Free travel scheme on MRT extended for a year

SINGAPORE — Commuters who tap out at 18 designated MRT stations before 7.45am on weekdays can continue to enjoy another year worth of free travel under the Free Pre-Peak Travel, announced the Land Transport Authority (LTA) today (May 9). The extension will be till June 23 next year.

Those commuters who exit these stations between 7.45am to 8am will also continue to have 50 cents off their train fares till June 23 next year.

Data of commuters show that 7 per cent of commuters have shifted out of the morning peak period since the introduction of the Free Pre-Peak travel last June, said the LTA.

The LTA made the announcement this morning as Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo observed commuters at free pre-peak travel hours.

One primary reason why some commuters have not shifted to pre-peak travelling is that they do not have access to flexible work arrangements, such as starting and leaving work earlier, said Mrs Teo.

“In the second year of the free pre-peak trial, we are going to focus more on working with employers to make flexible work arrangements more widely available to their staff, so that their staff can have a choice of a lifestyle change,” said Mrs Teo.