SINGAPORE — From Jan 1, commuters can use their credit and debit cards to top up their EZ-Link or Nets FlashPay cards at any General Ticketing Machine islandwide, announced TransitLink on Thursday (Dec 29).

There will be no additional charges for top-up using Singapore-issued cards. For foreign-issued cards, no convenience fees will be levied.

The maximum daily payment limit will also be increased from the current S$40 to S$100 per credit or debit card per day — meaning less frequent top-ups are needed. 

TransitLink said it is extending the cashless mode of payment amid an increase in commuters using such methods to top up their EZ-Link and Nets FlashPay cards. 

Currently, only commuters with Singapore-issued UOB Visa, UOB MasterCard and UOB JCB cards can top up their transport cards at the General Ticketing Machines. This was part of a trial launched on July 1 this year.

Before July’s trial with UOB cards, cash top-up accounted for 63 per cent of total top-up value at the General Ticketing Machines, while cashless payment via Nets — the only cashless mode available then — made up about 37 per cent of top-up value. 

Since the launch, TransitLink said “the number of transactions using credit/debit cards rose steadily from 800 on the first day to an average of 1,800 transactions per day in November”.

Cashless transactions using credit or debit cards in the same month amounted to more than S$1.5 million, accounting for 40 per cent of top-up value, representing a 3 percentage point shift. 

“We are very encouraged by the results of the pilot launch and have therefore decided to proceed with the extension to all local and foreign-issued credit and debit cards,” said Mr Lee Yuen Hee, TransitLink’s chief executive officer, adding that he hoped to see the number of cashless top-up transactions increase by another 10 percentage points by the end of next year. 

Commuters TODAY spoke to welcomed the move by TransitLink. One of them was Ms Sheila Koh, 27, who said: “Now I do not have to fumble for cash to top up my EZ-Link card at train stations.” 

The postgraduate student, who spends around S$100 a month to top up her card, also does not own a UOB credit card, so Thursday’s announcement was a “welcome convenience”.