Singapore has a highly expedient and well-designed system of Mass Rapid Transit (MRT). In order to avail this remarkable means of transportation you do not need to be highly affluent nor will it strain your nerves. Known as Sistem Penangkutan Gerak Cepat in Malay MRT constitutes a prime mode of efficient transportation for the people of Singapore today with its network wrapping the entire city. The foremost MRT system was established in the year 1987 to provide convenient access from Yio Chu Kang and Toa Payoh and was the second oldest MRT system in South East Asia after the LRT system which was developed in Manila. The network of the MRT has enlarged substantially since then as it has molded itself into the most preferred means of transport for the people of Singapore which according to statistics conducted in 2007-8 has a mean ridership of 1.564 million on an everyday basis.
Established by the Land Transport Authority there are 64 MRT stations functioning currently in Singapore with a rail network running a length of 109.4 kilometers. Transportation facilities also incorporate buses and taxis to offer a diverse range of public transport amenities to citizens.
Presently in its development phase the mega development of the Circle Line will provide accessibility to all operating MRT Stations. With the completion of the project the heavy traffic density at significant destinations like City Hall and Raffles Center is expected to lessen. The project is expected to be completed by 2010. To simplify transport congestion on the Marina Bay especially, a rearrangement of the traffic lines of the Downtown MRT Line was urgently required. The 3.4 kilometer mega project of the Downtown Extension was scheduled for 2007.
As for fare, a regular EZ-Link card is issued to adults designed on completely technological principles and is used primarily for goods and services payment of transportation in Singapore. This innovation which took ground in the year 2002 was supposed to make business payment as expedient as possible and at the same time it was an effectual technique of alleviating tariff dodging, nevertheless there have been reports of overcharging tariffs. The tariff charged ranges from S$0.69 to the maximum S$ 3.04 in the category of adults, for older civilians the fare has been allocated from S$0.64 to S$0.70. For students possessing the E-Z link card the fare lies in the range of S$0.40 to S$0.50. Passengers are also allowed a discount if they use a linking bus after the completion of the MRT journey.
