Wow…its been quite  a while since I updated! :) So what’s happened? I’ve moved Down South which means many more new reviews coming your way from the little red dot South of Malaysia!

SMRT Train

And how best to start my Singapore reviews than a review of their essential transportation backbone connecting the East, West, North and South of the island! There has been lots of complaints recently in the newspapers here about how crowded the SMRT trains have gotten. A population boom, thanks to the Government’s generous payouts for each baby you have, and an influx of migrants have left many locals complaining the trains are too crowded. Well, having used the service for several months already, there are some pros and cons about the SMRT service. Read on below.

Pros of the Singapore SMRT System

The SMRT provides cheap and reliable transport. I like how easily you can get a train during peak hours in the mornings. There is a train almost every 2 minutes which means you don’t have to waste time waiting for a train even if you’ve just missed one. It is an incredibly cheap way to get from one point of the island to another. Why, a trip from Changi Airport all the way in the East to Orchard Road in the city costs less than $2 using the EZ-link card.

Areas around MRT stations are bustling hubs with shopping malls, supermarkets and food courts especially in the heartlands where the majority of the locals live. It certainly makes picking up dinner or groceries on your way home from work a breeze.

Cons of Singapore’s SMRT

It is terribly crowded during peak hours and even non-peak! I used to think that attendants wearing white gloves to push people into already crowded trains were only found in Japan. Well, guess what…they have them in Singapore too! And once you’re pushed into that train, forget about any form of personal space! You’d be lucky if the person next to you does not smell! :P

The SMRT signs are not easily visible on ground level. I found that a little odd especially when I was new and trying to locate where the stations are. It didn’t make much sense especially since they are designed to be bomb shelters in the event of a war. It wouldn’t do much good if the public could not find the station in a state of panic!

There aren’t enough connections and this will hopefully be improved with the completion of the Circle line which will cut distances from the North to the West. Because there are currently only 4 main lines, trying to get from one end of the island to the other can take a pretty long time.

One thing SMRT could learn from the London Tube is to make network maps freely available. At the London Tube stations, there are always little stacks of conveniently folded network maps for busy commuters and tourists. With the Singapore SMRT, you will need to approach the desk for a copy and depending on queues, may take quite some time.

When I first came, it was a huge adjustment not driving and I got caught several times in the heavy rain before I learnt to carry an umbrella with me since most of the stations are no longer sheltered outside. Hopefully, with a few more trains and cooler cars especially in the early morning crowds, commuting can be a little more pleasant!