Are Singapore trains lagging top city peers?

Recent breakdowns bombarded Singapore trains with serious criticisms but expats say London is 100 times even worse.

Learn other tidbits of information from Singapore expats.

Two serious breakdowns caused multiple stations to delay operations for up to 45 minutes last December 2011 and affected thousands of commuters island-wide.

As a result, various groups had expressed some signs of low public confidence in Singapore’s once highly vaunted public railway system in different social media platforms.

Singapore Business Review interviewed some Singapore expatriates on how would they rate the city’s metro rail system from 1-10, and 10 being the highest. They also gave some points of comparisons with other top cities.

Notably one said that the two major MRT service disruptions in 2011 happened 100 times in London. Not to mention, another even told a creepy story of ghost haunting London trains and are blamed for breakdowns.

Here’s what we got including their suggestions for improvement:

Jonas Wulff Moller,  Luxury | Lifestyle retailer and passionate CX-strategist

SMRT train fares are the lowest! SMRT Trains is, like many other national rail-way operators, a government-assisted profit- based corporation. Although publicly listed and independently operated, the fare structure is regulated by the Public Transport Council whereas SMRT is required to submit any fare revision for approval. The PTC will peg the fare cost against the consumer price index, wage index and
productivity gains before waging its decision. Fares were increased in 2011.

The 2011 increase sparked disapproval among some commuters; with arguments against the cost of expansion the circle line, claims of inefficiency and two serious breakdowns in December 2011 affecting more than 200,000 commuters, led to a national debate.

While following the debate, I look at three criteria: fare calculation system, consumer satisfaction and fare level, in order to compare SMRT with other world class MRTs.

Most of Europe is using a zone-system, where as you take bus and/or train for the same fare within a specific zone and time-restriction. Singapore uses a distance-system of which fare is based on the travel distance of a train or bus. Both systems have advantages and disadvantages, therefore it is hard to make direct comparison.

From personal experience, services that SMRT offers seem superior in areas such as peak period train frequency, cleanness of train cabins, lifetime of trains and general safety. However, exact data on train efficiency or any consumer satisfactory is not widely available from Singapore or any of the countries I compared to.

The fare of the average kilometer traveled by train is the lowest, in absolute terms, for Singapore among the countries in Europe and East Asia I have compared to.

However, I find it hard to ignore SMRT dramatic increase in profit since its public listing in 2000, having consistent comfortable earnings (EBIT) of above 20% (except for 2012), but no visible evidence of improved consumer satisfaction. I do accept the complexity of operating a public service and I forgive mistakes (breakdowns). Making mistakes is human. It would also be human to remember that the main purpose of public service transport is to care. Care of our elders, our children and good people on the way to work or going home to their families. Caring is not reflected in a financial report.

Robert Kleinschmidt, A Passionate Business Builder and Turnaround Professional

Good combination of ‘spokes’ and ‘hubs’. In my opinion, SMRT train fares are very competitive and excellent value relative to other subway systems that I have used in places such as Paris, London, Chicago, Atlanta, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

First, in measuring efficiency of SMRT trains as an operation, I would rate at least a 9. In my experience, I have found them to be generally on time and with enough frequency. And the facilities are easy to use and travel through. The directions are well indicated, especially on the trains, which makes it easy for one to navigate the network. And there are some good smart phone apps which help suggest the right route.

Second, in measuring efficiency of SMRT relative to other modes of transport, I would rate a 6 depending on where one needs to go. Subways by nature are not always the most efficient means of getting from point A to point B. In many cities, the subway systems are often of a ‘spoke’ design, with most trains heading centrally into the city. What I like about the SMRT network is it has a good combination of ‘spokes’ and ‘hubs’ which I feel better cover the island and allow more efficient travel from point A to point B. I used to work out in Jurong which was gap in coverage and therefore using the SMRT was very inefficient versus taxi as an example.

Maybe this is already available but I would like to see the train and bus pass to be a single system. So if I want to go from one place to another, which required a combination of both train and bus, all I would need to do is select the start point and end point on a map and I would get a single ticket with instructions on which buses and trains to take, with one single payment.

Chris Reed, Regional Partnerships Director - Asia Pacific, Partnership Marketing

The two major MRT incidents last year happens 100 times in London. Without doubt they are world class. Clean, on time, litter free, smell free, spacious, air conditioned, web and mobile enabled, frequent. Compared to London, New York, France, Sydney they are light years ahead. Compared to Seoul, Hong Kong and Tokyo they are at a similar level if not better all round.

Clearly Asia learnt from the West how to not to do a subway and reproduced a modern version which works perfectly in a modern city.

The two major MRT incidents last year highlighted how amazing the service is. Two delays in an entire year! That happens 100 times a day in London. There was outcry here because people are used to such a perfect service. But looking at it from a perspective of someone who always had to allow for delays in London when contemplating a journey it was nothing and it showed how seriously people take the service and high expectations.

The smart card system works well, the stations are clean, cool and easy to navigate (apart from Dhoby Ghaut of course where you need a physics degree to get around!) and they all lead to places you wish to go and the interchanges work well.

I would rate it 10. I have never been on an MRT that has not run perfectly. I can’t say that about many subways in the world that I have used!

Paul Gage, Head - Regional Planning Function, Iris Worldwide across APAC

Singapore trains are not bombarded with ads unlike others. From my perspective, the Singapore MRT is the best I've experienced in the world. Better than London, Paris, New York, San Francisco, Munich, Moscow, Beijing, Shanghai. About on par with Hong Kong in my experience.

Why? Clean on time, well priced, good directions, you can use your mobile phone, very few delays or break downs, Modern trains and comfortable seats, Clear designated priority seats – that are generally observed, Not bombarded with advertising, Not overcrowded – even in peak time

I haven't had the fortune to experience MRTs in Seoul or Tokyo, which may well be better. (Although I hear there's a lot of advertising. But for a rating, I'd give it a 9 / 10.

For me, the main improvement that could be made is less about the product or service, but more about the fact that people often seem to push to get on or off! > Additionally, in many subways / metros / MRTs around the world, the escalators have a clear 'keep left or right' for standing, leaving room for people to walk up or down if they are in a hurry. In Singapore, everyone stands and you can't get past!

More regular service is the most obvious one and more escalators from platforms to exits but these are small quibbles and the service overall is excellent, world class and there is little to complain about.

Matt Young, Chief Editor & Publisher, M.Sc. Journalism, Media MICE

The SMRT trains are fantastic. The problem is the weather. I used to live in Chicago. The L there was dated, I don't remember ever knowing when the next train would arrive, and it could take a long time to get to one's destination. That said, I used it all the time. In Singapore, I rarely do.

I like to spend my time in Singapore in as much aircon as possible. That means when I leave home, I like to get in the aircon right away, as quickly as possible. If you have to walk a few blocks in a suit in the Singapore heat, you burn up - at least I do. So to travel by SMRT means to travel hot.

The SMRT is probably one of the world's best subway systems. It's also probably one of the world's hottest, when you count in walking temperature to and from the subway.

That's unfortunately because as far as efficiency goes, I'd give the SMRT a 10.

Short of a full blown bubble suit with aircon, I don't know how I'd make a walk to and from the SMRT any cooler. Live closer you say? No thanks. I'd rather take taxis - which are inexpensive by global standards - than pay higher rent for SMRT-convenient housing.

Kieran Nash, Editor, ANZA magazine

Auckland’s train system is definitely not world class, in fact, they still run on diesel. I can only judge Singapore’s MRT by comparing it to Auckland’s train system in New Zealand.

I think SMRT’s trains are superb. They’re the most efficient I’ve ever seen. I thought the media furore in December over the SMRT breakdowns showed just how great the system is – Auckland’s public transport system seems to break down on a daily basis, and if people left waiting for an hour or so on the train there, it would hardly have warranted a mention at the back of the papers if it happened in New Zealand.

One thing, I wish they would run a bit later – getting out of the movies at 12.30am or 1am and having no train home can be annoying, but it’s a very minor gripe in the grand scheme of things.

I’d give it a 9/10.

Paul FitzPatrick,author of three books, journalist with News International and a creative thinking training provider

London trains are ghost haunted. I'm from London and am very familiar with the tube network there. In a nutshell the MRT is much more efficient, fewer breakdowns, cleaner and safer. The London underground opened in 1850 and the last public hanging in London was in 1855 so there was a five year period when you could take the tube to see a public hanging!

The London tube is also very haunted. Recently a stretch of line had to be exorcised as trains kept breaking down, passengers frequently fainted and hooded figures were seen outside the carriages. Ghosts and apparitions are frequently seen on CCTV. Tube stations were used as blitz sheltars during world war two and many people died when stations took a direct hit.

At Bethnal Green and Bank stations, passengers have allegedly hear the cries of dying people. As many lines were dug through plague pits. There are about 100 suicides a year as a result of people jumping in front of trains and in 2005 there was the terrorist suicide bombings. For a time people were scared to use the tube and steered clear of anyone who resembled a suicide bomber.

Also there are the psychos who push people in front of trains. Incidentally when you hear a recorded message asking for 'Inspector Sands to report to the station manager', it's a code used by the tube to alert staff to a security issue - an abandoned bag, suspect person etc. The rush hour is horrible, people fight and claw their way on to crowded trains. I've had many fights in my time on the tube.

The platforms are too narrow and stations have to be closed to allow the crowds to clear. On one occasion a man died in his seat and no one noticed until the end of the day. People assumed he was asleep. Sometimes people have died in the passage ways and the public have simply stepped over them. The tube dehumanizes people. In the 1980s 'tube surfing'caught on. The entailed riding on the roofs of carriages. Very dangerous.

Also there are the graffiti gangs who blog the trains while they are in depots. Some have been killed as a result of being hit by trains or stepping on to live rails while being chased by police or security guards. Yes I know alot about the tube, I grew up with it and it ran past my house.