Singapore has a wonderfully efficient and economical mass transit system. The bus system is quite extensive and the MRT (subway) is fast, user-friendly, clean and air-conditioned. To use the bus and MRT, you need an ez-link card. Just tap the card on the scanner at the bus and MRT entrances and exits and the amount of your fare is deducted. There is a lovely British woman's voice that tells you to "Mind the platform gap" and to "Please alight at the next interchange to transfer." While the voice is in English all the signage is in English as well as Arabic, Chinese, and Malay (which uses the same alphabet as English). They also make the announcements in Chinese on the train that goes to Chinatown and lines that go out to the more suburban areas.
During rush and lunch hours, the MRT can get quite crowded. They attempt crowd control with signs that ask riders to wait for those to disembark before entering the train. They have painted lines on the floor of each entrance to aid in this process - see photo - but it doesn't completely work. It's usually the small older Chinese women who pay no attention and step right into the onslaught of folks exiting the train. They're fearless!
Not Rush Hour!
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