Singapour: Transportation

Moving in Singapore via the transportation network is something relatively cheap compared to Paris. But even if the island is relatively small (only 640km², which is about 30km frfon east to west and 20km from north to south), it's only partially well deserved, even if things are getting better years after years. A few means of trransportations exist:

The MRT :

National Pride, the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) appears everytime you have to wake the national pride of the singaporians, (especially during the national holiday). Sometimes, the speeches glorifying the country are wrtten there outside the trains in each of the four countries languages: english, ,chinese, malais and indian Tmaul. The last in date: My Singapore, our future. all a program!

Since a few years, three lines cover the country: the first one (the green and blue) goes from east to west passing through the center, and the other one (yellow and red) covers the north part, center and west. Another line, the north-east line  which goes from Clarke Quay to Punggol passing via Dhoby Ghaut.

Price level. No monthly card but a magnetised plastic card that you buy S$12 for S$10 of transportation credit. The remaining S$2 are for the deposit for a last tripwhen the credit get to S$0. After that, you have to recharge by multiple of S$10 at the train station desk. Each time you pass the train station's doors, never more than S$2 is substracted from the card. It's simple, efficient and works well. You can also buy tickets one by one, option that you quickly choose when you lolst your farecard a few times (and then the money which was on it, I speak from my experience!)

A last word for the cheaters: don't jump over the little doors or even try to block them when they close, nobodies do it and it can cost you a lot. There are some who triedd, they got problems.

For more infos, check the official MRT site at this the following addresse:  http://www.smrt.com.sg .

The bus:

To my knowledge, ,2 bus companies are operating in Singapore. Unlike the MRT, more than a hundreds of lines are covering the whole territory, but the trip can be of infinite lenght sometimes. You can get the bus guide (Transitlink guide) at all the good creamshops, it wil lonly cost you S$2 or S$3 and will serve you a lot. In the SBS buses (http://www.sbs.com.sg), you can use your MRT farecard, but if I remember well, in the Trans Island's buses of orange's color, you will have to pay cash (because it's another company, http://www.tibs.com.sg).

A few words more, for the cheaters : the red and white buses are rarely checked, bu the oranges are often. Anyway, fraud is rare there, you can always buy the cheapest ticket: S$0.60 or S$0.70. In fact, if you get caught, they will only ask you to pay the difference between the price you paid and the price you should have paid. Funny, isn't it? It's working well if you pay by card because if you pay cash, the bus driver will remember where you got in and will ask you to pay the difference in front of everybody.

The cabs:

Sometimes they are everywhere, ,sometimes it's possible not to see even one in half anhour! It's like a lotery. Another mean of transport, the cab is relatively cheap compared to french cabs. You can say what you want but it's difficult to get cheated by a taxi driver there. They are usually honests. Moreover, most of the times, they are men who work very hard to enhance the level of living of their family. You can also find students which try to get money for their studies. With them, you will sometimes have to be the copilot. Asia is also like that. Beware, beware !!! 

Concerning the prices, going in the cab will cost you S$2.40 and every 250m cost S$0.10 or something like that. A charge of 50% is appliedd for a trip between midnight and et 6am. Another well known tax is the one of S$3 for every cab from (and not to) Changi Airport. Other taxes apply, but it's not necessary to list them all here, details of the prices are often clearly stated in the cab.

Usually, when the blue light is lighten, they are available. To call one in the street, stretch your arm and wait. if frfom outside, you see a red plate with a neighbourhood name written on it, it means that it's the place where they are going to give the taxi to another driver (or go back to there home). As renting the cab cost them S$90 per day, 7/7 days, better use it the maximum, isn't it ? That's why, you will sometimes see 3 or 4 different names inside the cab.

Personal cars:

A true symbol of your social state, owning a personnal car is a must for Singapourians (especially of the chinese in fact), because it's a proof your success. Bu why more for a Singaporian than in France ? Simply because Singapore is probably the place in the world (with Corea for non coreans cars) where cars are the most expensive. As an average, count on paying three times the french prices for the same car.

 To this, you will have to add the famous COE (Certificate of Entitlement), which pricee depends on the type of the car and the difference between the offer (how many the state offers for sales ) and demands (from private people). The price vary then from one month to another. It happens that in 1998 a few happy bidders get one for S$50 only (les buyyers than COEs on sale by the state), to compare with others who paid a few tens of thousands of dollars for the previous month for the same rights: the one to use the car. Valid for ten years, it must be renewed immediatly when it expires (and then repay a few thousands of dollars) or you get your car destroyed.

You want to come with your own car? Ok, but you will have to pay the taxes (they are not stupid), an exception is when you have the status of a diplomat. But here again, you will be able to use it but if you sale it there (in the almost hidden idea to get a good return on investment), you will have to pay the taxes and the COE.

Two wells:

As the motorbikes are almost as much taxed as the cars. the scooters are relatively cheap. I then advise you this very economical and good solution.

Driving Licence:

If you have a tourism visa (social visit pass), an international licence is enough. As soon as you receive you work contract, ,you will have to convert it to a local licence. It doesn't cost much, S$20 per year I think. But you will have to pass a small exam which cost S$6 and which, apparently is not very complicated. Apparently only because I know a lot of french who didn't succeed it. If you don't have an international driving licence, you always have the possibility to get it translated in english by the ambassy. It's a little expensive, but it works also.

Motorbike/scooter driving licence:

It works by level of power, 0-200cm³, 200-400cm³, etc. whatever the type of moto or scooter. And it takes a loot of times to get up the ladder, because between each licecnce, you have to wait a 6 moth period before trying to get to the upper category. And also, it's very expensive. My advicee: come with your international driving licence on which will be written the power that you can drive and follow the same path than for the car's driving licence.

ERP :

The ERP (Electronic Road Pricing) is an automatic road paying system. You introduce your cashcard in a box inside the car, and each time you get under an automatic road door, a bip will ring and a amount will be withdrawn. oncec again, this is clean and precise and doesn't create traffic jams. It's all about Singapore. If you forget the card, you will have to pay a fee of S$30 , and no means to negotiate, I can tell you ! If you have a scooter, think to withdraw it each time you quit your trtransportation mean. It is famopus that the Singapourians are honest but they are none the less with the head in the moon: none of them ever gave me back a cashcard that they found by chance in my card box. Ah, memories...…

Fines, penalitiesa, parking tickets, etc… :

An advice, ,don't let pass too much time if you get fined. the price will quickly increase in dramatic proportions. Same for the parking tickets at the Changi Airport for example. An advicec efrom a friend! Like in England, Singapore has red light cameras, video camera which pictures you automatically if you burn a red light. They are not everywhere and you get used to spot them. The radars exist also, those which are fixed and then signaled in advancece and those which are moving. For these last ones, like in Francec : nothing to do. You have to pay once you got caught!

For more precise informations on all of these topics, go to the LTA website (Land Transport Authority) : http://www.lta.gov.sg