Transport within Singapore is mainly land-based. Many parts of Singapore are accessible by road, including islands such as Sentosa and Jurong Island. The other major form of transportation within Singapore is rail: the Mass Rapid Transit which runs the length and width of Singapore, and the Light Rail Transit which runs within a few neighbourhoods. The main island of Singapore is connected to the other islands by ferryboat services.
Singapore also has many links to the rest of the world. There are two bridges which link Singapore to Malaysia – the Causeway, and the Second Link. The Singapore Changi Airport is a major aviation hub in Asia, and Singapore is a major transshipment
port. According to the study conducted by London consulting firm Credo,
Singapore has one of the most cost-efficient public transport networks
in the world.[1]
Pre and post world wars
British nurses taking a trishaw ride during their time off, circa 1946.
Before World War II, rickshaws were an important part of urban public transportation. Rickshaws were taken over by the trishaw after the world war. The Trishaw
has been discontinued for usage as a means of transportation after
1980. However, there are some trishaws left which now serve as tourist
attractions, taking tourists for a ride around the downtown district for
a unique Singapore experience.
Land transport within Singapore
Tricycle rickshaws (or better known as trishaws in Singapore) are used to ferry tourists around the city area for sightseeing trips.
Roads
Main article: Driving in Singapore
Singapore pioneered the modern use of toll roads to enter the most congested city centre area with the Singapore Area Licensing Scheme, which has since been replaced with the Electronic Road Pricing, a form of electronic toll collection.
- Total length of expressways: 161 km
- Total length of major arterial roads: 645 km
- Total length of collector roads: 557 km
- Total length of local access roads: 2048 km (as of 2011)[2]
Traffic drives on the left which is typical in Commonwealth countries.
- Cars
Total population: 973,004 (as of 2014)[3]
Expressways
Main article: Expressways of Singapore
A section of the Ayer Rajah Expressway.
The 10 expressways completed, plus the 3 semi-expressways in Singapore.
The planning, construction and maintenance of the road network is overseen 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:
- Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE)
- Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE)
- Central Expressway (CTE)
- East Coast Parkway (ECP)
- Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE)
- Kallang–Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE)
- Kranji Expressway (KJE)
- Pan Island Expressway (PIE)
- Seletar Expressway (SLE)
- Tampines Expressway (TPE)
- North-South Expressway (under planning)[4]
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.)
Cable car
Singapore's only cable car system, the Singapore Cable Car, plies between Mount Faber on the main island of Singapore and the resort island of Sentosa
as an alternative means of accessing that tourist attraction. The cable
car system underwent a revamp that was completed in August 2010.
Water transport within Singapore
Bumboat on the Singapore River near Boat Quay
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.[5][6] There are also daily scheduled ferry services from the Marina South Pier to the Southern Islands such as Kusu Island and Saint John's Island.[7]
Public transport
The Bus, MRT, LRT and taxi system make up the public transport system in Singapore.
Singapore has one of the most cost-efficient public transport
networks in the world, according to a study by London consulting firm
Credo.[8] Public transport covers a variety of transport modes such as bus, rail and taxi. This is a result of great emphasis by the Government of Singapore to promote its use over private transport.
About 5.308 million trips are made on a daily basis on the public
transport system and at least half of its population utilises it daily.
The public transport system is the most important means of
transportation to work and school for Singaporeans. About 52.4% of
Singaporean residents (excluding foreigners) go to work using public
transport according to the Singapore Census of Population 2000, with
41.6% using private transport and the remaining 6.1% not requiring any
form of transport. Amongst school-going residents, 41.5% of them go to
school by public transport, 24.9% by private transport, and a further
30.1% do not require any form of transport at all.
A slight dip has been noted in the number of Singaporeans and
permanent residents using public transport compared to 1990, which had
55.0% and 46.3% of them going to work and to school respectively. The
government aims to reverse this trend such that the total average number
of commuters on public transport rises above 75% of all trips made.[2]
Buses
Main article: Bus transport in Singapore
SMRT Buses MAN A22
- Routes: More than 300 services (2013)
- Fleet: More than 3,000 buses (2013)
- Routes: More than 100 routes (2013)
- Fleet: More than 1,100 buses (2013)
Rail
Main article: Rail transport in Singapore
A C751B train at Eunos MRT Station on the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system, one of three heavy rail passenger transport lines in Singapore
The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is a standard gauge
system with a total rail network length of 153.2 km (95.19 mi) and 104
stations. There are five main lines running at present: the North South Line, the East West Line, the Circle Line, operated by SMRT Trains (SMRT Corporation). The North East Line and the Downtown Line which commenced on 22 December 2013,[9] operated by SBS Transit.
In 1999, a 7.8 km-Light Rail Transit (LRT) system with 14 stations was introduced in Bukit Panjang. The Sengkang LRT Line, a 10.7 km light rail line was opened in 2003; a third LRT line, Punggol LRT Line, was opened in 2005 Jan with the East Loop of the system serving the residences in Punggol.
A 2.1 km Sentosa Express monorail built by Hitachi Asia Ltd was opened on 15 January 2007, linking Sentosa island to mainland Singapore.
Taxis
Main article: Taxicabs of Singapore
Taxicabs are a popular form of public transport in the compact
sovereign city-state of Singapore, with fares considered relatively low
compared to those in most cities in developed countries. As of December
2014, the total taxi fleet in Singapore is 28,736 taxis, operated by six
taxi companies and 178 independent drivers. Taxis may be flagged down
at any time of the day along any public road outside of the Central
Business District (CBD).
A ComfortDelGro-owned Hyundai i40 Sedan taxi in Singapore.
Public transport regulations
The public transport system is regulated by the Land Transport Authority,
which oversees the three main modes of public transportation. Fare
regulation and bus service standards are under the purview of an
independent body, the Public Transport Council, while TransitLink, established by SBS Transit, SMRT Trains and SMRT Buses,
helps to create an integrated multi-modal system with a common
fare-payment mode, information platform, and a physical network without
duplication of services.
The policies of the Land Transport Authority are meant to encourage
the use of public transport in Singapore. The key aims are to provide an
incentive to reside away from the Central district, as well as to
reduce air pollution. Singapore has a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) rail system consisting of five lines. There is also a system of bus routes
throughout the island, most of which have air conditioning units
installed due to Singapore's tropical climate. Buses without air
conditioning installed are gradually being phased out. A contactless smart card called the EZ-Link card is used to pay bus and MRT fares.
Public transport for tourists
Launched in December 2007 by Land Transport Authority, Singapore Tourism Board and EZ-Link, the Singapore Tourist Pass[10]
offers unlimited travel for tourists to Singapore on Singapore's public
transport system. For $8 a day, tourists can take any number of rides
on buses and trains operated by SBS Transit, SMRT Buses and SMRT Trains.
Certain buses like Night Rider are not applicable. The Singapore
Tourist Pass is available at selected MRT stations.
International transport links
Singapore is well connected to other countries via land, air and sea.
Land
Tuas Second Link
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.
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. The presence of the railway line was a source of
contention between the two countries until the relocation was agreed.
The new MRT link between Woodlands North and Tanjung Puteri, is expected
to be built by 2020 to increase traffic.
Sea
Keppel Container Terminal in Singapore
There are boats and ferry services to nearby islands of Malaysia and
Indonesia. These services can be found at Changi Ferry Terminal, Changi
Point Ferry Terminal, Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, Singapore Cruise Centre and Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore.
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 the
year 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 2006, it handled a total of 448 million tonnes of cargo.[11]
Singapore is ranked second globally in terms of containerised traffic, with 21.3 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) handled in 2004,[12]
and is also the world's busiest hub for transshipment traffic.
Additionally, Singapore is the world's largest bunkering hub, with 23.6
million tonnes sold in 2004.[13]
In 2007, the Port of Singapore is ranked the world's busiest port once again, surpassing Hong Kong and Shanghai.[14] 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brani (BT) | PSA International | Container | 9 | 31 | 790,000 | ||
| Cosco-PSA (CPT) | Cosco/PSA International | Container | 2 | 720 | 228,000 | >1 million | |
| Jurong | JTC | Multi-Purpose | 23 | 4,486 | 1,200,028 | ||
| Keppel (KT) | PSA International | Container | 14 | 36 | 960,000 | ||
| Pasir Panjang (PPT) | PSA International | Container | 12 | 49 | 1,770,000 | ||
| Pasir Panjang Wharves | PSA International | General | |||||
| Sembawang | PSA International | General | |||||
| Tanjong Pagar (TPT) | PSA International | Container | 8 | 27 | 840,000 |
Air
Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 at Singapore Changi Airport
Control tower of Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore aims to be Asia's aviation hub chiefly via the promotion of
liberal aviation policies in a bid to encourage airlines to commence
and maintain operations there. 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.[15]
Airlines
There are six local scheduled service airlines, all of them operating
from Singapore Changi Airport, offering scheduled flights to over 70
cities on six continents. The national flag carrier, Singapore Airlines, operates from Changi Airport Terminal 2 and 3. Its subsidiaries, SilkAir and Scoot, operate from Changi Airport Terminal 2.
Singapore's two budget airlines, Jetstar Asia Airways and Valuair, operate from Changi Airport Terminal 1. Only one budget airline, Tiger Airways,
chose to operate at the Budget Terminal; other budget airlines have
cited various reasons for not shifting operations to the Budget
Terminal, including accessibility and ease of transfers to connecting
flights.
Tiger Airways Singapore now operates from Changi Airport Terminal 2
due to the demolishment of the Budget Terminal for the future Terminal
4, since 2012.
- Jetstar Asia Airways - founded 2004
- Scoot - founded 2011
- SilkAir - founded 1976
- Singapore Airlines - founded 1937 (as Malayan Airways)
- Tigerair - founded 2003
- Valuair - founded 2004 (merged with Jetstar Asia in 2005, brand retained for certain Jetstar Asia's services)
Airports
Main article: List of airports in Singapore
Singapore Changi Airport,
with its three 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.[16] With the recent opening of the third terminal, Changi is now capable of handling 64 million passengers every year.
Seletar Airport
is Singapore's first civil aviation airport and is primarily used for
private aviation today. The airport also serves limited scheduled
commercial flights by Berjaya Air to the Malaysian islands of Tioman Island and Redang Island.
| 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 |
Heliports
Main article: List of heliports in Singapore
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