From 27 Dec, commuters travelling from Singapore’s northeast will enjoy free train rides on weekday mornings if they start their journeys during off-peak hours.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced in a news release on Saturday (18 Oct) that these free rides will apply to passengers starting their trips at any of the six North East Line (NEL) stations from Punggol Coast to Kovan, or any Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) station.
Commuters who tap in at these stations before 7.30am, or between 9am and 9.45am, on weekdays will not be charged for their first train ride.
Public holidays are excluded.
No registration is needed to get the free rides — commuters just have to use the same card or payment mode to tap in and out.
LTA said the initiative aims to “moderate travel demand during the morning peak and improve the experience for commuters”.
It will encourage commuters to shift their travel times to the off-peak period, benefiting all NEL commuters, it added.
Source: catcourtesy on Reddit
While those who shift their travel times can enjoy free train fares, those who do not will enjoy reduced congestion at stations and fewer missed trains.
Alongside free rides, the Travel Smart Journeys (TSJ) programme will also be enhanced from 27 Dec, to encourage off-peak travel and ease crowding on the NEL.
The scheme offers reward points to commuters who switch from taking the NEL to an eligible peak-hour express bus service during the morning operational hours.
Key changes include:
Five new City Direct Services will also be added to the TSJ programme by the middle of December. These services will link northeasterners in Hougang, Sengkang, and Punggol to the Central Business District and Orchard.
To earn TSJ reward points, commuters must register via the SimplyGo app. The points can be redeemed in blocks of 500 points (equivalent to S$5.00) as cash value inside their travel cards.
The announcement comes as public transport fares are set to rise by 5.0% on 27 Dec, following approval by the Public Transport Council (PTC).
The NEL and SPLRT are two of the most packed lines during peak hours, with netizens attributing the congestion to an increase in population in the northeast.
On 12 Aug, the NEL and SPLRT suffered an hours-long disruption, with another on the SPLRT just four days later.
SBS Transit then confirmed in late August that five fewer trains had been in operation along the NEL during the morning peak hours over the past few weeks, as a “precautionary measure” after power supply repair works.
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Featured image from MS News and adapted from catcourtesy on Reddit.