PUBLISHED ONOctober 18, 2025 7:15 AMBYBhavya RawatCommuters who tap in at the six stations between Punggol Coast and Kovan as well as those along the Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) during morning off-peak timings will enjoy free rides come Dec 27.
This was announced by Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow on Saturday (Oct 18), on the sidelines of the official opening of Punggol Coast Bus Interchange.
Those who wish to enjoy the free rides will have to tap in at the abovementioned stations before 7.30am or between 9am and 9.45am on weekdays, excluding public holidays, said Siow.
According to a statement by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on the same day, no registration is required to enjoy the free rides, but the same fare card or payment mode must be used for entry and exit.
Guest of honour for the opening ceremony and Punggol GRC MP, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong told the media that he had received feedback from residents about the crowd on the the North-East Line (NEL), as the northeast region becomes more densely populated.
He then suggested bringing back the free off-peak morning rides.
"This way we can then encourage more residents to take off-peak services rather than squeeze into the peak hours...We hope to be able to ease the load during the peak hours and bring more convenience to the residents," he added.
Also present at the event were Punggol GRC MPs Sun Xueling and Yeo Wan Ling.
This move is part of LTA's efforts to reduce crowds along NEL and SPLRT during peak hours as it will encourage commuters to shift their travel times, said the authority.
Those who do so can enjoy free rail travel, while others will see reduced congestion and fewer missed trains during peak periods.
It added that other commuters will continue to enjoy a discount of up to 50 cents when they tap in before 7.45am at any rail station island-wide on weekdays, excluding public holidays.
The existing Travel Smart Journey (TSJ) programme will also be further enhanced to supplement the free morning off-peak rail rides, said Siow.
The programme, which first began in 2020, encourages commuters to avoid the most crowded MRT segments during the morning peak hours. Those who do so can earn rebates of up to 80 per cent of their fare.
This scheme was expanded in 2023 before being temporarily suspended on Nov 25, 2024. It was relaunched in January this year to encourage commuters in the northeast area to opt for seven selected bus services instead of taking the train.
From Dec 27, the off-peak timings eligible for TSJ will align with those for the free rides, said Siow.
He added that taking selected bus services at these times will award commuters points worth 80 per cent of their fares from Dec 27. This is an increase from the current 40 per cent rebate for those who tap in from 9.31am to 9.45am.
Journeys that start between 8.45am and 8.59am will no longer qualify for TSJ rewards, according to LTA.
While commuters are currently required to have a minimum travel history to qualify for TSJ, this criterion will be removed come Dec 27. To qualify for TSJ incentives under the new scheme, commuters must register via the SimplyGo app, under the Services tab, said the authority
Upon registering on Dec 27, they will be able to enjoy TSJ rebates from the following Monday, Dec 29.
A check by AsiaOne showed that the registration for TSJ takes just a few minutes to complete. Those with an existing SimplyGo profile only need to indicate the bank or fare card they wish to use for the scheme.
Points earned will be redeemable in blocks of 500 (worth $5) as cash value credited directly into their selected travel cards. All commuters will instantly be eligible for the programme upon registration.
TSJ will also be expanded to include five new City Direct Services (CDS), connecting residents in Hougang, Sengkang and Punggol Towns to the city. More details will be announced in November.
Existing bus services will remain eligible for TSJ incentives.
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bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com
