Jeffrey Siow: Free morning off-peak NEL rides start 27 Dec, to be reviewed after one year

SINGAPORE: Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow told Parliament on 4 November 2025 that the free morning off-peak rail rides pilot scheme on the North East Line (NEL) will be reviewed after one year to determine whether it should be extended.

Pilot scheme to begin 27 December

From 27 December, passengers entering NEL stations — Punggol Coast, Punggol, Sengkang, Buangkok, Hougang or Kovan — or any Sengkang-Punggol LRT station, before 7.30am or between 9am and 9.45am on weekdays (excluding public holidays) will enjoy free rides.

Siow said the Transport Ministry selected the NEL and Sengkang-Punggol LRT for the pilot as they form the most heavily used section of Singapore’s MRT network.

Review to assess impact on travel patterns

The announcement was in response to a parliamentary question from Workers’ Party MP Louis Chua, who asked about the duration of the Free Morning Off-Peak Rail Rides scheme, whether the Government planned to make it permanent, and if such a decision depended on expanding NEL’s peak-hour capacity.

Siow said a similar programme in 2013 encouraged about 7 per cent of commuters to shift their travel out of the morning peak. “If we are able to achieve a similar and sustained result, we will not need additional resources to support higher commuter traffic before 7.30am,” he stated.

He added that the initiative would be fully funded by the Government, with costs depending on take-up rates and the programme’s effectiveness.

Constraints on adding train capacity

In a follow-up, Chua asked whether the Transport Ministry could add more train carriages, noting that the affected sections ran through his constituency.

Siow explained that the NEL’s underground design made it technically difficult to lengthen trains beyond the station platform size.

“If trains are longer than the station length, we may have to shut down the line to expand the station, or face fire safety concerns,” he said.

He noted that future MRT lines would be designed with longer stations to allow train capacity expansion when required.

Station selection and crowd management

Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MP Elysa Chen questioned how stations were chosen for the pilot, noting that Bishan MRT station also experiences heavy commuter traffic.

Siow said the selected section is currently the most intensively used part of the MRT network, with limited alternative routes until the Cross Island Line opens.

“Should there be a disruption, the impact would be significant, so it is in the ministry’s interest to reduce peak-hour crowding,” he explained.

He added that Bishan is relatively less crowded and better connected to other lines.

Scheme to benefit all commuters indirectly

Chen also asked whether the scheme favoured able-bodied commuters who could adjust their travel schedules.

Siow clarified that the initiative aims to encourage a small proportion of flexible travellers to shift their trips, thereby freeing space for those unable to change their travel times.

“It will then benefit commuters who have no choice but to travel during the more crowded periods,” he said.

Seletar Line update expected in 2026

Jalan Kayu SMC MP Ng Chee Meng raised the issue of accelerating the Seletar Line, citing rising population density in the north-east.

Siow said planning for the Seletar Line was aligned with housing developments and travel demand. The ministry is currently studying the project and expects to provide an update in 2026, possibly during the Budget debates held between end-February and early March.