Despite being able to drive from one end of Singapore to the other in about 2 hours, I quickly found taking the bus required at least an hour to get anywhere worth going. Usually, buses come every 10 to 15 minutes and need to be flagged down, much like a taxi cab in America. Our apartment is about a 5 minute walk from several bus stops. Each bus stop near where we live has at least 5 to 10 different buses stopping at it.
However, the bus system took me quite a while to get used to. Unlike the bus stops in San Francisco, the bus stops here do not provide a map of the bus routes. I tried looking for one online and the one available on Google Earth showed that there are so many bus lines crisscrossing Singapore that it forms too dense a network to be of any practical use. The Singapore Transit Authority publishes a booklet every year showing all the bus stops and is available for purchase. Alas, even with the booklet in my possession, I still managed to spend half a day getting on buses which took me the wrong way three consecutive times. iPhone applications with Singapore bus routes have been invaluable in helping me get around.
Here is a clip of the sounds as I rode the bus. The intermittent beep sounds are people placing their EZ-Link electronic cards against the card readers which are located at the front and side doors of the bus. The card readers will display the amount of the fare and your remaining balance on your card. It works on all buses and subway lines in Singapore. Typically, a bus fare ranges from less than SGD $1 to no more than $3.
Singapore’s MRT (aka subway) is much easier to navigate than the bus system. There are four main, color-coded lines: the North-South (red), the East-West (green), the North-East (purple), and the Circle Line (yellow). The Circle Line is still under construction and I believe they will be building a stop near our apartments which will make getting around even more convenient. The line I use most is the green line which is the East-West line. It runs from the Changi Airport on the east coast of Singapore to west part. It takes approximately 2 minutes between each stop.
Here is a clip of the sounds you’ll hear riding the East-West line from Tiong-Bahru to Tanjong Pagar. One cannot help mimicking the British female’s voice which announces each stop. I, like most Americans, was surprised by her use of “alight” which sounds so old-fashioned. The multiple beeps indicate that the doors are about to close. The usual wait time for a subway train is 4 minutes. However, like all public transportation in Singapore, no food or drink is allowed, not even on the platforms.
Other than the public transportation system and taxis, I get around Singapore by walking a lot. It’s great exercise. I walk to the hawker center, I walk to the supermarket, I walk to bus stops, and I walk to work and back. Walking is relaxing when the weather is nice, but most of the time, it’s blazing hot. I carry an umbrella with me everywhere and use it on sunny and rainy days.
Here is a clip of a crosswalk signal. You can hear the birds chirping. The slower beeps indicate you need to wait for the light. The faster consecutive beeps indicate you may now cross. Crosswalks near the highway entrances are not placed on the corners which is rather inconvenient. Jaywalking is prohibited, but I see people doing it all the time.