:
Malaysia's Firefly is the sole operator with scheduled services out of Seletar Airport.
The aviation industry is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, a statutory board of the Singapore government under the Ministry of Transport.
An open skies agreement was concluded with the United Kingdom in October 2007 permitting unrestricted services from Singapore by UK carriers. Singapore carriers were allowed to operate domestic UK services as well as services beyond London Heathrow to a number of destinations, including the United States along with Canada. [23]
Singapore Changi Airport, with its four terminals, is one of the most important air hubs in the region. The international airport is situated at the easternmost tip of the main island, and serves 185 cities in 58 countries. [24] With the recent opening of the fourth terminal, Changi is now capable of handling more than 70 million passengers every year. Singapore Changi Airport is also named World's Best Airport in 2023 by Skytrax, its 12th selection in the past few decades. [25]
Seletar Airport is Singapore's first civil aviation airport and is primarily used for private aviation.
Airport | ICAO | IATA | Usage | Runway | Length (ft) | Length (m) | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paya Lebar Air Base | WSAP | QPG | Military | Paved | 12400 | 3800 | Former civilian |
Seletar Airport | WSSL | XSP | Civilian/Military | Paved | 6023 | 1836 | Mainly non-scheduled flights |
Sembawang Air Base | WSAG | Military | Paved | 3000 | 914 | ||
Singapore Changi Airport | WSSS | SIN | Civilian | Paved | 13200 | 4000 | |
Tengah Air Base | WSAT | TGA | Military | Paved | 8900 | 2713 |
The Singapore Cable Car is a three-station gondola lift system that plies between Mount Faber on the main island of Singapore and the resort island of Sentosa via HarbourFront. Opened in 1974, it was the first aerial ropeway system in the world to span a harbour. The cable car system underwent a revamp that was completed in August 2010.
In addition, a similar gondola lift system also operates within Sentosa as the Sentosa Line were opened in 2015. This line links Siloso Point to Imbiah. [26]
The Port of Singapore, run by the port operators PSA International (formerly the Port of Singapore Authority) and Jurong Port, is the world's busiest in terms of shipping tonnage handled. 1.04 billion gross tons were handled in 2004, crossing the one billion mark for the first time in Singapore's maritime history. Singapore also emerged as the top port in terms of cargo tonnage handled with 393 million tonnes of cargo in the same year, beating the Port of Rotterdam for the first time in the process. In 2019, it handled a total of 626 million tonnes of cargo. [27]
In 2018, Singapore was ranked second globally in terms of containerised traffic, with 36.6 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) handled, [28] and is also the world's busiest hub for transshipment traffic. Additionally, Singapore is the world's largest bunkering hub, with 49.8 million tonnes sold in 2018. [29]
In 2007, the Port of Singapore was ranked the world's busiest port, surpassing Hong Kong and Shanghai. [30] The Port of Singapore is also ranked the Best Seaport in Asia.
Port | Operator | Type | Berths | Quay length (m) | Quay cranes | Area (m2) | Capacity (kTEUs) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Asia Automobile (Singapore) (AATS) [31] | K Line/Nippon Yusen/PSA International | Car | 2 | ||||
Brani (BT) [32] | PSA International | Container | 8 | 2,325 | 26 | 790,000 | |
Cosco-PSA (CPT) | Cosco/PSA International | Container | 5 | 720 | 228,000 | 5,000 | |
Jurong | JTC | Multi-Purpose | 23 | 4,486 | 1,200,028 | ||
Keppel (KT) [32] | PSA International | Container | 14 | 3,164 | 27 | 1,025,000 | |
Magenta Singapore (MST) [31] | ONE/PSA International | Container | 4 | 4,000 | |||
MSC-PSA Asia (MPAT) [31] | MSC/PSA International | 7 | 14 | ||||
Pasir Panjang Automobile (PPT) [32] | PSA International | Ro-Ro | 3 | 1,010 | 250,000 | ||
Pasir Panjang (PPT 1) | PSA International | Container | 6 | 2,145 | 19 | 850,000 | |
Pasir Panjang (PPT 2) | PSA International | Container | 9 | 2,972 | 36 | 1,390,000 | |
Pasir Panjang (PPT 3) | PSA International | Container | 8 | 2,655 | 31 | 940,000 | |
Pasir Panjang (PPT 4) | PSA International | Container | 3 | 1,264 | 13 | 700,000 | |
Pasir Panjang (PPT 5) | PSA International | Container | 6 | 2,160 | 24 | 830,000 | |
Pasir Panjang (PPT 6) | PSA International | Container | 6 | 2,251 | 24 | 800,000 | |
PIL-PSA Singapore (PPST) [31] | PIL/PSA International | Container | 3 | ||||
Sembawang Wharves [32] | PSA International | General | 4 | 660 | 280,000 | ||
Tanjong Pagar (TPT) [32] | PSA International | Container | 7 | 2,097 | 0 | 795,000 |
Water transport within the main island is limited to the River Taxi along the Singapore River. The service was introduced in January 2013, with low ridership. [33] [34] There are also daily scheduled ferry services from the Marina South Pier to the Southern Islands such as Kusu Island, Lazarus Island & Saint John's Island and Sisters' Islands. [35] Changi Point Ferry Terminal in the east offers daily ferry services to Pulau Ubin and some destinations in Johor, Malaysia.
Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC) runs Tanah Merah and HarbourFront Ferry Terminals which are connected by ferry services to Indonesian Riau Islands of Batam, Bintan and Karimun. [36]
In addition to the ferry terminals, the Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC) also operates a cruise terminal which is handled by the International Passenger Terminal (IPT), and has two berths of 310 metres and 270 metres with a height limit of 52 metres. It has a draft of 12 metres. It underwent an upgrade in 2005 to improve its passenger handling facilities. An additional cruise terminal, the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore, began construction in 2009 and was completed in 2012 in order to accommodate bigger cruise ships that are not able to dock at the Singapore Cruise Centre.
Changi is a planning area located in the geographical region of Tanah Merah in the East Region of Singapore. Sharing borders with Pasir Ris and Tampines to the west, Changi Bay to the southeast, the South China Sea to the east and the Serangoon Harbour to the north. Changi, excluding the two water catchments and islands of Singapore, is the largest planning area by land size.
The Mass Rapid Transit system, locally known by the initialism MRT, is a rapid transit system in Singapore and the island country's principal mode of railway transportation. The system commenced operations in November 1987 after two decades of planning with an initial 6 km (3.7 mi) stretch consisting of five stations. The network has since grown to span the length and breadth of the country's main island – with the exception of the forested core and the rural northwestern region – in accordance with Singapore's aim of developing a comprehensive rail network as the backbone of the country's public transportation system, averaging a daily ridership of 3.4 million in 2019.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of the Government of Singapore.
The East–West Line (EWL) is a high-capacity Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line operated by SMRT in Singapore, running from Pasir Ris station in the east to Tuas Link station in the west, with an additional branch between Changi Airport and Tanah Merah stations. It is the second Mass Rapid Transit line to be built in Singapore. Coloured green on the rail map, the line serves 35 stations, 8 of which are underground. At 57.2 kilometres (35.5 mi), the line is the longest on the MRT network.
HarbourFront MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station in Singapore. The termini of the North East line (NEL) and Circle line (CCL), the station serves the HarbourFront area and Sentosa. Surrounding retail and commercial developments include VivoCity and HarbourFront Centre, and the station is near HarbourFront Bus Interchange and the Singapore Cruise Centre.
Changi Airport MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station serving Changi Airport and its supplementary structure Jewel in Changi, Singapore. The station is the terminus of the Changi Airport branch of the East West line (EWL); it is operated by SMRT Trains and is built in an east–west direction. The ends of the station directly connect to Terminals 2 and 3 of Changi Airport.
Public buses form a significant part of public transport in Singapore, with over 3.6 million rides taken per day on average as of December 2021. There are 352 scheduled bus services, operated by SBS Transit, SMRT Buses, Tower Transit Singapore and Go-Ahead Singapore. The newest bus operator, Go-Ahead Singapore started operation on 4 September 2016. There are also around 5,800 buses currently in operation as of 2020.
Expo MRT station is a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the East West line (EWL) and Downtown line (DTL) in the Tampines planning area, Singapore. The station lies between Changi City Point and the Singapore Expo, located along Changi South Avenue 1 at the junction of Expo Drive.
Tanah Merah MRT station is an elevated Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the East West line (EWL). Located in Bedok, Singapore, the station is along New Upper Changi Road and serves various residential developments, including Casa Merah. It is the terminus of the EWL branch to Changi Airport station.
The history of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system of Singapore commenced with its planning in the 1960s, which finally led to its opening in 1987 with the launch of a 6 km section of the North South Line (NSL) from Yio Chu Kang to Toa Payoh. Since its inception, the rapid transit system has played a crucial role in the public transportation network and the wider development of the country as a whole, providing a fast and efficient means of transportation for millions of Singaporeans daily.
Rail transport in Singapore mainly consists of a passenger urban rail transit system spanning the entire city-state: a rapid transit system collectively known as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system operated by the two biggest public transport operators SMRT Trains and SBS Transit, as well as several Light Rail Transit (LRT) rubber-tyred automated guideway transit lines also operated by both companies. In addition, local specialised light rail lines are in operation in places such as the Singapore Changi Airport and Sentosa.
This article shows the notable future developments in Singapore. Most of them are currently under construction with most to be completed within the next five years.
Transport in Greater Kuala Lumpur includes a road network, a railway network, airports, and other modes of public transport. Greater Kuala Lumpur is conterminous with the Klang Valley, an urban conglomeration consisting of the city of Kuala Lumpur, as well as surrounding towns and cities in the state of Selangor. The Klang Valley has the country's largest airport, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), as well as the country's largest intermodal transport hub and railway station, Kuala Lumpur Sentral.
The Thomson–East Coast Line (TEL) is a high-capacity Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line in Singapore. Coloured brown on the rail map, it is fully underground. When fully completed, the sixth line on the country's MRT network will serve 32 stations around 43 kilometres (27 mi) in length, becoming one of the world's longest driverless rapid transit lines. It runs along a combined north–south and east–west corridor, starting in the north at Woodlands town, passing through Upper Thomson and the towns of Ang Mo Kio and Bishan, heading south to the city-centre at Orchard Road and Marina Bay, subsequently heading eastwards along the eastern coast of the country through Kallang, Marine Parade and southern Bedok before ending at Upper East Coast.
The following lists events that happened during 2011 in the Republic of Singapore.
Choa Chu Kang MRT/LRT station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) interchange station in Choa Chu Kang, Singapore. It is an interchange between the North South line and Bukit Panjang LRT, serving as the western terminus of the latter. The station is located between Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange and Lot One in the Choa Chu Kang town centre.
The Cross Island Line (CRL) is a high capacity Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line under development in Singapore. It will run in an east–west direction from Changi to Jurong Industrial Estate via Loyang, Pasir Ris, Hougang, Serangoon North, Ang Mo Kio, Sin Ming, Bukit Timah, Clementi and West Coast. From Pasir Ris, the line will branch off to Punggol. The 58-kilometre (36 mi) line will replace the East West Line as the longest line on the MRT network upon its complete opening by the 2040s, serving about 27 stations.
Sungei Bedok MRT station is a future underground Mass Rapid Transit interchange and terminal station on the Downtown line and Thomson–East Coast line in Bedok planning area, Singapore. The station is being built east of where Upper East Coast Road becomes Bedok Road, and will serve residents of the Eastwood estate. Nearby facilities include the Bedok Food Centre, Eastwood Centre and the Laguna National Golf & Country Club.
The Bus Contracting Model (BCM), formerly known as the Government Contracting Model, is a contracting model introduced by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in 2014 for public buses in Singapore, implemented in 2016. The BCM is based on the Transperth model in Perth, Western Australia with quality incentive elements from London Buses. Under the BCM, local and overseas bus operators bid for contracts to operate public bus services on behalf of LTA. The LTA has also adopted a new unified lush green livery and logo for all buses, and now procures and owns the bus fleet for all public bus services in Singapore.