Taking the MRT with kids in Singapore is genuinely easy once you know a few things. This guide is written for international families arriving for the first time, not Singapore locals. It covers how to actually get through the gantry with a stroller, which lines have lifts, when to avoid the rush, and whether the Tourist Pass or an EZ-Link card makes more sense for your trip.
Is the Singapore MRT Good for Families with Young Kids?
Yes, the Singapore MRT is one of the most family-friendly metro systems in Asia. Stations are air-conditioned, signage is clear in English, and most major tourist stations have step-free access. For families staying in the city centre, it’s a completely viable way to get around without spending a fortune on Grab every day.
That said, there are a few things that catch visiting families off guard — stroller gantries, peak-hour crowds, and which stations actually have lifts. This guide covers all of it.
EZ-Link Card vs Tourist Pass — Which One Should You Get?
This is the first decision you’ll make at the airport, and it trips up most visiting families.
EZ-Link Card
- Costs $10 upfront ($5 card fee, $5 stored value)
- Works on MRT, buses, and some taxis
- Leftover balance is refundable at customer service counters (minus the $5 card fee)
- Best for: trips longer than 5 days, or families who’ll use buses as well
Singapore Tourist Pass
- Unlimited MRT and bus rides for 1, 2, or 3 days
- Costs $22 / $29 / $34 per card — plus a $10 refundable deposit
- Works out cheaper if your family is doing 5+ MRT trips per day
- Best for: 2–4 day trips with heavy sightseeing days
For most visiting families: if you’re staying 4+ days and not going to every attraction by MRT, the EZ-Link card is usually better value. A single adult MRT trip in Singapore costs roughly $1–2 depending on distance. A family of 4 doing 3 trips a day is paying around $20–25 per day in fares — the Tourist Pass starts to make sense only if you’re moving around constantly. Check current Tourist Pass prices here.
Children under 7 travel and up to 0.9m in height are allowed to ride for free on public transport like MRT! Children aged 7–12 get a discounted Child EZ-Link card. Get this at any TransitLink counter in the MRT station.
How to Get Through the MRT Gantry with a Stroller
Nobody tells you this before you arrive, and it causes genuine confusion at the gate.
Most MRT stations have a wider accessible gate — it’s usually on the far left or right of the row. It looks like a double-width gantry. Tap your EZ-Link card on the reader, and the gate opens wide enough for a pram or stroller to pass through. Staff are always nearby and will wave you over if you look confused.
If you’re carrying a baby in a carrier with no pram, you can go through the standard gate like anyone else.
Folding the stroller at the gantry is not required. You don’t need to collapse it to board. Most families keep it open through the gates and fold it only on very crowded trains if needed.
Which MRT Lines Are Best for Families?
Singapore has six MRT lines. The ones families use most are:
North-South Line (Red) — runs from Jurong East in the west through Orchard, City Hall, and Raffles Place, up to the north. Most hotels near Orchard Road sit on this line.
East-West Line (Green) — connects Changi Airport directly to the city. This is the line you’ll arrive on if taking the MRT from the airport.
Circle Line (Orange) — loops around the city centre. Useful for reaching Botanic Gardens, the Marina area, and Dhoby Ghaut interchange.
Downtown Line (Blue) — connects Little India, Bugis, Chinatown, and Gardens by the Bay. Very useful for sightseeing.
Thomson-East Coast Line (Brown) — newer line, connects Orchard to Marina Bay and further east. Fully step-free throughout.
North-East Line (Purple) — runs through Chinatown, Clarke Quay, and Little India. Older line — some stations have fewer lifts, but main tourist stops are accessible.
Which Stations Have Lifts? (And Which Don’t)
Singapore’s Land Transport Authority has been retrofitting older stations with lifts for years, and almost all major tourist stations are now lift-accessible. That said, older interchange stations can still surprise you with limited lifts
What to watch for: at some interchange stations, the lift doesn’t connect directly between lines. For example, Newton, Bukit Panjang and Tampines MRt. You may need to exit the paid zone, take a lift to the other platform, and re-tap in. It adds a few minutes but it works.
Rush Hour — When to Avoid It
Weekday peak hours are 7:30–9:30am and 5:30–7:30pm. Trains during these windows are genuinely packed. With a stroller and young kids, it’s not a pleasant experience as carriages are standing room only and boarding from busy platforms takes time.
Weekends are noticeably calmer, even mid-morning. If your family is doing a big attraction day (Universal Studios, Gardens by the Bay, Jewel Changi), Saturday morning travel is fine.
The practical rule: if you have flexibility, aim to board before 7:30am or after 9:30am on weekdays. For afternoons, the 5–5:30pm window is usually manageable, the worst of the crush starts around 5:45pm.
MRT vs Grab — Which Makes More Sense for Families?
This depends entirely on your situation.
MRT wins when:
- You’re going to a major tourist station (all are near MRT stops)
- You have an EZ-Link card loaded and ready
- It’s not rush hour
- The kids are old enough to walk between platforms
Grab wins when:
- You have a toddler who can’t handle stairs or a crowd
- You have a lot of luggage or a large pram
- Your destination isn’t near an MRT stop
- It’s raining and you’d rather not navigate exits
Cost Comparison for a Family of 4
A 4-stop MRT trip costs roughly $1.50–2.00 per adult, $0.70–1.00 per child (7–12), and free for under-7s. That’s around $4–6 for a typical family of two adults and two kids.
A Grab ride covering the same distance might cost $12–20+ depending on surge pricing, time of day, and car type.
For longer cross-city trips (say, Orchard to Changi Airport), the MRT costs your family under $10 all in. A Grab for the same journey is typically $25–35.
The MRT wins on cost for almost every trip. Grab wins on convenience when you really need door-to-door.
A Note on Grab with a Car Seat
Grab does not provide car seats as standard. If you need a car seat for an infant or toddler, you’ll need to bring a travel car seat and install it yourself.
Singapore law requires children under 1.35m to use a car seat or booster seat in private-hire vehicles. In practice, enforcement is inconsistent — but for young children, the recommendation is always to bring your own seat if you’re relying on Grab for airport transfers or longer rides.
For families with very young kids, a private transfer from the airport booked in advance with a car seat is worth the extra cost on arrival day. After that, MRT and Grab for short in-town hops is what most visiting families do. Book a private Singapore airport transfer via Klook.
Practical Tips — The Ones Nobody Puts in the Government Guide
Get your EZ-Link cards at the airport, not in town. There’s a TransitLink counter in the Arrival Hall at Changi. Card up before you leave the airport so you can board the MRT straight away.
The priority seating rule is real. Mmarked seats near the doors are reserved for elderly passengers, pregnant women, and families with young children. People do give them up, so don’t hesitate to sit there with young kids.
Prams don’t need to be folded on the train. Singapore’s MRT officially allows unfolded prams during non-peak hours. During peak hours, you’re expected to fold if the carriage is crowded. In practice, most Singaporeans are polite about making space.
Noise is not an issue. Trains in Singapore are generally quiet, but nobody will give you a look for a toddler having a moment. It’s a busy commuter system so families are common.
Visit the MyTransport.SG app. It has live MRT arrival times, route planning, and accessibility information. More useful than Google Maps for real-time trip planning.
Getting Around Singapore with Kids
The MRT is genuinely one of the easiest ways for international families to get around Singapore. It’s cool, clean, in English, and cheap. Most tourists either over-rely on Grab (expensive) or under-estimate the MRT (mistake). The sweet spot is using the MRT for major tourist stops and Grab selectively for early mornings, rain, or tricky pram situations.
Get your EZ-Link cards at the airport, avoid the 5:30–7:30pm weekday crunch, and you’ll cover the whole city for well under what a single day of Grab rides would cost.
Staying in Singapore and looking for where to base yourself? See our guide to the best areas in Singapore for families — it covers Sentosa vs Orchard vs Marina Bay with kids, so you can pick the neighbourhood that makes the most sense for your trip.