Singapore Buses, Singapore

You can go around in Singapore via bus, which is a cheap way to travel. If you don't have the prepaid EZlink card, you have to prepare exact change upon boarding. If you are staying for several days, it's better to get the prepaid card as the fares will be cheaper compared to cash payments.

Be prepared to stand especially if you're on a busy route.
Fare range: SGD 0.70 to SGD 1.70. Exact change required if you're paying in cash as buses don't give change.
Operating hours: 6AM to midnight everyday

There are two bus operators in SG - SBS (http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/) and SMRT (http://www.smrt.com.sg/buses.html) or http://www.transitlink.com.sg

To get around Singapore and to develop a feel for the place and the layout use the "CityBuzz" double decker buses. Costs $5SGD for a day pass, that allows you to get on and off any of these buses as many times as you like on any of the 3 routes - routes are Chinatown, Orchard Rd and Little India.

Singapore has a very efficient and reliable bus services. Almost all the buses are air conditioned. With the implementation of road indexes at all the bus stops, you can easily find out if the buses at that particular bus stop, takes you to your destination. There are only two main bus service providers in Singapore, the SBS Transit and the SMRT . The good news is that, both providers have eguides. You can actually start planning your route way before leaving home by going online. They can even inform you of the bus fares and estimated arrival time of the buses. And if you wanna stay out very late (from clubbing or just hanging out with friends), there are the night buses (night riders they call it), that can take you home at a flat rate of $3 (the cabs can get really expensive with the mid night charges and all). Payment can be by ezllink card or cash (prepare exact fare as no change will be refunded).

http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/iRIS/overview.aspx

http://www.smrt.com.sg/buses/e-guide.asp

The taxis are efficient but there can be a long queue.

The MRT are fast but you have to switch lines and go through endless escalators.

I discovered the bus is a quick and easy way to get around. There are plenty of bus stops with the display of the route taken by each bus number. Also the EZ traveller prepaid card makes it easy without worrying what is the bus fare.

Also the locals are helpful if you have problem figuring out which bus number. The bus drivers were always patient in answering my queriesy whenever I double check when boarding to make sure the bus will stop at my destination.

There is a tourist hop on bus and several free bus shuttles too from MRT stations to Chinatown, Little India, Suntec City, etc.

One of the thing I did when I was in Hong Kong was to take any bus that came along and see where I would end up. You can do that in Singapore as well, but you'd end up generally at a bus interchange where most likely, you will get a feel of heartland living and also, be greeted with shopping malls and food courts.

If you're really lost, just hail a taxi and it'll get you back to the hotel. No worries.

To pay for your bus ride, you can either buy an EZ-link card (an electronic card that you can purchase at any MRT station), or by cash (Prepare to use coins)

More to come here too. But I'll tell you. I like the bus here.

The local buses are quite nice here. And the one night where we did the get on and ride a random bus to the end of the line was a flurry of fond memories from my days in Karlsruhe. A brilliant way to see any city especially one as generally safe as this.

Bus fares are computed by distance. You enter at the front of the bus and tab your ezlink card. When you get to your stop you tap out and exit the back doors of the bus.

Starting from September 25, 2006 for about a month, there will be 6 SBS buses with Silk Air painted on it. There may even be refreshments. Best yet, it will be free!

So if you see a Silk Air SBS bus and it is going to where you want to go, run after it and fly on Silk Air free without leaving the ground!

The buses will be on different routes every day. Is it a state secret to which route?

Here's an excerpt from the airlines website. I heard about it then looked up the website as I never look up silkair.com

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The chartered SilkAir buses offer an additional service to SBS Transit's present scheduled services and will run for four hours every weekday morning to cater to peak travel commuters.

The campaign will run for a month from 25 September 2006, with the special SilkAir buses servicing different routes across Singapore each week. The SilkAir buses will offer free rides for a one-month period on Services 33, 70, 54, 80, 100, 143, 518 and 502. They will then continue to hit the roads on Services 70 and 518 for three more months at standard fare charges.

At the end of the campaign, commuters lucky enough to get on the SilkAir bus, as well as participants in the airline's daily radio contest, will qualify for a Grand Draw. The grand prize will be a pair of three-day, two-night packages to Siem Reap, Cambodia, including travel in Business Class on SilkAir and free entrance passes to Angkor Wat.

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Our magic carpet in Singapore: the buses. Yes, the buses plying around the metro are enough to get you around Singapore. You just have to determine the bus numbers to get to where you’re going. It’s a bit confusing, at first, but there’s no harm in asking the bus driver first or getting more information about the routes of buses. Information sheets and/or leaflets are found in every bus. Bus stations have specific signs reflecting bus numbers and routes. If you’re traveling on budget, it’s safe to take the bus or the MRT than taking a cab. SGD 0.90 is the minimum fare if you don’t have the EZ-Link card, which is like your access card to Singapore buses and MRT.