Key points
- Persons with disabilities may be eligible for various fare concession cards for
public transport or taxi subsidies if they are unable to travel by bus or train.
- Personal private cars can be modified so they can be operated by, or used to
fetch persons with disabilities from one place to another.
- The Car Park Label Scheme provides label holders with the use of accessibility
lots so they can board and alight from vehicles more easily.
- Persons with disabilities can make use of assistive technology to help them
travel.
Public buses and trains
Actions to take
- Look for public buses with a blue passenger-in-wheelchair decal, as they are
wheelchair-accessible.
- Apply for Public Transport Concession card through TransitLink or SG Enable.
Public buses and trains are the cheapest mode of transport, and have several features to provide better access to
persons with disabilities. Commuters can pay even less if they are eligible for concession schemes.
Accessibility features in public buses and trains
More than half of public buses in Singapore are wheelchair-accessible. To identify these buses, keep a lookout for a
blue passenger-in-wheelchair decal at the front of the bus. More information on wheelchair-accessible buses and bus
stops can be found below:
Trains and train stations also have various accessibility features. These include tactile
indicators on the floor for people with visual impairment, wider fare gates for wheelchair users, and information at
station platforms on arrival times and destinations of the approaching trains.
There is an app to help you decide on an alternative travel routes to reach your destination. MyTransport.SG offers
travel information and features to help commuters get around, and includes a new feature to inform commuters about
planned lift service maintenance at MRT and LRT stations. Access the lift maintenance feature in this step-by-step instruction guide.
Concession cards
Children up to 0.9m in height and who are accompanied by a fare-paying commuter can
travel for free. For other commuters, a range of concession cards are available to reduce the cost of public
transport.
Public transport concession for persons with disabilities
The Persons with
disabilities Concession Card is a dedicated card for persons with disabilities. It gives persons with
disabilities up to 55 percent discount off adult fares when travelling on public buses and trains. Holders of the
Persons with disabilities Concession Card can concurrently benefit from other transport subsidy schemes.
Persons with disabilities who have attended special education schools or are members of
relevant SSAs can apply directly through the TransitLink website. Otherwise, they can apply through SG
Enable, who will assess their eligibility.
Other transport concession cards
There are various concession cards catering to different groups of commuters:
Anyone with a disability may apply for the above concession cards, as long as if they
meet the eligibility criteria. For more details on eligibility criteria and application procedure, you can refer to
TransitLink website (Products & Services section).
Taxis and private hire cars
Actions to take
- Look into the Taxi Subsidy Scheme if your family’s per-capita income is
$2,800 or less.
Persons with disabilities who find commuting by public transport challenging may find it more convenient to opt for
taxis and private-hire cars. These also take you right to your doorstep – a necessity for some persons with
disabilities. However, this can be costly especially if one needs to take taxis and private-hire cars regularly.
Taxi Subsidy Scheme (TSS)
The TSS subsidises up to 80 percent of taxi fares incurred by persons with disabilities who
meet the following criteria:
- Attend a mainstream school, work or attend training courses supported by SG Enable
- Certified by a doctor as only being able to travel by taxi
- Medically certified as unable to take public transport and totally dependent on
taxis for traveling to school, work or employment-related training supported by SG Enable
- Do not own any motor vehicles
This scheme also covers travel on private-hire services.
The level of subsidy is determined through a means-test – Singapore citizens and
PRs must have a per capita income of not more than $2,800 a month to qualify. People on this scheme cannot
concurrently be on the Enabling Transport Subsidy (previously known as 'VWOTS').
Persons with disabilities can also make special long-term arrangements with taxi/Grab
drivers on an informal basis.
Taxis for users of larger wheelchairs
Some taxis, such as Strides Taxi's London Taxi (under SMRT), can accommodate larger wheelchairs, such as motorised and high-back wheelchairs. These taxi fares can
be subsidised by TSS too if the other eligibility criteria are met.
Dedicated transport service
Actions to take
- Look into dedicated transport services which have vehicles specially equipped
to carry wheelchairs.
- Find out more about Enabling Transport Subsidy (previously known as 'VWOTS') to defray the cost of using
such dedicated transport services.
- Ensure you are eligible before applying: your family should have a per-capita
income of $2,800 or less, and you should not be a beneficiary of the Taxi Subsidy Scheme.
Some transport operators which offer this service for persons with disabilities have specially retrofitted vehicles
that can cater to wheelchairs, including high-back wheelchairs, and provide point-to-point transport. These
retrofitted vehicles have features such as safety restraint systems, ramps and hydraulic lifts.
For a list of operators with dedicated transport service for persons with disabilities,
see below:
Enabling Transport Subsidy (previously known as 'VWOTS')
The Enabling Transport Subsidy supports eligible Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents with
disabilities who need to use dedicated transport provided by the Social Service Agencies (SSAs) to access the Early
Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC), Special Education (SPED) schools, Day Activity Centres
(DACs), Sheltered Workshops (SWs) and Special Student Care Centres (SSCCs).
The subsidy scheme is means-tested – to be eligible, the monthly per capita
household income should be $2,800 or less for Singapore citizens and $2,000 or less for Permanent Residents. People on this scheme
cannot concurrently be recipients of TSS (above). Interested applicants should apply for the Enabling Transport Subsidy through their SPED
school or Social Service Agencies.
Private personal cars
Actions to take
- Participate in the Driving Assessment and Rehabilitation Programme after obtaining a referral from your
doctor.
- If you own a car, look into suitable and legal modifications to help you operate your vehicle more easily
and safely.
- If you require the use of handicap parking lots, you may apply for a special car park label with
certification from a doctor.
Owning a personal car in Singapore can be costly. Car owners will usually have to bear the costs of owning a car.
Driver’s license
The Driving Assessment and Rehabilitation Programme (DARP) at Tan Tock Seng Hospital helps
people with medical conditions learn or resume driving. A client must first be referred by a registered doctor,
after which a DARP therapist will assess his/her ability to learn or return to driving safely and legally. If there
is a need for driving
lessons or re-assessment, the DARP therapist will follow-up accordingly.
Car modifications
Cars can be modified to enable persons with disabilities to operate them, or to
facilitate the transportation of persons with disabilities. These modifications include the installation of safety
restraint systems and ramps. Some modifications require approval from the Land Transport Authority (LTA), some are
allowed and do not require approval, while some are not allowed at all. For more information, click on the link
below:
Handicaps Welfare
Association sells assistive devices to help drivers with disabilities operate their vehicles, such as
left-foot accelerators (for manipulating the car’s accelerator and brake pedals), and steering knobs (which
can be fixed onto the steering wheel, allowing drivers with a weak grip to steer a vehicle with ease).
The government does not subsidise the cost of these modifications.
Car Park Label Scheme (CPLS)
Car park operators provide accessibility lots which are larger than regular lots. These
can only be used by vehicles displaying valid labels under the Car Park Label Scheme (CPLS).
CPLS caters to drivers and passengers who have certain mobility challenges and as a
result, need more space to board or alight from a vehicle safely. Drivers with mobility impairments can apply for a
Class 1 (blue) label; passengers with mobility for a Class 2 (orange) label. The benefits of the labels differ.
Labels are not applicable to motorcycles. Motorcyclists who drive or are passengers of a car can still apply for a
label.
Applicants (the driver for Class 1 labels and the passenger for Class 2) must be
certified by a Singapore-registered medical professional as a person with mobility impairment and need to open the
vehicle doors fully to board or alight from the vehicle.
There are penalties for misusing handicap lots and/or labels, including fines. Members
of the public who wish to report alleged misuse can direct feedback to carpark operators (e.g. Housing Development
Board, Land Transport Authority, shopping malls).
Assistive technology for independent travelling
There are apps and devices which help persons with disabilities get to their destination
more independently, with less uncertainty for them and their caregivers. More information can be found on our Assistive Technology
page.
Resources and Support
- Resources regarding accessibility on Public Transportation
- Resources on Persons with Disabilities Concession card
- Resources on taxis and private-hire vehicles
- Resources on private personal cars
- Resources on Assistive Technology