Free 1st rail trip for weekday tap-ins before 7:30am or 9 to 9:45am at 6 NEL MRT stations from Dec. 27, 2025

Commuters who use the North-East Line (NEL) for their morning commute will soon have more incentives to start their commute during off-peak periods.

From Dec. 27, 2025, those who tap in before 7:30am and between 9am and 9:45am on weekdays, from any of the six NEL stations between Punggol Coast station and Kovan station, or any Sengkang-Punggol LRT station, will get their first rail trip of the journey free.

No registration is required to enjoy the free rail ride, but commuters will need to tap in and out using the same card or payment mode.

This is part of a government-funded trial under the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to moderate travel demand during the morning peak.

"Those who shift their travel times can enjoy free rail travel, while others will see reduced congestion and fewer missed trains," LTA said in an Oct. 18 release.

More details about the free rail rides

For instance, a commuter who taps in at Oasis LRT station in Punggol before 7:30am or between 9am and 9:45am, and travels to Tuas Link MRT station, can save S$2.57 under the new initiative.

This is considered as one rail trip, as there is no need to tap out from the LRT line to the MRT line.

If the commuter were to tap in between 7:30am to 7:44am, they would continue to enjoy a 50-cent discount off the rail trip, under the existing Morning Pre-Peak Fares Scheme.

The  Free Morning Off-Peak Rail Rides initiative kicks in on the same day as this year's fare hike for bus and MRT rides, Dec. 27.

The stations along the NEL and Sengkang-Punggol LRT network were chosen as they are the "busiest segment" of the MRT network during the morning peak period, according to LTA.

Steady improvements in travel patterns over time

From January to September 2025, hourly ridership on the NEL during weekday mornings before 7:30am was about 45 per cent less than the period from 7:30am to 9am, LTA said.

Ridership then drops by about 40 per cent after 9am, LTA added.

LTA said the scheme intends to create steady and sustained improvements in travel patterns over time, which will help optimise the use of public transport infrastructure, especially along the NEL.

On whether the initiative could be extended to other parts of the rail network, LTA said it will study the efficacy of the scheme using a data-driven approach before making the decision.

LTA did not provide an estimate for the cost of the initiative.

More rewards under Travel Smart Journeys

LTA said that it will also simplify the enrolment for the Travel Smart Journeys (TSJ) programme and increase rewards to commuters.

The programme benefits commuters in Singapore's northeast region who shift their travel times when taking buses for the first and last mile of their journeys, by rewarding them with points worth 80 per cent of their bus fare, that can be redeemed for cash rebates.

From Dec. 27, the TSJ points eligibility window will be standardised to match that of the Free Morning Off-Peak Rail Rides — before 7:30am and from 9am to 9:45am.

They will need to tap in at any of the six NEL stations between Punggol Coast station and Kovan station, or any Sengkang-Punggol LRT station.

The requirement to tap in at least six weekdays in the last 30 calendar days will also be removed from Dec. 27.

For example, a commuter taking bus 161 from 190C Rivervale Drive to Sengkang MRT en route to Raffles Place MRT, who taps in before 7:30am or between 9am to 9:45am, can earn S$1.02 in rebates for their bus ride and save S$0.83 on the rail ride as it will be free.

LTA said it hopes the removal of the enrolment criteria will encourage greater take-up for the scheme, and ease crowding during the morning peak.

To qualify for TSJ incentives, commuters must register via the SimplyGo app, under the Services tab.

Points earned can be redeemed in blocks of 500 points (equivalent to S$5) as cash value credited directly into their travel cards.

From Jan 2025 till Sep 2025, approximately 8,000 commuters benefitted under the TSJ scheme, earning a total of around S$370,000 in incentives, said LTA.

5 new CDS bus services to be introduced

The TSJ scheme also applies to commuters taking eligible City-Direct Services (CDS), or express buses which bring commuters to the city centre.

From mid-December 2025, five new CDS buses will be included under the TSJ scheme, said LTA.

More details on the upcoming CDS services will be announced in November 2025.

According to LTA, the average capacity of CDS buses during the morning peak period is around 45 per cent.

"Based on current travel patterns, the capacity for existing CDSes is adequate to accommodate more commuters who can adjust their travel times," said LTA.

On whether it would consider increasing the frequency and quantity of CDS services, LTA said it will continue to monitor ridership patterns and make further adjustments as needed.

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