Finding your way around Singapore's rail system is made easier with multi-lingual signs at all MRT stations. Names of stations are displayed in three languages at various parts of the station and on the system maps. Commuters who are conversant in Mandarin and Tamil will be able to read the signs at the entrances to stations and along the platforms. Fare charts on the concourse also display station names in these languages.
These multi-lingual signs are an enhancement of our current signage system, which uses colours and alpha-numeric codes. Each MRT line is marked by a different colour, for example red for the North South Line and green for the East West Line. Each station is then assigned an alpha-numeric code, comprising two letters followed by its number. For instance, Somerset station along the North South Line is easily identified as NS23.
Lifts
Since December 2004, commuters have been able to use the newly constructed ramps and lifts at all elevated stations along the East West Line. The visually-impaired will be able to find their way around the stations independently, with help from the tactile guidance system. This system, which has been implemented at all MRT stations, will be effective in aiding the handicapped to make their way around. The tactile route will start at the entrance of the station at ground level and lead to the station concourse level. Here, commuters will pass through the wide fare gates and into the concourse paid area. The route will then continue and end at the concourse level lift entrance. Upon reaching the platform, commuters will be guided to a designated waiting area on the platform before they board the train.
Art In Transit
Have no time to visit the museum? Now, we bring art to your doorstep. Thanks to some nifty art work by 19 distinguished artists, you can now savour art as you zip from home to work. Our Art In Transit programme is living proof of how we try to weave art and culture into our infrastructure. Here are some of the examples:
Clarke Quay station's telescope-like, red-tiered roof
The Serangoon station is marked by a triangular glass structure encased by an open, cube-like structure. There are four such structures painted in different colours to indicate four entrances. One common thread in the design of the stations is the prominent display of thematic artwork.
Lending a slick, modern appeal are two spaceship-like roofs suspended over the Expo Station.
A soft glow emanates from the 140m mezzanine bridge that links Terminal 2 and the future Terminal 3. The twin atria, curtain-walls made from tempered glass panels, allow natural light into the underground Changi Airport Station.
History
In the 1960's, the city's leaders were convinced of the need to support the economy with a reliable and efficient transport system to support nation building. Thus, the government commissioned a State and City Planning study in 1967 to study the possibility of expanding the transport network. Amongst others, the findings of the four-year study pointed to a need for a rail transit system by 1992. Following a debate on whether a bus-only system would be more cost-effective, the parliament came to the conclusion that an all-bus system would be inadequate, since it would have to compete for road space in a land-scarce country.
As a result, feasibility studies were carried out between 1972 and 1980 to examine the possibility of building a rail network supported by a network of buses. The rail system was to operate through the most densely-populated areas and this resulted in the conception of the East West Line and North South Line. An independent team from Harvard University was engaged to reinforce the initial recommendations for a rail system supported by a bus network. In May 1982, the Government gave the go-ahead and work on the construction of the MRT began. The S$5 billion project was targeted to be completed in 1992. The 67 km-long route would boast 42 stations, of which 27 would be above ground and 15 under ground. The North South Line was implemented first as more people need to be ferried across the busy Orchard corridor and the Central Business District.
Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, officiated the launching of the system on 12 March 1988. The remainder of the system was opened in stages and the final section was completed in July 1990, two years ahead of schedule.
In February 1991, the Government announced its decision to extend the MRT system to Woodlands. Work on this 16-km extension was completed on 10 February 1996. The concept of having rail lines that bring people almost directly to their homes led to the introduction of the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system into the existing Mass Rapid Transit network. On 6 November 1999, the first LRT trains on the Bukit Panjang LRT Line went into operation. To promote tourism, the Changi Airport and Expo stations were built. The North East Line, the first line operated by SBS Transit, opened on 20 June 2003 and became one of the first fully automated heavy rail lines in the world.
Three types of rolling stock are used to carry passengers on both the North South Line and the East West Line. They are powered by 750-volt DC third rail and operate in sets of six cars. The majority of the fleet comprises 396 C151 Cars; these are the oldest trains that are still in operation, as of 2006. An S$142.7 million upgrade of these trains will be completed by 2008.
In 1994, 114 C651 cars were bought to complement the existing fleet of C151 trains when the Woodlands extension opened.
Between 1998 and 2001, 126 C751B cars were introduced. The cars have a sleeker design and come with an improved passenger information system, more grab poles, wider seats, more space near the doors and spaces for wheelchairs. As these trains were originally intended to operate on a direct service from Boon Lay to Changi Airport, luggage racks were installed for air travellers. However, in April 2002, faulty gearboxes forced all 21 train-sets to be off-service, and the service was temporarily suspended. The direct service was scrapped in July 2003, and the luggage racks were removed.
Since its opening in 2003, 150 driverless Alstom Metropolis Cars have been operating on the North East Line. They are fully automatic, powered by overhead lines on 1500 volts DC, and are the first trains to have closed-circuit cameras (CCTV) installed within their interiors.
C151 Car
C651 Car
C751B Car
Alstom Metropolis Car
Trans-Island Bus Services Ltd (Tibs) was incorporated on 31 May 1982. With an initial fleet of 37 buses on 2 bus services, Tibs rolled into operation on 3 April 1983, serving Woodlands/Sembawang corridors. Today, its network and bus fleet have expanded. It now has more than 800 buses on 65 routes with areas of operations mainly in the northern part of Singapore, namely Yishun, Woodlands, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang, Sembawang, Bukit Batok and the upcoming Simpang New Town. Tibs merged with SMRT in 2001 and was rebranded as SMRT Buses Ltd on 10 May 2004.
SMRT Buses, then Tibs, introduced Singapore's First Night Service, an innovative public transport system for midnight revellers - NR 1 on 10 March 2000. Currently, SMRT Buses has 7 NR services. NR services provide Singapore with a midnight service designed to cater for early morning travellers who previously had limited transport options. NightRider provides a safe and affordable travel system to a broad range of potential users.
| In 1981, the then Minister for Communications, Mr Ong Teng Cheong, announced the Government¡¯s intention to allow the formation of a second bus company to compete with Singapore Bus Service Ltd on an equal footing. | |
| In March 1982, Singapore Shuttle Bus (Pte) Ltd was granted a license to operate the second bus company. Hence, Trans-Island Bus Services Ltd was incorporated on 31 May 1982. | |
| Trans-Island Bus Services Ltd started operations on 3 April 1983 with 37 buses plying on two services - Services 160 and 167. In the early years whilst waiting for the completion of its headquarters in Ang Mo Kio, Tibs' administrative staff were housed in double-decked container offices, which although small, were cosy. Bus repairs and maintenance were carried out under makeshift sheds. Diesel was obtained from skid tanks and buses had to be washed manually. | |
| On 3 April 1986, Tibs moved into its new office in Ang Mo Kio. The new office houses the administrative, engineering and workshop facilities. It also has a refilling station and a fully automatic bus-washing machine. | |
| Before 12 March 1987, Trans-Island had an agreement with a management consultancy, Trans-Island Management and Engineering Services (TIMES) which undertook responsibility for the management and administration, repair and maintenance of its fleet of buses. On 12 March 1987, Trans-Island acquired Singapore Shuttle Bus (Private) Limited. It also ended its management arrangement with TIMES and undertook its own administration, repair and maintenance. On 13 March 1987, Trans-Island became a public listed company. 27 April 1987 marked the successful listing of Tibs on SESDAQ. There was an overwhelming number of applications for Tibs' shares which were over-subscribed by more than 40 times. | |
| On 2 May 1990, Tibs Taxis Pte Ltd was formed. It is the only company in Singapore to operate a fleet of entirely large capacity taxis. It is also the only company in Singapore to operate the world-famous London taxis. Tibs Motors Pte. Ltd. was set up in 1990 to provide workshop services and to carry out business as a distributor and agent for motor vehicles. | |
| In 1991, Trans-Island underwent a restructuring and together with the other subsidiaries like I.C. Equipment and PB Packaging Systems, came under a holding company, TIBS Holdings Ltd. The restructuring resulted in the listing of TIBS Holdings Ltd in place of Trans-Island Bus Services Ltd on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Singapore on 2nd September 1991. | |
| In late 2001, Trans-Island came under the SMRT Corporation Ltd. | |
| Trans-Island Bus Services, TIBS Taxis and TIBS Motors were rebranded as SMRT Buses Ltd, SMRT Taxis Pte Ltd and SMRT Automotives Pte Ltd respectively. |
SBS Transit is one of the leading bus operators in this part of the world and started rail operations in 2003. It was formed in 1973 through the merger of three private bus companies and listed on the then Stock Exchange of Singapore (SES), now known as SGX, in 1978 as Singapore Bus Service Ltd.
In November 1997, Singapore Bus Service Ltd was renamed DelGro Corporation Ltd (Now ComfortDelGro Corporation Ltd) and the subsidiary Singapore Bus Services Ltd, was separately listed on the SGX. Singapore Bus Services Ltd changed its name to SBS Transit Ltd in November 2001 to reflect its bi-modal status as a bus and rail operator.
SBS Transit aims to provide world-class public transport which is safe, comfortable, affordable, reliable and friendly. Today, SBS Transit operates 192 route services with a scheduled fleet of about 2,400 buses. The buses serve 16 interchanges, 16 bus terminals and more than 3,000 bus stops. In 2003, SBS Transit started its light rail operations in Sengkang and also started operating its Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system, the North East Line (NEL) in the same year. In 2005, SBS Transit began operating the Punggol LRT System.
Singapore Bus Services was renamed SBS Transit Ltd on 1 November 2001. The new name reflects our multi-modal status as we move from being just a bus operator to the provision of both bus and train services.
We have retained "SBS" in the new company name to remember our roots and preserve our long heritage. Our corporate signature is a specially designed wordmark. The distinct graphic stroke, called the "speed stroke" expresses the dynamism of the organisation.
The vibrant orange colour signifies dynamism and innovation. The purple colour represents strength, stability and a firm commitment to our customers. The bold interplay of the two colours signifies the crossing of boundaries and connecting people, which are the foundation of lasting relationships.
SMRT Taxis was rebranded on 10 May 2004. Formerly known as TIBS Taxis, the company became a wholly-owned subsidiary of SMRT Corporation on 11 December 2001 when TIBS Holdings merged with SMRT Corporation.
Inaugurated on 7 December 1989, the company had an initial fleet of 50 taxis. SMRT Taxis has been growing at a steady rate since 2001. It currently has a fleet of 3000 taxis.
SMRT Taxis holds the distinction of being the only company to operate a fleet of entirely large capacity taxis. In addition to its fleet of roomy Nissan Cedric and Toyota Crown taxis, the company also operates the world-famous London Taxis and Mercedes Taxis. SMRT Taxis English-speaking drivers are the only ones in the industry who don uniforms. SMRT Taxis offers Prestige on its fleet of London Taxis, which can seat five adult passengers comfortably, and also on its fleet of Mercedes Taxis in a move to establish an up-market, quality-conscious market sector.
In 1991, the company launched a Corporate Client Taxi Service to provide a more comprehensive range of services to our customers. The service offers credit payment and the convenience of a consolidated monthly bill. This service provides our clients with easier management of their organisation's transport claims.
CityCab was formed in April 1995, through a merger of three taxi operations :
With 10,000 drivers and operating a fleet of over 5,000 vehicles, CityCab is one of the largest taxi operators in the world.
| CityCab Pte Ltd commenced operations on 1st July 1995 after the merger of 3 taxi companies - Singapore Airport Services Ltd, Singapore Bus Service Taxi Pte Ltd and Singapore Commuter Pte Ltd. | |
| The first company in Singapore and Asia to introduce credit travelling and international taxi charge system through Cabchare Asia Pte Ltd. | |
| CityCab initiated the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS), a satellite-based tracking system for its call bookings. | |
| CityCab was the first company to introduce fully painted advertisements on taxis. | |
| The first taxi company in Singapore, to launch its fleet of luxury taxis - the Presido - using Mercedes E300 vehicles. Started the use of embossing for taxi-top advertisements. | |
| Singapore's first memory phone cards, introduced by CityCab and pre-programmed with CityCab's AutoDial and CabLine hotline numbers. | |
| CityCab was the first taxi company in Singapore to introduce MaxiCab, a 6-seater cab. | |
| Airport Shuttle Services were introduced at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 of Changi Airport. | |
| Wheelhubs on Taxis - a new advertisement medium was introduced. | |
| CityCab took over CityLink operation to manage 53 mini-buses. | |
| CityCab set up own diesel facility - CityCab Diesel Express - for drivers. | |
| Singapore's largest taxi - CityCab's 12-seater MaxiTaxi was launched. | |
| CityCab signed MOU with Hewlett Packard and Ericsson to develop a new taxi dispatching system utilising wireless platform. | |
| CityCab launched Share-a-MaxiCab Scheme for CBD commuters. | |
| MiCAB was launched to provide a special transportation service for disabled students. | |
| CityCab launched the TeleCab Pilot Project which allows commuters to settle their fares using their mobile phones. CityCab participated in the Compressed Natural Gas Pilot Project to explore the feasibility of bringing in environmentally - friendly vehicles. | |
| Recycling was promoted at the office and proceeds from the sale of recyclable items were channelled to CityCare Charity Group to fund their charity projects. | |
| CityCab worked with the National Environment Agency to spread the recycling message to commuters and road users. CityCab launched WAP, SMS & Internet taxi booking services. | |
| An additional three taxis, fuelled by compressed natural gas, plied the road to serve as CNG test vehicles. | |
| CityCab appointed CET Technologies to develop the Integrated Transport Management System (ITMS), a new taxi booking system. | |
| CityCab introduced a graduated late-night surcharge to help improve the availability of taxis just before midnight. | |
| The Singapore Cabby Tour was launched. The tour service is conducted by our cabbies and is offered to anyone who wants to enjoy sightseeing with a personalised touch. Computerised maps were installed in 1000 taxis, making life much easier for cabbies, who no longer had to refer to paper-based street directories. | |
| CityCab customer service number was changed from 64520220 to 6552 4525. | |
| CityCab Customer Contact Centre was relocated to 383 Sin Ming Drive. | |
| ComfortDelGro's taxi companies, Comfort Transportation, CityCab and Yellow-Top Cab adjusted their fare structures to address demand and supply issues. |
Established in 1970, Comfort Transportation was then known as the Workers' Co-operative Commonwealth for Transport Limited with the aim to provide taxi drivers with a profession and better life.
From its humble beginnings of 1000 Morris Oxford taxis, Comfort Transportation has grown to become Singapore's largest taxi operator with a fleet of over 10,700 taxis. Comfort Transportation commands 53% of the local taxi market, and is reputed for its innovative services. With safety as one of Comfort's top priority, more than half of our taxi fleet is under three years.
Besides our operations in Singapore, Comfort Transportation also has a 15% equity stake in Transportation High Tech, Inc (THT), a Taiwan-registered company that operates a taxi call centre in Taipei.
Yellow-Top Cab was incorporated in 1996, when the company started acquiring taxi licences from private yellow-top cab owners. It now has a fleet of close to 1000 Yellow-Top Cab taxis. To cater to the specialised transportation needs of corporate clients, Yellow-Top Cab set up the Sovereign Limousine Service in 1997. Today, it has a fleet of over 200 Mercedes Benz limousine taxis with well-trained drivers to provide personalised service that goes beyond commuters' expectations. Sovereign drivers have won numerous accolades, including the prestigious national award - Tourism Host of the Year.
| Formation of the NTUC Workers' Co-operative Commonwealth for Transport with a fleet size of 1000 vehicles. | |
| Official launch of NTUC Comfort by the then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. | |
| Launch of radio phone booking service (Dial-A-Cab) with an average of about 1200 calls a day. | |
| Launch of Share-A-Cab to optimise taxi efficiency. | |
| Replacement of all mechanical taxi meters with electronic meters. | |
| Launch of the first ever computerised Dial-A-Cab and Rooftop Advertising by Dr Wan Soon Bee, then Chairman of NTUC Comfort. | |
| Introduction of the Fax-A-Cab Service to reach out to commuters from their office. | |
| Provision of the toll-free Dial-A-Cab and Fax-A-Cab services to commuters. | |
| Comfort Transportation Pte Ltd became a subsidiary of Comfort Group Ltd upon its corporatisation. | |
| Launch of Comfort CabLink, a S$32 million automated taxi dispatching system. It is the world's first and largest dispatch facility integrating Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and Global Positioning Systems. Formation of Yellow-Top Cab Pte Ltd, the second taxi company under Comfort Group. | |
| Launch of Drink Jockey, a chauffeur service for car owners who want to be driven home in the comfort of their vehicles after drinking sessions. | |
| Start of the coin-operated Taxi Order Terminal that automatically locates the nearest cab. | |
| Launch of the Comfort Voucher Scheme for corporate customers. | |
| Introduction of Sovereign Limousine taxis by Yellow-Top Cab. | |
| Introduction of advance booking service that guarantees passengers a taxi when they book at least half an hour in advance. | |
| Extension of voucher payment to street pick-ups. | |
| Introduction of a fuss-free regular taxi booking service for registered commuters. | |
| Introduction of the Taxi Monitoring System to monitor the demand and supply of taxi services at Changi Airport Terminal 1. | |
| Official launch of the Handicare Cab Service. | |
| Launch of the CabLink Audiotext Service to provide commuters quick access to a one-stop user-friendly infoline. Launch of e-Comfort Booking which allows commuters to bypass the hotline operator when they call for a cab using a WAP-enabled handphone. Introduction of smart taxi meters which can compute time and date-based surcharges to the total fare and print out a detailed itemised receipt. | |
| Launch of the larger second call centre which cost S$2.1 million. Both the first and second call centers can now handle a total of 7000 calls per hour. | |
| Commemoration of Comfort's 30th Anniversary with the launch of the new logo and livery. Installation of cashless payment systems in taxis to facilitate payment of taxi fare using the ComfortCharge card, all major credit cards, debit cards and cashcards. | |
| Comfort invested S$95 million in 1130 new and bigger three-litre Toyota Crowns. | |
| Comfort rolled out newly-improved bi-coloured Light Emitting Diode (LED) rooftop signage to replace the conventional signage. | |
| Introduction of the monthly Mystery Commuter Survey to monitor cabbies' performances. | |
| Launch of smart taxi meters that can compute ERP charges. | |
| Introduction of the *SEND-A-TAXI service, an automated taxi booking mode for SingTel Mobile subscribers. | |
| Four Comfort taxis running on Compressed Natural Gas ply the roads for a pilot run. | |
| Merger of Comfort Group Ltd and DelGro Corporation Limited to form ComfortDelGro Corporation Limited. Comfort Transportation and Yellow-Top Cab became subsidiaries of ComfortDelGro. | |
| Launch of the Driver Online Enquiry System for cabbies to access and update personal information. | |
| Launch of SpeedCall - Asia's first Text-to-Speech taxi booking mode. Launch of the region's first Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) taxi booking service for tourists and business travellers. | |
| Comfort launched the Star Driver Award to recognise good service performance by Comfort drivers. | |
| Launch of SpeedCall-Mobile, the enhanced automated taxi booking service for mobile phone users on the move. | |
| Yellow-Top Cab rolled out its first five-passenger-seater taxi, known as Yellow-Top 5, on a pilot run. | |
| Comfort CabLink reached its 10th million taxi booking job. | |
| Launch of the Smartphone Taxi Booking Service, an automated booking mode for savvy mobile phone users. | |
| Comfort Transportation and Yellow-Top Cab rolled out its first batch of Euro IV-compliant vehicles under its taxi limousine brand, Sovereign. | |
| ComfortDelGro's taxi companies, Comfort Transportation, CityCab and Yellow-Top Cab adjusted their fare structures to address demand and supply issues. |
Logos
Comfort Transportation Pte Ltd
The stylised red "C" and the orange speed-line are suggestive of the Comfort Customer Contact Centre satellite, which is the world's first automated taxi-dispatching system. They also symbolise Comfort Transportation's innovative and forward movement. The word "Comfort" has been italicised to project a dynamic company with a mission to provide better service.
Yellow-Top Cab Pte Ltd
The shape of the Yellow-Top Cab logo signifies the company's commitment to provide a safe, stable and comfortable ride for commuters.
CityCab Pte Ltd
The pair of outstretched arms symbolises CityCab's warm and friendly service. The curve with the dots: representative of the satellite dish, an element of the CityNet mobile communications system, and a symbol of CityCab's innovative use of technology in its business. The logo colours, blue and turquoise, are chosen to reflect a strong and mature company with an energetic and vibrant team. Soaring to greater heights - the logo reflects the company's ambitions to be a global company.
Basic Fare
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$2.40 $0.10 $0.10 $0.10 |
Midnight Surcharge
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10% of fare 20% of fare 35% of fare 50% of fare |
| Peak Hour Surcharge Monday to Saturday:
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| Public Holiday Surcharge From 6pm on the eve to 12 midnight of the following public holidays:
Where the above holiday falls on a Sunday and the following Monday is a holiday, the Public Holiday Surcharge will be payable up to 12 midnight of Monday. |
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| Central Business District (CBD) Surcharge Monday to Thursday:
Friday to Saturday
Applicable for trips starting from CBD area. Not applicable on Sundays and Public Holidays. The CBD Surcharge is payable on top of the Peak Hour Surcharge. |
Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) is an electronic system of road pricing based on a pay-as-you-use principle. It is designed to be a fair system as motorists are charged when they use the road during peak hours.
History
The first road pricing scheme, known as the Area Licensing Scheme (ALS), was introduced in the Restricted Zone (RZ) in 1975. The scheme was subsequently extended to major expressways with the Road Pricing Scheme (RPS).
In September 1998, the ERP system replaced the manual system for the RZ and expressways. In September 1999, ERP was extended to some of our key arterial roads beyond the RZ.
How it works
The ERP system uses a dedicated short-range radio communication system to deduct ERP charges from CashCards. These are inserted in the In-vehicle Units (IUs) of vehicles before each journey.
Each time vehicles pass through a gantry when the system is in operation, the ERP charges will be automatically deducted.
Impacts
The LTA reported that road traffic decreased by nearly 25,000 vehicles during peak hours, with average road speeds increasing by about 20%. Within the restricted zone itself, traffic has gone down by about 13% during ERP operational hours, with vehicle numbers dropping from 270,000 to 235,000. It has been observed that car-pooling has increased, while the hours of peak vehicular traffic has also gradually eased and spread into off-peak hours, suggesting a more productive use of road space. In addition, it has been noted that average road speeds for expressways and major roads remained the same, despite rising traffic volumes over the years.
The system has its share of problems. Road users pointed out that the implementation of an ERP gantry along any road simply moves the traffic somewhere else, potentially causing traffic bottlenecks along smaller roads.
With the exception of the Pan-Island Expressway and Ayer Rajah Expressway, most stretches of which are 8 lanes wide, all the other expressways are 6 lanes wide.
Speed Limits
The speed limit on most expressways is 90 km/h. However, a few stretches still retain the old 80 km/h speed limit. To help in enforcing the speed limits, there are stationary speed cameras at several locations:
Pan-Island Expressway
The Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) is the oldest and longest of Singapore's network of expressways. It extends the length of the island, connecting Tuas in the west to Changi Airport in the east over a distance of about 41km.
Construction on the expressway commenced in 1966 over several phases, with some stretches involving the widening of existing roads, with road junctions replaced by road interchanges to eliminate the use of traffic lights.
East Coast Parkway
The East Coast Parkway (ECP) is an expressway that runs along the southeastern coast of Singapore. The expressway's length stands at approximately 20km, connecting Singapore Changi Airport in the east to the Benjamin Sheares Bridge in the south of the main island before linking up with the Ayer Rajah Expressway. Built almost entirely on reclaimed land, the ECP started construction in the early 1970s. It opened in 1981 to coincide with the opening of Singapore Changi Airport.
Flanked by East Coast Park on one side and high-rise housing on the other, the well-landscaped expressway was built and maintained with the conscious intention of giving visitors arriving by air a good first impression of the country as they commute from the airport to the city centre in less then 15 minutes on a good day.
A long, straight section of the ECP close to Changi Airport can be used as an emergency landing runway. This section can easily be identified by the potted plants instead of the standard large trees within the median strip. Although the potted plants are large, they can be removed more easily.
Ayer Rajah Expressway
The Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) extends from the western end of the East Coast Parkway in the south of Singapore to Tuas in the west near the Tuas Second Link to Malaysia. Together with the East Coast Parkway, it forms a second east-west link to complement the role played by the Pan-Island Expressway. Construction on the expressway commenced in 1983, with the first two phases completed by 1988. It extended for 13 kilometres and ended at the Teban Flyover with Jurong Town Hall Road.
In 1998, the expressway was extended to Tuas from the Teban Flyover to tie in with the opening of the Tuas Second Link to Johor. It met up with the Pan Island Expressway at the Tuas Flyover.
Central Expressway
The Central Expressway (CTE) in Singapore is the major highway connecting the city centre of Singapore with the northern residential parts of the island, including Toa Payoh, Bishan and Ang Mo Kio and further onwards to the Seletar Expressway and the Tampines Expressway.
The first stage of the expressway began as two separate parts: one from Seletar to Bukit Timah Road, and the second from Chin Swee Road in Chinatown to the Ayer Rajah Expressway in Radin Mas. The second stage of the expressway involved the construction of the two tunnels that travelled underneath previously built-up areas, including the Singapore River, Fort Canning Park and Orchard Road. At present, the CTE tunnels are the only underground roads in Singapore.
As it is the only expressway to connect the city and the northern residential areas, it is more prone to congestion than the other expressways in Singapore. In the latest attempt to relieve congestion, the Land Transport Authority announced on 27 May 2005 that with effect from 1 August 2005, Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) operation hours for the CTE will be extended into the evening, from 6pm to 8pm. This is the first time that evening ERP hours are introduced for a Singapore road.
Tampines Expressway
The Tampines Expressway (TPE) is a highway in the north-east fringe of Singapore joining the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) near Changi International Airport in the east with the Central Expressway (CTE) and Seletar Expressway (SLE) in the north of the island.
Seletar Expressway
The Seletar Expressway (SLE) in Singapore is a highway that traverses the north end of the island and joins the Central Expressway (CTE) and Tampines Expressway (TPE) in Ang Mo Kio to the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) in Kranji. It is one of only two expressways that serve the northern part of Singapore, the other one being the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE).
The first stage of the expressway started as a continuous road from the Central Expressway and ended at Upper Thomson Road. Later, it was extended from Upper Thomson Road to the BKE.
Kranji Expressway
The Kranji Expressway (KJE) in Singapore connects from the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) in Bukit Panjang and travels south-west to join with the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) in Jurong West. The expressway is also the shortest of all the expressways at about 7km.
Bukit Timah Expressway
The Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) is a highway in Singapore that starts at the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) in Bukit Timah and travels north to the Woodlands Checkpoint and the Johor Causeway.
Before the Kranji Expressway (KJE) was completed, this was the shortest expressway in Singapore, at about 10 km.
Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway
The Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) is the newest of Singapore's network of expressways. Connecting the East Coast Parkway and the Tampines Expressway in the north-east, it will extend 12km, with 9km underground. Built at a cost of approximately S$1.8 billion (US$1 billion), it will be the longest underground road tunnel in Southeast Asia.
Construction on the expressway started in the year 2001, and is expected to be completed in 2008.
The General Ticketing Machines (GTMs) at each station allow commuters to purchase additional credit to add to their EZ-Link cards or to purchase tickets for single trips. Fares for these single-trip forms of these cards range are between one or two times the expense of non single-trip tickets. In addition, a $1.00 refundable ticket deposit is charged for each Standard Ticket. This refund can be collected from any General Ticketing Machine when the card is returned to the machine within 30 days of purchase.
Students are given free, personalised cards, complete with their photos, names and national identification numbers. Regardless of its type, each card is assigned a unique card ID that can be used to recover the card if lost.
| Trials of payments in schools. | |
| EZ-Link Pte Ltd formally Incorporated. Appoint TransitLink as exclusive Transit Acquirer. |
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| Appoint Citibank as the issuing bank. Launch of the EZ-Link card. |
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| Appoint QB as exclusive partner to proliferate the use of the EZ-Link card amongst retailers and merchants. | |
| Complete cut-over to the EZ-Link system. | |
| Introduction of personalised EZ-Link card to the general public. | |
| Launch of Auto Credit card top-up facility. | |
| Card assistance for the needy - Joint collaboration with Jalan Kayu RC. | |
| The EZ-Link card donation drive in conjunction with TransitLink. |
Uses
The card is commonly used in Singapore as a smartcard for paying transportation fees in the city-state's Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), Light Rapid Transit (LRT) and public bus services. The card also serves as a supplementary identification and concession card for students in nationally recognised educational institutes, personnel serving in the Singapore Armed Forces, or senior citizens who are over sixty years old.
The system has since been expanded, with EZ-Link cards being used for payments in Singapore branches of McDonald's, food centres, supermarkets and libraries. Some schools in Singapore have also started to adopt the EZ-Link card as a way to mark the attendance of students and to pay for food served within the school campus.
On December 3, 2005, EZ-Link Pte Ltd announced that it was working with NETS to create a new hybrid card which will have the functions of both the EZ-Link card and the CashCard. Work on this card is expected to be completed in 2007.
Public Transport
Using EZ-link on MRT/LRT
Using EZ-link on Buses
Fares
Fares range from between $0.65 to $2.98 for standard adult EZ-Link cards on the Mass Rapid Transit. The fare for a bus trip for adult card users, including line changes usually never exceeds $1.90.
On the MRT system, there are forms of EZ-Link cards which are meant to be used as single-trip tickets, but the prices of which are between one or two times the expense of non single-trip tickets, from $0.90 to $4.10.
To deter commuters from attempting to evade paying the full fare, the system imposes a maximum deduction at the end of the route of a bus when a person taps his card on the entry card reader, but failed to tap his card on the exit reader prior to disembarkment. If he taps his card on the exit reader when he disembarks, the system will deduct the fare according to the length of journey in stages, instead of the maximum deduction.
The EZ-Link card is a thin, compact card conforming to ISO/IEC 7816 card dimensions (similar to credit card). It operates on a radio frequency (RF) interface of 13.56MHz at 212 kilobit/s, with the potential for communication speeds to exceed 847 kilobit/s. It employs the Manchester bit coding scheme for noise tolerance against distance fluctuation between the card and the contactless reader, and implements the Triple DES algorithm for security. The card surface is made of PET material that is environmentally friendly. A tamper-proof IC chip and antenna are built into the card. Both the card and the reader communicate using radiowaves via wireless communication. The sensing distance between the card and the reader is up to 10cm. The card itself contains no battery but operates from electromagnetic energy received from the reader.
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