Singapore's MRT is literally the best thing ever

Singapore’s MRT (mass rapid transit) system is world-renowned, with 134 stations spread out across 6 lines and 231 km of track. The network is widely accepted as one of the best transit systems in the world. The transit in Singapore is so effective that a staggeringly high 57.7% of journeys to work were made by public transport in 2020, compared with only 22.7% in Sydney in 2016. What is it exactly that makes Singapore’s transit so effective, and so heavily used? I'll answer that question in this video.
Check out my Linktree: linktr.ee/building_beautifully
Support me over at Ko-Fi! ko-fi.com/buildingbeautifully
Links:
MRT: The First Ride (1987 Documentary): • SBC 1987 - MRT: The Fi...
Simply Go Ad: • Be In, Be Trendy and S...
Cross Island Line Ad (it's actually a three part story, I only showed Part 2)
- Part 1: • CRL1: Sparking New Jou...
- Part 2: • Cross Island Line - Pu...
- Part 3: • Cross Island Line 2 - ...
En Garde Post's video about Gul Circle's mystery platforms: • Singapore's Lost Railw...
tehsiewdai's video about the problems with Singapore's LRT: • The Rise and Fall of t...
Why are cars so expensive in Singapore? (Budget Direct article): www.budgetdirect.com.sg/car-i...
Most expensive cities in the world in 2022: www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/1...
Music:
Funk Electro Groove by Alexey Anisimov
All That by Bensound
Synthwave Moderator by Boomopera
Jazz Hip-Hop by LofiDog
Division Blade by Schematist
Vintage Upbeat and Funky by Guitar State
VHS Dreams by Shane Ivers
Sections:
00:00 Intro
02:04 MRT history
03:35 MRT's interconnectedness
07:15 Frequency is Freedom
08:54 Singapore's TOD
10:36 Forward-thinking the MRT
13:54 LRT, buses and active transport
15:11 Car disincentives
16:30 Other MRT wins
17:38 Singapore's flaws
18:31 Conclusion

[@BuildingBeautifully]

Hey! I hope you enjoyed Building Beautifully's first international video. Be sure to join the Building Beautifully Discord server if you haven't already: discord.com/invite/Hg2cMkaedH And check out my Linktree here: linktr.ee/building_beautifully

[@electro_sykes]

Sydney Metro could look like this one day, these things just take time. Afterall, Rome wasn't built in one day

[@auratesanhandle2]

well technically you this isn’t your first. 2 years ago, you had a comparison between Australia and Singapore :)

[@wengkiong]

Very well researched and presented video! 👏🏻 Bravo! Thank you! Singaporeans are lucky in the sense politicians plan for the country and for future generations, not for their own immediate political popularity 😊

[@RelaxNChillOut]

in Sydney or Australia, the politics get in the way of building large scale infrastructure. We change government every so many years, we never get an opportunity to complete anything large and meaningful. ie. Look how much money has been wasted on high speed train studies. Studies after studies after studies and then they scrap it because it doesn't suit the budget. Atleast the Singaporean government have the bigger picture in their sight.

[@electro_sykes]

@@RelaxNChillOut In Australia, politics build large scale infrastructure, but try to make it car dependent so they don't have to pay much for the operation, as a lot of that comes outta your own pocket instead

[@damacaroni9911]

As a Singaporean, Australian, I respect this a lot.

[@boonhowemoh9807]

As a Singaporean and Australian, you probably need to hand in one of the passports 😅

[@damacaroni9911]

ehhh, I'm way to lazy to do that, Singapore has easier entry to passport holders anyways, so I'll take my chances.@@boonhowemoh9807

[@damacaroni9911]

What? What do you mean, "lies again", are you implying I'm a liar?@@NazriB

[@user-ut7vi8gf1g]

me singaporean chinese

[@officialvisaural]

One other crucial thing is how the branding/design is so consistent across transport modes. It’s like a theme park and spares so many people every day the extra mental load of processing the meaning of every sign they read (because the font tells them that the sign in question is part of the public transit network)

[@dxnerd86]

Fun fact: they have a metro station called Canberra. About as close as the national crappital will come to a proper mass transit system.

[@dxnerd86]

Well I really need to learn to watch the video BEFORE commenting. Great minds think alike!

[@lzh4950]

Its named after the nearby Canberra Dr & Link, which like other roads in Sembawang suburb (where this station is in) are named after places in the British Empire, probably when the country was still a British Crown Colony (there's also Montreal Dr & Durban Rd nearby)

[@boonhowemoh9807]

One of the key points (which you briefly mentioned) is that Singapore government has something at almost every MRT station as a destination. These could be shopping centres (most of them very well integrated with the stations), but it is also the commercial hubs and government buildings (e.g. ICA, MOE, NEA). Most importantly, these ensure that commuters go in each direction to all stations (where they work) throughout the day, unlike many cities, where morning peaks have everyone going one direction to city, and evening peak having everyone going out of cities, with the stations very empty thoughout the day otherwise.

[@whynotsa6866]

that's true, I do wonder if braddell building is a mall tho, have not gone in there. my father did tell me it was an office building...maybe its a mixed use mall?

[@invinciblemode]

@@whynotsa6866braddell is residential

[@whynotsa6866]

@invinciblemode braddell has a station because next to it is braddel house. if you search it. it shows that it's a office space with stores on the outside. it is definitely still in Toa payoh tho, so quite residential

[@boonhowemoh9807]

@@whynotsa6866 Braddell station is mainly for residential, but there are some commercial buildings and schools nearby as well

[@uwet.8826]

Good point. In fact, I government agencies were told to move out of the CBD 20+ years ago, in order not to compete for the most valuable land with businesses and drive up their costs.

[@monketok141]

I loved the MRT when i was visiting but I honestly loved the bus network even more. A lot of the MRT stations, probably because some also double as evac shelters, require so much walking to get from street to platform level. The busses went everywhere and as was mentioned, are very frequent as well.

[@pritapp788]

Buses would work nowhere as well if the MRT wasn't doing the heavy lifting of providing high density transit.

[@tobsong]

Haven’t even mentioned the fare of MRT yet, an end to end 47.7km trip from Changi Airport to Tuas Link cost only $2.26, which is unthinkable for Sydneysiders! And I really like the naming system of the stations in Singapore, eg. EW01 for Pasir Ris meaning it’s the first station on the east west line! very friendly to tourists.

[@arkynkueh]

Actually, EW1 is Pasir Ris station, not Changi Airport, which is CG2.

[@tobsong]

@@arkynkueh ah ok thanks, you got my point

[@gwarguraqueentrickstarcoat9110]

Well you able to spend less $3 on your trip is actually thanks to how Land Transport Authority here in Singapore caluclate based on their own formula where based on inflation, Singporean disposable income and other reasons that keeps it affordable to many Singporeans including me to be able to ride Public transport within good reason Plus its a big plus for low and middle income singaporeans here as cars are mostly quite expenive here in singapore compared to countries like USA or Austraila for that matter However, only sad tging to say parts of the system such as the LRT system is still design poorly for commutors though I hope the LRT system can be improved.

[@tobsong]

@@gwarguraqueentrickstarcoat9110 good to know! Here in Sydney it costs me $7.35 one way to work in the city, so about $30 each day for my wife and I, while it costs me $15 for an early bird parking and $8 toll charge, there’s just less incentive for me to use the public transport when I need the flexibility and a happier wife. That being said, the car price in Singapore is crazy so most people do have no choice but to use MRT I assume. Singapore is one of my favourite cities, apart from its climate lol

[@RUHappyATM]

@@tobsong But would you live and die in Singapore?

[@laggeddot]

Spot on. I have just returned to Sydney after a trip to Singapore. The MRT was excellent. I just sold my home on the Northern Beaches because of the dreadful traffic and zero public transport. I now live in the Sydney CBD and love it. The Northern Beaches have this mentality that if they put in trains, people would come to their haven, so they put up with an outdated infrastructure. I feel sorry for those trapped there when the boomers have all died. I love your insight for better planning.

[@trishd2163]

Great post! I agree I lived on the northern beaches till 2020-21. I went back recently and was astounded how horrible and worse the traffic has become. It’s so congested. It’s going to be a frustrating place to live and get around long term.

[@laggeddot]

@@trishd2163 It's a nightmare there now. You can't get out of Manly on the weekend without waiting for 3 ferries, and if you drive, you sit on Military Road in a traffic jam. There is a shortage of bus drivers so many busses don't arrive. I really hope the Metro eventually covers more of Sydney.

[@Spacemonkeymojo]

@@trishd2163Everywhere is becoming congested because the government is importing hundreds of thousands of people to keep house prices high.

[@Spacemonkeymojo]

@@laggeddot I have a feeling that even if the Metro covered a lot of Sydney the roads would still be extremely congested. Like Singapore car prices should go up and the cost of owning a car should also increase greatly.

[@Sone_carat90]

To all tourists visiting Singapore, please do not eat or drink in our MRT stations and trains. I know it’s hot in Singapore but you can drink right before you step into the station. Too many times people spill their drink in the train and we do not have janitors on board. Also, there’s a $500 sgd fine if caught eating or drinking 😅

[@Karl-going-solo]

That's the only thing I don't like about Taipei and Singapore MRT and the only thing I like about Melbourne's Metro is that you can eat and drink on the train

[@rodneyleong3787]

I've seen those signs on the train and stations. There's no fine for durian on the train?

[@invinciblemode]

@@Karl-going-solo why would you want to eat in the train? The longest trips here are about 50mins or so. It’s very rare to travel more than 30mins on the train.

[@Karl-going-solo]

@@invinciblemode for short train rides you wouldn't really need to eat but living in the furthermost terminal station from the CBD I've often had train rides lasting much more than an hour. unfortunately Melbourne trains get delayed very frequently

[@invinciblemode]

@@Karl-going-solo that never happens in Singapore, so it’s fine to ban eating and drinking. Keeps our trains clean too. Save on manpower costs with a simple rule.

[@exploringsydneysrailways]

Good video! I've wanted to go to Singapore for a while to check out the trains, and this is just more motivation to go. One point I'll make about frequency: Singapore has the big advantage of being a newly-built railway system where every line runs on dedicated tracks. As most Australian networks were built long ago when the answer to how to expand railway coverage was to build a branch, the networks have loads of branches which is the main thing that reduces frequency. Sydney does have high-frequency lines like the North Shore Line, where stations like Waverton get a train every 3 minutes in peak times, but the reason so many trains stop there is because 3 branch lines from the west combine on this corridor, with each of those branches getting much less frequent trains. Unfortunately fixing this is very expensive because it requires redirecting lines onto newly-built routes, and this is exactly what Sydney Metro City and Southwest, Cross River Rail, and the Melbourne Metro Tunnel are doing, but it will take a long time to get to high frequencies on every line just because of the capacity constraints that branches cause.

[@placeholderblankspace]

Singapore did do an oopsie with the circle line and made it branch in the city, so… there is that. But that’s only like 5 stations that are really near each other so it doesn’t really matter… yet

[@jk35260]

Most of the lines are underground. Building these underground network for the MRT is far from simple.

[@jk35260]

Building a train network in Singapore is much more expensive than in most other cities, because the city is very densely populated and has many existing infrastructures. The underground space is already crowded with pipes for water, electricity, waste, and telecommunications. This makes it very challenging to construct the rail network. However, Singapore also has a unique advantage over other cities. Most of its population, about 85%, live in high-rise buildings. This means that the train stations are very close to where people live, usually within 15 minutes of walking distance. The train network is also well connected with the bus network, making public transport very convenient and accessible for most residents. Singapore is a remarkable city that runs very efficiently. I think it is the most efficient city in the world.

[@jace888au]

Impressive how you’ve applied the SMRT’s efficiency to the speed at which you uploaded this video after coming back from holiday! It’s such an amazing place and shows what a strong and deliberate focus on city planning can have on uplifting a country… even smaller things like time-based pricing to spread out peak hours. It’s funny also to see how complex the MRT map has become compared to when I was growing up and only had the red and green lines (which was far easier to memorise). Ps shout out for bedok!

[@kupiokerr9436]

9:28 "...density and frequency are intrinsically linked together..." Sydney doesn't understand this 😢 Please visit Hong Kong's MTR. That company literally pays dividends. (SEHK: 0066) Also, the "weird loop" Downtown Line (DTL) Singapore deserves its own video.

[@papa_gowon]

The Circle Line being an actual circle on the map is so aesthetic.

[@FollowTheSunAustralia]

I nearly died when you showed the price of Singapore cars , it reminds me of Australian cigarettes and how the high price affected sales drastically

[@sanuthweerasinghe7825]

singapore tries to keep the total number of cars in singapore at only 600,000.

[@she3esh]

an estimated 20.7% of all tobacco consumed is black market in Australia (KPMG, 2019), a black market that did not exist 20 years ago and that doesnt even take into account vapes being everywhere. a massive policy fail

[@lzh4950]

Australia, alongside the UK, is also probably one of the few places where cigarettes cost more than in Singapore

[@liongjiahwong5478]

I am a retiree 78.. I had a monthly concession at $58.00. I travel at least 4 trips a day. Each trip is 99 cents.

[@OldDavo1950]

The Bus system is pretty good as well, hardly any need for a car. And the Park connectors for cycling simply the best. Most desirable Asian city to live in. I love the place, climate suits me as well. If money was no problem I would have a winter bolt hole in Singapore.

[@craigsomerton2359]

We absolutely loved Singapore and were blown away at the convenience and efficiency of the MRT system. Compared to Sydney's fragmented busses and trains, it was astounding. We especially delighted in the way the MRT seamlessly integrated with shopping areas - you can literally traverse these subterranean areas for hours, as we did, avoiding the heat and humidity, only briefly popping-up above ground to get our bearings.

[@jtjx1354]

As a singaporean, I absolutely agree with your points. However, I do have some things that I would like to add on. In my opinion, another main reason for the success of the SG MRT is also in part due to our political system. Whilst we are a democracy as well, one differentiating factor between us and countries like Australia is long term political stability. SG has had one ruling party for close to 60 years which makes it much easier to plan far ahead and pass bills to build more rail, whereas in Australia, you could have one party plan everything for the term and if they lose their lead the next election the opponents may just scrap the plans entirely. Point is, its definitely easier for SG to have rail plans into the 2040s when its government is more confident that it will be able to still be leading by that time to carry it out.

[@danishrusdi]

Yup, as a Singaporean myself, I do agree that we have mastered the Public Transit orientation and are improving it for the future, with our MRT at the core.

[@emptyangel]

I love how you've featured local transport KZbinrs into your video. :) Great video! Thanks.

[@RobertMurphy-sx8lc]

Building the "bare bones" of a station did happen in Sydney - the proposed station at Woollarah on the Bondi line. It was not completed because the NIMBYs were worried about the sound pollution (?). If it were covered over, that should stop most of the noise and make space available for flats etc. on top.

[@lzh4950]

Since 2018 Singapore has added metal skirting along some stretches of railway track above ground & they seem quite effective at absorbing the trains' noise

[@PM_ME_MESSIAEN_PICS]

Tan Kah Kee station is almost surrounded by single family housing - the home prices there are stratospheric so I wouldn't think anyone would buy up the area for redevelopment

[@placeholderblankspace]

A lot of the Bukit Timah stations are more meant to serve the institutions around the area than the housing, given that Bukit Timah housing tends to be the high SES side of things. There are some stations that just get really Low footfall due to its placing (Cashew, Lentor, the Tuas stations) though

[@invinciblemode]

@@placeholderblankspacecrucially though DTL brings the high density west side (CCK and Bukit Panjang) into the city easily.

[@chiakum]

Thank you so much. As a Singaporean, I truly appreciate your extensive research and explanation of the MRT System.

[@DallasRabot]

Another awesome video… hope you do a collab with RMTransit’s channel in the future. I also hope you do a video across the ditch in Auckland which has a pathetic train network.

[@fauxpassant]

Welcome to Singapore! Heard your commentary of SG transport system and comparison between SG and Sydney's system, and I'm so glad you're back in Singapore to see the recent developments in our MRT system!

[@timothyteo4602]

As a Singapore-born Australian citizen whose grown to love the well-planned public transport system of Singapore, the shoddy lack of proper public transport infrastructure here in Adelaide as compared with Sydney or Melbourne drives me absolutely nuts

[@gekkomonster7837]

Literally just stepped off the plane from a weekend in Singapore.. love the MRT

[@blokeabouttown2490]

Thanks for this video. Singapore is one of my favourite places to visit and I'm glad I'm not the only one who has such a great appreciation of the MRT there. It's amazing to think that their extensive MFRT didn't even exist before 1987.

[@FromtheWindowSeat]

Thanks for making this … hadn’t realised how much the MRT had expanded in recent years. Impressive! Keen to return to check it out.

[@BleekersSG]

What a great video! I have always wanted to start a series about MRTs in SG! This video might have just spur my motivation, thanks bro!

[@placeholderblankspace]

08:44 you’ll find the running done at City Hall/Jurong East across the platform, or when doors are closing on a train… but yeah less so of a long distance run through an interchange

[@sleepy_dobe]

As you've said, we're land scarce. So being a small island, it's easier to reach almost everywhere via public transport and private cars are rarely absolutely necessary. Australia though not huge by global standards, is massive compared to Singapore. And there are many rural areas that are not served by public transport. It would also not be feasible to do so since ridership would be low (being rural and all), and public transport in those areas would either be very expensive, or a loss-making endeavour for the transport operators. So a car becomes a necessity for those living/working in the rural areas. In the cities where it's more built-up and more densely populated, yes, public transport makes sense and the more connected, the merrier for all. And that's why Singapore is also known as a city state. Because the whole island is as good as one big city. It's not a one solution fits all, but yeah, copy the good bits and leave out the bad parts wherever it fits your situation. That should really be what every country in the world should be doing. Singapore included.

[@pritapp788]

The trouble is that even in the metro areas Australian public transit is rather shitty. Sydney and Melbourne have comparable populations to Singapore yet public transit considerably worse. Ah, and unlike Singapore they are hell bent on worsening it further by betting heavily on light rail.

[@exchangAscribe]

australia is a big country with lots of land, but most of it is unpopulated with people not living there. so if you measure the actual land being used, its comparable to many other cities or countries. i could see there being transit in rural cities/areas, but not to or from rural areas. as you said, it wouldnt be used enough to cover upkeep.

[@uwet.8826]

While your video's focus is the MRT, I think the 2040 Transport Master plan would make it more complete. To create a public transport system that people want to use, the vision is to create a public transport network that brings people to the nearest suburb centre from where they are within 20 minutes and to bring people to the city centre from wherever they are in 45 minutes.

[@slambam3991]

Great video and spot on commentary about everything Singapore does well (and less well - the surprisingly car-centric road designs). I only visited Singapore at the end of last year but this reignited my urge to go back. Also, I'm visiting Sydney later this year so I'll have to binge your channel before then haha

[@invinciblemode]

The car centric parts are really rare though, only present in older parts of the city.

[@lzh4950]

@@invinciblemodeI think the gov't had cargo vehicles in mind when designing its roads to be car-centric

[@yukko_parra]

I swear Singapore's buses are amazing. no traffic at all and on time. The first place where I could trust the bus.

[@invinciblemode]

There are no traffic because everyone are on trains + the car tax which aims to keep total number of cars at 600,000 at any one time.

[@trishd2163]

Amazing Video! What an incredible transport system. This video has made me want to visit!!😁

[@AlexVorstermans]

When I visited Singapore last year, the Singapore City Planning museum was a delight. To see the amount of foreplanning that went into the construction of the city was amazing, especially as a public transport and engineering enthusiast! Plus, it was just a walk away from the Maxwell Hawker Centre, meaning you can enlight yourself on this wonderful infrastructure and then get a delicious chicken rice!

[@AlexVorstermans]

Also a larger reason for it's continued and singular vision in planning infrastructure has been due to the relative stability of government (having the same party in power since formation helps!), whereas in Australia we see political parties take opposing stances on infrastructure (see Labor wanting to cut Sydney Metro, Libs opposition to the original Epping-Parra link etc.)

[@PopStuffChinese]

Lovely content as always! And hey thank you for being kind to take a pic with myself and my son! Wishing you all the very best in life.

[@hardly.rivai_YT]

*SYDNEY:* Trains that delayed (most of the time), buses that cancelled due to driver shortages, ferries that can't cope with high swells and trams that crack whenever they turn. Our public transport is not world-class... 😕 *SINGAPORE:*

[@rileyeyeyy]

Do you expect ferries to be perfectly fine during 20 meter swells or what?

[@hardly.rivai_YT]

@_RlLEY- Ferries in Sydney can't travel in 20-metre swells. However, the Freshwater ferries are capable of operating at a maximum of six. What I'm talking about is the Emerald Series II ferries that were built overseas. It can only go 4.5...

[@rileyeyeyy]

@@hardly.rivai_YT what lines do they serve?

[@boofheadgerry]

Hi, a great videoclip about the Singapore MRT as compared to the Sydney suburban rail system. There are a number that I must make, Singapore is smaller that Sydney being approximately 50 kms east to west and 25 kms north to south. Where as Sydney is over 60 kms east to west and 70 kms north to south depending where you measure the city from. Singapore is more congested than many parts of Sydney but the populations are fairly comparable of about 5.4 million people. As you mentioned Singapore commenced building their MRT system from 1987 as compared to Melbourne/Sydney where their suburban rail systems are over 120 years old and is from the steam era. Singapore had a blank canvas (so to speak) to work and could design their system for the modern era where as Melbourne/Sydney are trying to modernise their systems from the steam era. The Singapore Government to their credit is very pro-active in relation to the MRT system and openly discourages car transport where as the NSW and Victorian Government as beholden to the road transport lobby and invests billions into road transport. However there need to be money spent on roads in Melbourne/Sydney as there is quite a lot of heavy haulage trucking transport that goes through those cities which must be catered for, where as Singapore has very little heavy trucking haulage. Some of Melbourne/Sydney's rail corridors still have freight transport such as the Long Island steel train on the Frankston line in Melbourne and the Maryvale paper train on the Packenham rail line where as Singapore's MRT does not have any freight services. You mentioned that Singapore is proactive in building stations for future use which is very logical. In Perth there is a provision on the Mandurah rail line (in the freeway) for a future station at South Perth however realistic this is unlikely happen any time soon, if at all. There has been land reserved for a future rail station at Bennet Springs East on the Ellenbrook rail line which is under construction now, this station is likely to be built within the next ten years. However to sum up, Singapore is a world leader in their MRT systems and Australia public transport networks could learn a lot from the Singapore MRT. Keep up the good work.

[@jim_ouk]

I visited Singapore back in July for only 3 days - and it's still the best 3 days I've had in my life. I knew their public transport was the best too when I was researching what to see in Singapore, but my family INSISTED we take rideshare instead. It was expensive compared to just walking into a station, and on top of that I had to pay a cancel fee once because the Grab app made me choose the wrong location. I say Grab because it's the main service in Singapore and South east Asia. Uber doesn't operate at all in Singapore. Also, 18:54, hot over there isn't it? Not as bad as Cambodia, which I went to before spending time in Singapore. Wait till' you see the traffic there, and the 'public transport.'

Uber used to operate here, but they left the market.

[@edgyguy8240]

Well informed and researched video, sir. Keep it up!

[@Zendefone]

Fantastic vid, beautifully explained. 👏

[@danial4752]

I love the humour you keep inserting in this video! Keep it up bro.

[@ethans-dk4bk]

Good Video! i loved the Advantage of Metro Rapid Transit (MRT) It was running less than 7 Minutes and Stations are very close. Singapore MRT is over 40 Years Old. I loved to go to Singapore. The Metro looks similar to Hong Kong. And some Stations in Singapore have different languages beside english. it was Chinese Cantonese and Mandarin, Indian Tamil, And Malay (Singapore is connected to Malaysia by a Bridge.

[@azureliteyahoo]

Just a note, Cantonese is never a official or national Language of Singapore. You are right about the rest tho

[@invinciblemode]

At the absolute peak hours like 8-9am or 6-7pm, trains literally come every minute. It’s such a pleasure to live and work here.

[@CuriousDiaries]

Sharath, I’m a big fan and love your art of story telling! I’ve been to Singapore more than a dozen times and couldn’t agree with you more! MRT is the best thing ever built! We Aussies need to follow this model!

[@jasonwhiteley3612]

Castle hill station(on the metro) has pedestrian tunnel straight into the shopping centre from the concourse very convenient.

[@fangwong8778]

Thank you for making this video. Wish you added subtitles. Cheers

[@PaulSeow1612112]

Singaporean here, loved your video! On the point on journeys between heartland areas though, some journeys aren't as train-friendly yet (such as from Yishun to Punggol, or Marine Parade to Hougang) even though they might be quite short in distance. Hopefully new lines would be even less city-centre centric as even the Circle Line is actually quite southern and isn't as central as the map suggests :')

[@vintagedigital108]

For all around the world building metro system, consider building it above ground or on the ground more. Not only it’s cost effective, but also easier to add new stations and extend the existing lines.

Whether that's cost effective depends on what else people can do with the land. In Singapore almost all railways are other underground or on pylons, because the land is so valuable.

[@lzh4950]

@ Also because newer MRT lines tend to serve neighbourhoods that're already built up decades earlier (since they're typically the more peripheral areas of suburbs originally served by connecting buses instead to older lines' stations in the suburbs' town centres), probably as the gov't wanted to be more confident that the stations would have enough riders, so there isn't much room left for stations to be built above ground. Sometimes the stations also end up having to be built further away

[@lexburen5932]

metro above ground. Can make it as well and LRT light rail transit. Metro above ground defeats the purpose of being a metro. But can be combined underground and above ground.

[@person880]

Nicely done. I think the very affordable fares, safety, cleanliness, and generally quiet and considerate riders are also worth mentioning as all of this impacts an individual's overall experience. One more thing is the fact that you can pay with your contactless credit card and don't even need to register or buy a transit card at all, so this can be an option for some people. Great job to Singapore!

[@fexdeth]

What a great way to have a holiday :) Any chance you could investigate Sydneys obsession with speed bumps?

[@Karl-going-solo]

Awesome video mate. I've been to Singapore once in 1997 and the MRT was still pretty good back then. I must go back and experience the vast changes to it. I lived in Taipei for a while and its MRT system seems comparable to Singapore's. It is so frustrating using Melbourne's metro system. I guess Melbourne is a few hundred years behind having a similar density and hence comparable metro system to those two cities.

[@PrograError]

Taipei literally came to and learn from SMRT / LTA

[@Karl-going-solo]

@@PrograError I wish Australia would learn from Singapore as well

[@invinciblemode]

@@Karl-going-solosame, as a Singaporean I much prefer Australia’s climate. But we can’t change our climate so I hope you can implement a great transit system

[@HenryMidfields]

I was over at Singapore, exploring the city last weekend. To be honest, I was kind of underwhelmed in certain aspects of Singapore Metro. - In places like Outram Park, I've noticed the hard way with how much walking I had to do to get from one line to the other (or even the platform to street level depending on the exit). I mainly used the Downtown and East West Lines, and the only cross-platform transfer I used was at Tanah Merah. Probably not all that bad if you're commuting and you're used to the climate, but for someone with a suitcase and a few hours of lacking sleep strait off the plane and not used to the sweltering heat, it felt like forever. - There is also a surprising amount of missed connections between the different lines within Singapore's CBD and inner areas, including how the Downtown Line completely bypasses both Raffles Place and Marina Bay and their other lines, or how it doesn't stop at Dhoby Ghaut between Belcoolen and Fort Canning. (And ironically, Sydney Metro would end up resolving with Martin Place.) - You've already mentioned this, but, yeah, the surprising amount of Stroads even in the inner cities like Chinatown when I don't recall even Sydney CBD doing that. Sure, sometimes the metro stations can provide a way below, but I don't really think they're that worth the surprising amount of extra trouble considering how deep some of the stations (and even the concourses) are. Mind you, this is coming from someone who used to live in Tokyo and who lives in Surry Hills (and avoids a lot of Sydney transport's deficiencies). A pleasant surprise, is just how much cheaper it is compared to Sydney. I would never have thought that a $2 trip from Downtown to the Airport would be a possibility!

[@ethans-dk4bk]

City Circle Line in Singaport runs from Dhoby Ghuat or Marina Bay to HarbourFront built within 5 Stages. Stage 6 of the City Circle Line is Built and Opens a few years later so it can be the True City Circle Line.

[@danielsmyth7508]

please please please do a video on the srl, despite it being in melbourne. really want to hear your thoughts on it, specifically how to decrease the cost

[@timothywatson6488]

I love this video and also love singapores MRT (used it myself) but when you mentioned that Australia should do something similar to Singapore with car usage and taxing it I do have to agree just because I live out in rural QLD and having to spend more money on getting around would be so destructive as the car is a necessity but it would be interesting seeing something done with taxing cars in large cities

[@MrChowTheTroll]

Singapore is a pretty good example but it’s dense so yeah its easier to place metro…. I find Tokyo metro system to be pretty okay but its bastardised by heaps of private companies and you have to hop between fare gates if u have switch between lines and new fares I think Sydney can learn from both, but not the bastardised privatisation of Japan. At least they don’t have that with each bus companies charging seperate rates for different companies….

[@invinciblemode]

It’s dense by design

[@Bus_Enthu_Ian]

As a Singaporean public transport enthusiast, I can agree to everything that is said over here, great video! However, I would like to point out a mistake at 12:55 where you mentioned "East Coast Line". Correction, it is actually the East West Line. The East Coast Line is a defunct railway line along the Thomson East Coast line.

[@islandcoma]

Having lived in Singapore for 7yrs, i can't say enough good things about Singapore public transport. Shout-out to good ol' Circle Line!! Holland Village:)

[@mark123655]

Sydney does however have an issue with building future platforms and never using them - Redfern, Central, St.James and more recently St.Leonards. As plans and objectives change - not helped by not having a bipartism 20-30yr plan. (Of course Singapore doesnt need to worry about messy things like changes of government) Also Woolahra (but thats kind of a different story). A good infill station would have been Waterloo on the Airport line, unfortunately the gradient is way too steep to retrofit. Camelia was considered but rejected. Reportedly development is unlikely to happen as decontamination is likely too expensive - asbestos, chrome-ore and oil processing are just some of the former toxic land uses

[@rileyeyeyy]

I don’t think Waterloo needs a station but it’s not because they don’t deserve it. I think it’s because getting to the airport from the cbd needs to be as quick as possible for travellers.

[@ianhomerpura8937]

3:30 indeed, I really do not get why the hell a city that will host the Olympics come 2032 does NOT even plan to having a proper mass transit network. Paris built the RER and LA expanded it metro just so it can bring people to and from venues much easier for their respective Olympics in 2024 and 2028.

[@ThysiosX]

On a more positive note, the Sunshine Coast is upgrading it's heavy rail line, adding a new route to Maroochydore and planning a light rail in preparation for the Olympics. Though there's a bit of backlash against the light rail unfortunately. But here's hoping they'll ignore the NIMBY's and we'll get it.

[@kefinjanitra1880]

Singapore is one of the best transport system for sure. I hope you can come and visit Surabaya too. We need a lot of reviewers and content creators to raise the issue of how important transport system is.

[@engardepostsg]

Thanks for the shoutout Sharath! But uh, at 12:54, Gul Circle on the "East Coast Line"? The station is at the total opposite of the East area hahaha!

[@BuildingBeautifully]

🤦🤦 damn it, I misspoke and never noticed!

[@Respectable_Username]

"Frequency is freedom!" I echo, throwing hopeful eyes at the Metro Southwest upgrade freeing the T3 from the throttling of the City Circle. "Frequency is freedom," I whisper, crossing my fingers as I squeeze my eyes closed in the hopes that once the Sydenham link is opened, frequency along my whole line may rise to sensible levels, especially during peak hours. "Frequency is freedom," I sob, the only aspect of living on the North Shore that I now miss, even when I'm so happy to be free of its stroady suburbia in almost every other respect.

[@tstcikhthys]

Very much so! I was recently there, and it was definitely a joy to ride. BTW, _kilometre(s)_ rhymes with "nanometres", not with "thermometers" (because it's a unit of measurement, not a measuring device).

[@trainsandmore2319]

Other flaws include narrow sidewalks outside of the downtown that sometimes become overcrowded because it's located in a busy area that's often near an MRT station (idk why cars still continue to get more space than pedestrians smh). It was a bit of a pain walking from the Lavender MRT station to a nearby mall just to buy a cheap universal adapter while dodging crowds of pedestrians on a narrow sidewalk.

[@BenPearlman]

I think while the high registration approach works well for Singapore, being a city state, Australia would need to be more targeted in our approach as many areas are not accessible vie PT. Instead replacing fuel duty with a high congestion charge would be a good idea, with the proceeds used improve PT in those same areas

[@invinciblemode]

Just have ERPs into the CBD area which will tax the shit out of drivers for driving into the city instead of taking a train. We have this too in SG fyi.

[@electro_sykes]

Hume was a shell station, finally being built now & I suspect NE2 is also one

[@placeholderblankspace]

NE2 more or less doesn’t exist, it’s stopped appearing in future plans and it’s not a shell, so chances are they just gave up on it, especially given the fact that CCL6 is opening soon

[@electro_sykes]

@@placeholderblankspace that would make sense. Even if there was a shell, there would be no point as it would be more challenging to build as you would have to work around the NEL and at the end of the day, not really worth it if your building another station down the road as part of the CCL6. NE2 could open one day if the nearby station on CCL6 gets overcrowded due to new develoments, but for at least the next half century there is really no point on building NE2 and we may never need to build it for another century or even at all.

[@mystarmach]

Thanks for saying that about EVs not being the solution! Driving around in a sexy future car is always gonna seem 'cooler' than hopping on the train, so it's important to point this out whenever possible.

[@CuriosityMine]

That circular line on the map satisfies parts of my brain I did not know required satisfying.

[@willx9352]

Singapore is a densely populated city and nation! This is quite different from Australian cities and Australia itself.

[@rodneyleong3787]

Singapore has done a fantastic job with transit, expanding and improving the network over the past 20 years. Compare that to San Francisco when it took about 20 years to build a four station value engineered subway extension. You should take a look at Hong Kong's MTR next.

[@SprattyD]

I only have partially experienced Singapores MRT once but get to go back in November for a full week this time! so will be able to probably suss it out :D I just know it will depressing going back to Adelaides absolute joke of a car centric system.

[@YoutiaoVlogs]

As train operator I agree and I love the TEL Thomson east coast line as I stay along the TEL

[@legendspike1387]

Can you please make a video about Hong Kong's MTR network and its public transport? Hong Kong has a world class transit system (just like Singapore) and their solution to car traffic are top notch. The city is TOD and is so well planned and it makes millions of dollars from the transit system. The city is home to the most high rise and skyscrapers and they built it near the stations (at most within 1km which already considers far), so more than 5 million people use it everyday. Their frequency of the metro is much higher than Singapore, their trains arrive every 1 min in peak hours and around every 3-5 mins in normal times. Their metro almost covers up every corner of Hong Kong , if not, they would have other public transports like double decker trams, double decker buses, minibuses, ferries and light rail which also covers up every corner of the city. They even got a high speed rail connecting to mainland China, a normal metro line which connects to mainland China and an airport express line which directly brings you to the city or CBD within 25 mins (note that Hong Kong's international airport is really far away from the city).

[@jseden1]

Well done brother. Fabulous city

[@Darkraid]

Would like to add this the major housing towns in Singapore more than one MRT stations. For example, Punggol has 3 stations, Punggol, Punggol Coast and Riviera

[@thunderwalk]

i was there recently and my mind was truly blown by how efficient the public transport is. we in australia need to learn from it

[@chickennoodle6620]

The Suburban rail loop has a big issue with massive gaps between stations too.

[@andrewsgarage796]

AWesome Transport system, Australia you could learn from this video Best Regards Andrew

[@ManiRam-bk4es]

As a Canberran, everytime I passed that eponymous station on the NS line, wondered at the irony that differentiates super-efficient Singapore, and the self-indulgent, pompous Aussie capital. A sore point though about the MRT, the long walk needed at interchanges and at stations like Outtram Park; how are the old and the infirm expected to negotiate this?

[@HenryMidfields]

I was kind of disappointed about that too. There seems to be a number of stations like that when I visited Singapore last weekend like Outram Park as you mentioned. There's also a surprising amount of instances where I had to either cross an 8-lane road (which is not very safe) or get down into the station itself (which is more of a pain than I thought because of how deep even some of the concourses are) to cross underneath.

[@Nothingmore1313]

SGP Land Authority (SLA) works closely w HDB, LTA n other ministries in long term urban planning, road traffic n of cse e MRT. Hence, what was highlighted e ‘shelf’ station built before e area is developed.

[@gnhansen29]

It's a shame that Sydney didn't build its rail links between Parramatta and Epping and between Strathfield and Hurstville. Also I liked how the Sydney Monorail had a station inside of a CBD shopping centre. Also it would be good to have an interchange at Camelia to make the light rail more useful.

[@ivanflinnable]

❤ Singapore and definitely great public transport. It’s too hot though. Brisbane and Sydney’s weather is nice hot compared to Singapore’s uncomfortable hot you need three outfits a day. 😅

[@kalon9999]

Being half the size of Sydney certainly helps...

[@JessicaTaylorPMC]

It's almost the same population packed into half the space, that makes it way harder.

[@illiiilli24601]

​​@@JessicaTaylorPMCmakes it harder to build but easier to induce demand and ridership

[@DevynCairns]

The way to get around that is to focus largely on a smaller area than the entirety of the suburbs, but still larger than just the CBD. Encourage development in lower density areas within that smaller area, and you can effectively shrink the city.

[@voiddustry5879]

im a singaporean :> im pretty impressed how our metro system actuall progressed this well.

[@KatoombaTourGuide]

Awesome !

[@ethans-dk4bk]

You have forgot about the Sentosa Express Monorail that runs from Harbourfront to Sentosa Beach?

[@perhapsme988]

I agree that, for Sydney rail network, should have link from North West to St George's district. Same from Chatswood to Liverpool directly. We should also increase capacity of existing lines with more carriages. Extend platform length in major stations. 2 more carriages added is 25% higher capacity. No need for train time table changes. Suburban stations don't need to have platforms lengthened. People just ride in carriages appropriate for their station destinations

[@caver38]

Underground trains have existed in major cities for a very long while , it is to be seen if Singapore can maintain the system in the long term

[@rufrrnurgh]

As a Singaporean, I see this as an absolute win.

[@koharumi1]

Waitong on the day Sydney is bothered to put the screen doors like on the MRT on the busy stations and eventually maybe do all of the stations.

[@Bwebber99]

Never bothered to check the cost of MRT journeys always cheap, I was there in 2000 when Singapore had 2 lines has grown so fast.

[@eternng5706]

Proud of my country Singapore!!!!! Clean, convenient and efficient

[@tyskeels6777]

I was in Singapore earlier this year and yes I love their transport system better than Sydney’s one for sure!

[@trubyssot]

As an f1 fan my self and it the Singapore GP this weekend are you going?

[@anders4u222]

Berhati hati sila ruang di platform.. I will never forget this:-)

[@user-xj9vu3fg3b]

Great video, unfortunately in Sydney, we will never have anything like Singapore because we are becoming more and more car-dependant and people are generally hate high-density living. I am looking at Sydney becoming more like LA in the future. If Sydneysiders want better public transport, they'll need to do something like: -Force people who want single detached housing to live in rural areas/outer suburbs/further away from stations and shops and put more high rises closer to stations. -Force people off cars by placing a toll system that charges people to cross between city councils and only exempt those who really need it (workers who drive as part of work, families with young children below 12, families with carers for elderly/disability) -Forcefully build rail lines everywhere and tell people in the beaches to suck it up. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

[@lzh4950]

Singapore is now switching from using physical static gantries for electronic toll collection (which we call the ERP) to a satellite-based system, which promised to be more flexible & to allow for distance-based tolling, but distance-based tolling is now put on hold as it might raise the cost of business by too much for logistics companies. Maybe there could be a lower tariff rate for commercial vehicles compared to cars, but both distance-based

[@biocapsule7311]

It's help that Singapore government has priority on land use. Most US cities for example can't do it well because it's too expensive to compensate or work around private real estate. City planning is very important for density, large countries often has too much land for most of it's history so it's often not planned well to begin with because they tend to build outwards thinking there are plenty of space. And it also took years to get it right, hence the newer stations have better amenities then the older lines stations.

[@simontang1945]

Perhaps you can do a video to compare the trains in India vs those in Singapore. I have not been to India so it would be nice to see what they have.