General Information » Getting Around » Car

On the whole, driving is Singapore is relatively safe, disciplined and (if you can afford it!) the best way to commute. The road and traffic system is meticulously planned. Roads are excellent and suited to wet weather conditions. As can be expected of a densely populated city caught in the rat race of ambitious progress, there are a few quirks, such as a reluctance for drivers to give way to someone trying to filter into their lane. Expect local drivers to be law-abiding but no more. To curb road rage, courts almost without exception hand out jail terms to those convicted of

physical violence.

The Highway Code is a legacy from colonial British rule, along with vehicles being right-hand drive and driving on the left-hand side of the road. Unless otherwise stated, the speed limit is 50km/h on roads and 70-90km/h on expressways. Cameras at traffic lights, speed detectors and traffic police patrols work to keep motorists in check. Bribing a cop out of a traffic ticket will guarantee an appearance in court so don’t even think about it!

The government is determined to prevent the crippling traffic jams commonly associated with some Asian cities. Numerous mechanisms to avoid traffic congestion make Singapore possibly the most expensive place in the world to own a car. Typically, the same car in the USA costs 75% less to buy. About 10% of the population own cars and already traffic is bumper to bumper on main arterial roads during peak hours. For this reason, the government has built a marvellous public transport system that makes car ownership unnecessary.



ERP

Motorists driving into the CBD and on some major roads and expressways must pay an Electronic Road Pricing fee, another scheme to manage traffic flow. Fees vary according to the road and time of day, and range between $0.50 and $3.50. The correct fee is automatically deducted from a CashCard inserted in an In-Vehicle Unit (IU), installed in every car, when you pass an ERP gantry. CashCards can be purchased and topped up at banks, post offices, petrol stations, some ATMs and at the many car parks that use CashCards to collect fees.



Parking

Parking is rarely a problem but with a few exceptions, you’ll have to pay for it. The exceptions are side streets in residential suburbs, on Sundays and public holidays in some car parks, and after 17:00 on some roads. All car parks have signboards showing rates.

A coupon system is used for public parking. The standard rate is $0.50 per half hour (white parking lots) and double that in the CBD (yellow parking lots). Parking coupons are displayed on the dashboard. Coupons are available from some petro...