Polytechnic and other full-time diploma students will be able to enjoy student fares for public transport, starting from December 28, 2019 onwards.

Polytechnic and diploma students now eligible for student fares

This was announced by the Public Transport Council (PTC) on Tuesday (Oct. 8), following the 2019 Fare Review Exercise.

Enhanced concessions will be granted for polytechnic and other diploma students to ensure fare affordability for more Singaporeans.

Previously, only primary, secondary, junior college and Institute of Technical Education (ITE) students were able to enjoy student fares.

Polytechnic and other full-time diploma students had to pay the normal adult fare unless they purchased a Monthly Concession Pass (MCP).

Therefore, for polytechnic and full-time diploma students, their fares will start at 42 cents, and will be capped at 63 cents (for journeys exceeding 7.2km in distance).

Student fare on public transport currently starts at 38 cents and is capped at 59 cents, but owing to the overall 7 per cent increase in fares announced on Tuesday, this amount will be raised by 4 cents each.

Fare increases for several groups of people

Public transport operators are facing higher cost pressures, such as a rise in energy prices worldwide, changes to local manpower wages and other macroeconomic factors.

To prevent public transport operators from fully passing down the cost increases, the PTC will implement a 7 per cent (upward) fare adjustment according to the established fare formula (which you can read more about here:)

For an average journey of 10km, each group of commuters will be paying the following:

• Senior citizen or person with disabilities: 92 cents (up from 88 cents)
• Lower-wage worker: 114 cents (up from 110 cents)
• Primary, secondary, JC, and ITE students: 63 cents (up from 59 cents)
• Polytechnic and other full-time diploma students: 63 cents (down from S$1.39)
• Adult: S$1.48 cents (up from S$1.39)

These prices exclude the morning pre-peak discount of up to 50 cents for tapping in at any MRT station before 7:45 am on weekdays, excluding public holidays.

Travel passes to see price increase as well

Prices of travel passes will also see an increase in this Fare Review Exercise, with an S$1 to S$5.50 increase for MCPs and the Adult Monthly Travel Passes seeing an S$8 increase.

Here's a list of the new prices for the MCPs and Adult Monthly Travel Passes:

Bus MCPs

• Primary students: S$24 (up from S$22.50)
• Secondary, polytechnic students: S$29 (up from S$27.50)
• University students and full-time National Servicemen (NSFs): S$55.50 (up from S$52)

Train MCPs

• Primary students: S$21 (up from S$20)
• Secondary, polytechnic students: S$26.50 (S$25)
• University students and NSFs: S$48 (up from S$45)

Hybrid MCPs 

• Primary students: S$43.50 (up from S$41)
• Secondary, polytechnic students: S$54 (up from S$51)
• University students and NSFs: S$90.50 (up from S$85)

Adult Monthly Travel Pass: S$128 (up from S$120)

Senior citizen Monthly Travel Pass: S$64 (up from S$60)

More stories on the public transport fare hike here:

Top image by Tan Guan Zhen