Are you planning to go to the "Lion City" soon? If yes, prepare your itinerary as best as possible to maximize your holiday moment. One of the essentials to prepare is, of course, what kind of transportation you will use there.
I think the public transportation system in Singapore is among the best in my experience because it is safe, affordable, and comfortable. Singapore's MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) and bus systems have a large network of routes that will allow you to zip around the city quickly.
To those planning to use MRT, bus, or other public transportation services in Singapore, you should try using EZ-Link. So, what is EZ-Link?
EZ-Link was the first electronic money card system introduced in Singapore in April 2002. It is a sophisticated, contactless, and multi-purpose stored value card used as a payment method for public transport, such as buses, MRT, SMRT Taxis, and Transcab.
Since EZ-Link is multipurpose, it also can be used for paying parking fees, shopping at retail/outlets, food outlets like Mcdonald's, and many others! We can even buy juice or drink in a vending machine using EZ-Link card.
In this post, I'm giving you easy tutorials and options to buy that smart card. We can either buy it online or directly when arriving in Singapore.
To those who are too lazy for a hassle, you can purchase an EZ-Link using Changi Recommends. You may have a look at this tutorial since it can be done on mobile phones or laptops through their official site.
As a start, you can visit their official website through this link. If you haven't got an account, register for a new account to explore what the site has to offer. Once the page is loaded, you will be directed to the voucher buying page shown above.
Right before you click 'Buy Now', make sure you put how many EZ-Link cards you want to purchase and click 'Checkout'.
Submit your personal data. Make sure your email, country code, and phone number are correct. If you're sure your data is correct, you may proceed to the next step.
After submitting your personal data, Changi Recommends will provide you with the cart summary page where you can also put the promotion code (if you have it).
Next, choose your preferred payment type. There are two choices given—Card Payment and E-wallet. You can use your debit/credit card that has Visa and MasterCard logo or UnionPay and WeChat Pay for E-wallet.
If you use the card payment method, you will be asked to input your card number and the 3-digit security code on the back of your card. When you have put all the information needed, you may proceed to payment and click 'Pay Now'.
After the payment is complete, you will get an email with a receipt in PDF format. This PDF document contains essential information about purchasing your EZ-Link voucher, one of which is where to exchange the voucher.
Now it's time for you to redeem the voucher with the EZ-Link card. You can do this at Changi Recommends. Changi Recommends counters are located at every terminal in Singapore Changi Airport. You don't have to worry about finding them since it's easy to find after you pass the immigration section.
Not to mention that information about their counters is available in the PDF document. So, make sure to read the document carefully. In my experience, you will only be asked to show the voucher from your mobile. So, you don't have to present its printed copy to the staff. But showing your passport is a must, I guess.
If you plan to buy an EZ-Link card directly when arriving in Singapore, this information is for you! You can buy EZ-Link in 42 Transitlink Ticket Offices, bus interchanges, and Passenger Service Centres at every corner of MRT Station in Singapore.
Thinking of more hassle-free places? Then you can try 7-Eleven or Cheers outlets. It's easier to find since the outlets are literally everywhere on Singapore's streets. Feel free to choose!
The EZ-Link card sold at the places I mentioned above costs SGD 10. Both cards purchased at Changi Recommends or sold in said sales points have had a stored value of SGD 5 for use. The remaining SGD 5 is the card's cost and is non-refundable.
It's very convenient to use since EZ-Link is a contactless card, so you simply need to tap it anytime you want to pay for MRT or bus fares. If you want to know more about how to use MRT using EZ-Link, please read How to Use MRT in Singapore for a first-timer.
It also works the same for shopping. You only need to tap the card into an EDC machine. For those who live and get used to using any kind of e-money, you will have no problem using it.
There are various ways to check the remaining balance of our EZ-Link card. The easiest way is to see it when you tap the card at the gate screen anytime you enter or leave the MRT station. Another simple method is to use General Ticketing Machine or SingCARD app.
You can top up your EZ-Link card via EZ-Link app and at self-ticketing machine in the MRT station, ATM, 7-Eleven, Cheers, and Transitlink Ticket Offices. If you want to know more details about its complete tutorial, please read our previous article about How to Top-up and Check EZ-Link Card Balance.
Another might-be-useful information, EZ-Link has a lifespan of 5 years since its encoding date. So we can use it again when visiting Singapore. We can check the card's expiry date through the self-ticketing machine or EZ-Link app.
That's all information we can give about EZ-Link! I hope this can be useful for those planning to come to Singapore anytime soon. If you need any further details, please comment down below!
