1 Singapore Transportation in Detail: Bus

So, you just arrived in Singapore for a 2-week vacation(or job hunt). You found your rented room, decided to go around and check out the nice spots in Singapore. One of the most convenient way of getting around is to take the bus, so you went to a bus stop near your place for a ride.
But wait! Which bus to going to where and how much is the fare. Read on for the answers you're looking for.

Photo from SBS Transit website

Public Bus Operators
SBS Transit and SMRT Corporation are two of the public bus companies operating here in Singapore. You can use either of the two, depending on the route you're traveling. Normally, SMRT buses are used for intra-town travel and SBS Transit buses are used for town-to-town travel.

Routes
Depending on your destination, you can choose a bus number to ride. For example, if you live near Hougang Central area, and wants to go to Clementi are, you can ride SBS bus 165. Different numbers means different routes. Another example: if you are near Ang Mo Kio area, and want to go to Singapore zoo, you take bus 138 in Ang Mo Kio bus interchange.

Bus services: Fares and Timings

Timings
Different bus routes have different timings and intervals. Bus operations commonly starts early morning and ends before midnight. There are no bus operations after 12 midnight. Bus intervals are normally between 5-10mins. You can further check the details here.

Fares
If you don't have the EZLink card, you pay depending on your destination. You can check the fare table in any bus stop or here. Using an EZLink card will cost you less when traveling by bus.

Bus stop sign with bus numbers

Bus Stops
Bus stops are a common sight around Singapore. The buses passing by the bus stop is indicated near this area. You can also check the routes of the buses here.

Bus Interchanges
Interchanges are the bus terminals. This is the starting and end points of the bus routes. You can find many of the bus routes here. Bus interchanges are also commonly found near MRT stations for passenger convenience transferring to trains.

Boarding
Once decided on where to go, you wait for the corresponding bus number to board. As a courtesy to the driver, signal to him/her(yes, there are women bus drivers here) before arriving to the bus stop. The doors near the front of the bus is the entrance and the doors near the middle of the bus is the exit. You let the elder board first, if there are any. Pay the correct fare by either placing your coins in a bin and get the ticket or tapping your EZLink card to the card reader near the entrance. The seats near the front is allocated for elderly, pregnant women, persons with accompanying children and persons with disabilities. You should take a sit in the rear of the bus if you don't want to receive stares from other passengers, especially if you're a male.

Alighting
When already near your destination, signal the driver to stop the bus by pressing the stop button inside the bus. Don't signal the driver when exactly in front of the bus stop, as this will sometimes get you a yell or a silent curse from the driver. Signal early before arriving to the bus stop you're alighting. Tap your EZLink card on your way out of the bus.

Tips and General rules

• No eating or drinking inside the bus.
• Smoking inside the bus is strictly prohibited.
• Do not bring a bicycle inside a bus, unless it's a foldable bike.
• No standing on the upper deck of the double decker bus.
• You need to tap in and tap out when riding the bus. Not doing so will charge your EZLink card with the maximum amount.
• Give your seat to the one who needs it most. Be courteous.