8% of NEL MRT commuters shifted out of 7:30am-9am peak timings after free off-peak rides launched

Travel demand during the morning peak for commuters in the northeast of Singapore appear to be easing.

About 8 per cent of MRT commuters on the North East Line have shifted out of the morning peak period between 7:30am and 9am, since the launch of the free morning off-peak rail rides and enhanced Travel Smart Journeys (TSJ) programmes on Dec. 27, 2025, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) revealed in a Mar. 4 news release.

Participation in the programme has also more than doubled over the same period and the proportion of commuters who shifted out of the morning peak has grown steadily, LTA added.

The proportion has risen from about 6 per cent in early January to nearly 8 per cent in the week of Feb. 2, 2026.

As a result, passenger volume along Kovan, the busiest stretch of the NEL, during

morning peak has reduced by a factor equivalent to adding two extra trains or 20 more buses.

The passenger volume distribution on NEL is also more evenly spread out during the morning peak period.

Under the programme, commuters who tap in at any of the six NEL stations between Punggol Coast station and Kovan station, or any Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) station, before 7.30am or between 9am and 9.45am on weekdays excluding public holidays, enjoy free travel for the first rail trip of the journey.

No registration is required. Commuters simply tap in and out using the same fare card or payment mode.

Programme simplified and enhanced

Since Dec. 27, 2025, the TSJ initiative has been simplified and enhanced.

The requirement for a qualifying travel history has been removed, and the eligibility window has also been aligned with the free morning off-peak rail travel period.

Commuters who take connecting bus services before or after their free morning off-peak rail travel will earn 80 per cent rebate of their connecting bus rides when they sign up for TSJ.

Alternatively, commuters who switch to eligible express bus services instead of the NEL, will earn 80 per cent rebate on their journey fare.

Before the enhancements, 11,000 commuters were participating in the TSJ.

Since Dec. 27, 2025, 14,500 new participants have signed up, bringing total participation to 25,500.

This is more than double the previous number.

On average, about 2,100 commuters benefit daily, with 1,600 receiving discounts for bus rides before and after a free rail ride and another 500 switching to express buses.

This is the equivalent of half an extra train.

Enhancing commuter experience

These measures complement ongoing efforts to enhance public transport connectivity and the commuter experience in the North-East region.

In mid-December 2025, five new City Direct Services (CDS) were introduced to connect residents in Hougang, Sengkang and Punggol towns to city areas, such as the Central Business District and Orchard.

These services qualify for discounts under the TSJ scheme.

The SPLRT fleet is being expanded to increase overall passenger capacity, with seven new two-car Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) deployed since July 2025, with 18 more new two-car LRVs to be deployed progressively.

The Cross Island Line, due to open in stages from 2030, will also provide commuters with more route options and help distribute passenger load in the northeast region.

LTA also said it plans to commence engineering studies for the Seletar Line in 2026, where the first phase will provide more travel options for residents in the northeast.

Top photos via Google Maps