Factors in selecting a place to rent: Proximity to public transport

While public criticism often mounts and customer satisfaction is paradoxically low, comparative to most other countries the Singaporean infrastructure of public transport is really quite impressive. Add to this the Vehicle Quota System placed on private vehicles and a climate utterly non-conductive to cycling and you can see why the vast majority of Singaporean make use of public transport frequently.

Seeing the importance of the public transport system, it naturally is one of the most pertinent factors influencing renter decisions in Singapore. Logically, a property’s distance to the public transport system positively influences its renting price; that is, with other factors held constant, a closer proximity to the network of public transportation translates into higher renting fees. Indeed, rental listings generally tend to be accompanied by details stipulating the walking distance to the closest MRT or bus. And, and, and ah we can’t keep it in! (Warning: shameless product promotion ahead) We added an awesome feature to our website of an interactive map of the MRT network, enabling you to find all listings near any MRT of your choice, by simply… clicking on it!

Swiftly moving on, public transport in Singapore consists of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) the Light Rail Transit (LRT) – both of which are commonly conflated and simply referred to as the “MRT” – the bus network, and taxis.

MRT/LRT

With more than 2 million passengers daily, the MRT/LRT trains serve as the backbone of the public transport system. Spanning the whole island and beyond, the MRT/LRT network consists of over 140 stations and more than 178 km of rails. With an eye on the future, the Land Transport Authority is expanding the network rapidly and by 2030 it should comprise an estimated 360 km of rails. That would effectively put Singapore ahead of cities such as Hong Kong or Tokyo, and on par with New York in terms of network span. Fares start at S$0.79 for adult holders of the CEPAS (Contactless E-Purse Application) card, and there are several subsidised schemes for many groups such as the elderly, children or students.

Bus

From this year onwards, there are more than 4000 buses and 4,500 bus stops in operation, serving more than 3 million passenger rides a day on over 300 bus routes. As with the MRT, fares start at S$0.79 for adult holders of the CEPAS card. Apart from transporting riders to their destination, buses also serve as an important connection between residential areas and MRT stations and provide transport for the last mile as every residential block has its own bus stop.

Taxi

There are currently 30,000 taxis operating in Singapore, run by six main companies as well as a small group of independent drivers. Taxis in Singapore provide over 900,000 passenger rides daily, and passengers can hail taxis at any of the over 250 taxi stands in operation or simply flag them down along the road. Taxi fares in Singapore are relatively cheap compared to other major cities, with a 10-minute trip costing approximately S$10. Recently, taxi-booking mobile apps have been making their entrance into the market, most notable of which is Uber.

The bottom line is that public transport matters, and in deciding where to rent you will eventually have to find a balance in the trade off between being better connected to the network and paying more rent, or living a bit further away yet spending less on rent.

99.co inside scoop: when the difference between two potential places includes a bus ride to the MRT, then that will probably put you back more than S$30 a month (S$0.79 x 2 x 20 working days); multiply that by two if you are a couple, three if you also have a child, and so on.

Moral of the story: public transport matters. So, factor it in!

If you found this article helpful, 99.co recommends Rentals now enjoy cheap rental prices in Singapore – here’s why

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