6 ways to SimplyGo

If you’ve only got a minute:

• SimplyGo provides a range of e-payment options for commuters to use on their daily transit.
• Link your cards to your mobile wallets on your smartphone and smartwatch for added convenience.
• Save time and money by skipping the top-up queues and not having to worry about stored value in an expiring EZ-Link card.
• Get greater transparency and traceability on your spending for ease of financial planning.

Given many of us have a seemingly endless list of things to keep track of as well as decisions to make in our daily lives, most of us can agree that less is more.

The same goes for the number of items we carry around with us like our keys and wallets. Technological advances have seen traditional house keys replaced by replaced by digital locks, while digitalisation efforts have seen our national identity cards like our drivers licenses and NRICs, getting housed in our SingPass app. This means not having to carry them physically.

In the same vein, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) launched SimplyGo in 2019. This allows commuters to use NETS, debit and most credit cards to pay for your bus and train rides. With that, most of us can effectively say goodbye to yet another card – the EZ-Link.

Here are 6 ways using your bank card and SimplyGo to pay for your commute can benefit you.

1. Time is money – skip the top-up queues

We’ve all been there at some point – rushing for the bus or train only realise we have insufficient funds in our EZ-link card. This is often a very frustrating experience and it tends to happen when we’re most pressed for time too!

With SimplyGo, funds used for your public transport fares are automatically deducted from your account if you are using a NETS or debit card, and charged to your bill if you are using a credit card.

Tip: NETS, Mastercard, and Visa bank cards with the EMVCo Contactless Indicator, including foreign-issued cards, are accepted in public transit. There are bank cards under specific card schemes that are not accepted as well. When using foreign-issued cards, administrative and overseas transaction fees will apply.

2. No more EZ-Link related hassle

Since there is no need to top-up your card, you can avoid having to pre-load your card with any minimum top-up amount.

Furthermore, you no longer have to worry about expiry dates or having to replace your old EZ-Link cards with a new one, although you do have to be aware of the expiry of your debit and credit cards.

3. Better financial tracking

Most Singaporeans make provisions for “public transport expenses” in their monthly budgets. Yet, tracking the exact amount spent on this each month can be tricky. That is, up until now.

As fares are deducted from your bank accounts or credit limit, you can easily refer to your bill or statement to track your actual monthly transport expenses.

Better yet, when you charge it to your DBS cards, you can get a detailed breakdown of your monthly spending in specific categories. Just go to the Plan & Invest tab on your DBS digibank app and review your monthly spending under the “public transport” category.

Find out more about:  Track your savings and spending with digibank

4. The one-stop transport app: TL SimplyGo

For a detailed breakdown of your actual journey and fare history, download the TL SimplyGo app (from the Apple Store, Google Play Store, or Huawei AppGallery) and register your bank cards on the app. You can also opt to receive push notifications for fares after each trip is completed.

In the event you are overcharged for your trip, just pull up your transaction records and file your claims within the app.

You can even search for bus and MRT route suggestions, view fare charges, estimated travel times and bus arrival times using the TL SimplyGo app. It also shows you which MRT or LRT stations are adjacent to Government offices, statutory boards, various places of interest, hospitals, and clinics.

5. Get rewarded for your travel

As SimplyGo allows you to use your credit cards to pay for your commute, get more bang for your buck in the form of cashback and DBS Points (which can be converted into vouchers, airline miles and more). If you have a DBS Multiplier Account, this credit card spending also counts towards your eligible transactions. This can help you earn more bonus interest on the account.

The DBS Live Fresh Card offers up to 10% cashback (5% on contactless transactions + 5% Green Cashback of 5% on bus and train rides via SimplyGo). To qualify for the cashback, ensure that you have a minimum spend of $600 per month. Terms and conditions apply.

Using the DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card entitles you to 3 DBS Points for every $5 spent locally. This works out to 1.2 miles per dollar just by paying for your commute. Terms and conditions apply.

If you prefer using a debit card, the DBS Visa Debit Card gets you 3% cashback on all local transport including ride-hailing, taxis, and transit with SimplyGo. To qualify, make sure to have a minimum monthly spend of $500 while keeping  cash withdrawals below $400. Terms and conditions apply.

Read more: Knowing the different types of payment cards

Find out more about: DBS Multiplier Account

6. Travel light

With SimplyGo, you can use a range of contactless payment methods like your bank card(s), smartphone, and smartwatch for journeys on public transport.

All you have to do is add the respective card(s) to the e-wallets on your mobile phone or smartwatch and tap to pay. The compatible e-wallets include Apply Pay, Fitbit Pay, Garmin Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.

This means you no longer have to panic if you happen to leave home without your wallet (provided you have your mobile phone with you).

Tip: Do not use your physical card and mobile wallets on different devices interchangeably for the same trip. Tapping in and out on a different device is recognised as 2 separate transactions, even if the credit card linked is the same one. This could result in you being overcharged for your commute.

As such, make sure your devices are sufficiently charged to last the whole journey so that you can use the same device to tap in and out.   

In summary

SimplyGo allows you to save time, simplify your life and streamline your payment cards.

The same card you use for your everyday needs, like grocery shopping, dining out, online purchases and more, can now be used to pay for your bus and train rides.

On top of the convenience and rewards that comes with this, make use of the transparency and information available to better track your spending and plan your finances.

Start using your DBS cards and simply go today!

You can find out which of your existing DBS cards can be used with SimplyGo here!

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Disclaimers and Important Notice
This article is meant for information only and should not be relied upon as financial advice. Before making any decision to buy, sell or hold any investment or insurance product, you should seek advice from a financial adviser regarding its suitability.