Do Children Ride the MRT Free in Singapore? Child Fares, Age Rules & Concession Cards

Yes, you’ve heard right! Commuters will get a free ride starting June 24th. The price to pay? Wake up earlier, beat the crowd and travel before 7.45am into the city. For more details and to find out how citizens are responding to this, read on.

One of the first practical questions new parents and visiting families have about getting around Singapore is a simple one: do children ride the MRT and buses for free, and if not, what do they pay? It’s reassuringly family-friendly. Young children do travel free, and older children pay reduced fares, but there are a few details to check before you tap in. Here’s how child fares on public transport work.

Very young children travel free on Singapore’s MRT and buses, and school-age children pay concessionary child fares. The exact height and age thresholds are set by the transport authority and are the thing to confirm.

The system is designed to be cheap and easy for families. Below a certain size, children ride free; above it, they ride at reduced child or student rates. The precise cut-offs are official and can change, so check the current rules.

When children ride free

Singapore’s public transport gives free travel to young children below a set height threshold. The long-standing approach uses a child’s height, measured at the fare gates and on buses, instead of requiring proof of age for the littlest ones. In practice this means babies, toddlers and young pre-schoolers typically travel free on both MRT and buses. Because the exact height cut-off is set by the authorities and has been adjusted over time, confirm the current threshold via the official transport channels before you assume anything. The intent is that small children cost nothing to bring along.

Concessionary fares for older children

Once a child is past the free-travel threshold, they move onto reduced fares:

Child concession: children above the free-travel size but below school age (or the relevant age band) pay a low child fare, usually via a concession card.
Student concession: schoolchildren and students qualify for student concession fares and passes, which are cheaper again and worthwhile for regular commuting to school.
Concession cards: these reduced fares generally require the appropriate concession card, not a standard adult card, so sort that out early for a school-going child.

The specific age bands, card types and fares are set officially and change periodically, so the transport authority and TransitLink are the sources to check for what applies to your child right now.

Practical notes for families

A few things that make travelling with children smoother: prams and strollers are fine on the MRT and on buses (use the designated spaces and lifts), and the system is stroller-friendly with lifts at stations. For tourists and new parents, the free travel for little ones makes public transport a cheap way to get around with a baby. And for a school-age child travelling independently, setting up the right student concession card is the money-saver. For the exact current height, ages and fares, the numbers that change, always go to the official transport authority, not an old article.

Frequently asked questions

Do children ride the MRT for free in Singapore?

Yes. Young children below a set height threshold travel free on both the MRT and buses, so babies, toddlers and young pre-schoolers typically cost nothing to bring along. Confirm the current height cut-off via the official transport channels, as it’s set by the authorities and can change.

How much do older children pay on public transport?

Once past the free-travel size, children pay reduced fares: a child concession fare, and student concession fares for schoolchildren, generally using the appropriate concession card. These are much cheaper than adult fares.

Is it based on age or height?

Free travel for the youngest has long been based on a child’s height, checked at the fare gates, and doesn’t require proof of age. Older children’s concessions are tied to age bands and student status. Check the official current thresholds to be sure.

Can I bring a stroller on the MRT and buses?

Yes. Prams and strollers are allowed on both, with designated spaces and station lifts making the system stroller-friendly. Combined with free travel for little ones, that makes public transport an easy, cheap way to get around with a baby.

What to remember

Singapore’s public transport is family-friendly: young children below a set height ride the MRT and buses free, and older children pay low child or student concession fares with the right card. Strollers are welcome. The one thing to confirm is the current height, age and fare thresholds. Those are official and change over time, so check the transport authority rather than any old figure.