New MRT ticket fully operational islandwide

New MRT ticket fully operational islandwide

The new Standard Ticket scheme of TransitLink is now operational islandwide.

It was put in place progressively from November 2012.

TransitLink, which processes transit transactions for Singapore's public transport system, said on Wednesday that with the new Standard Ticket, commuters pay a lower deposit of 10 cents.

The ticket can be used up to six times within 30 days from the date of purchase.

To encourage passengers to reuse the ticket, the 10-cent deposit will be automatically offset against the passenger's fare on the third trip, while a discount of 10 cents will be given for the sixth trip.

Presently, passengers using the current Standard Ticket have to buy a new ticket for each trip, with no discount given.

Commuters won't be able to buy or use the current Standard Ticket for travel on the MRT and LRT from 1 March.

Those who have it can get a refund of the remaining value of the ticket within three days of the date of purchase.

They can also get a refund of the deposit of S$1 within 30 days from the date of purchase at any MRT station Passenger Service Centre.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

New-look coins by mid-2013

New-look coins by mid-2013



Singapore will have a whole new set of coins in circulation by the middle of this year.

The current Second Series coins were first introduced in 1985 and featured local plants and flowers, depicting Singapore as a garden city.

But they'll soon make way for the Third Series featuring five of Singapore's national icons and landmarks - the Merlion, Port of Singapore, Changi Airport, Public Housing and the Esplanade.

For example, HDB flats - home to more than 80 per cent of Singaporeans - will be featured on the 10-cent coin... and the Esplanade on the 5-cent coin.

"Coins reflect the events, persons or symbols significant to a nation. The new series coins depict local icons and landmarks that are familiar to Singaporeans and reflect various aspects of Singapore's progress as a nation," said Ravi Menon, Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

Each coin denomination has an electro-magnetic signature, which allows vending machines to detect counterfeit and foreign coins.

The one-dollar coin contains additional security features such as its bi-metallic composition and laser mark micro-engraving in the shape of Singapore's national flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquim.

The new coins will have larger denomination numerals for easy identification and features to facilitate identification by the visually-impaired.

The coins are progressively sized by denomination, with the 5-cent coin being the smallest and one-dollar coin being the largest.

Mrs Foo-Yap Siew Hong, Assistant Managing Director of MAS, said, "The Second Series coins have been in use for more than 25 years. There will be a period of adjustment as we all get comfortable with the new coins. MAS will continue to work closely with our stakeholders to smoothen the transition."

MAS says it has been working with public transport operators to ensure that coin-operated machines at MRT/LRT stations are calibrated to accept both the current and new series coins before the launch.

It has also been working with businesses with coin-operated facilities such as vending machine operators and supermarkets to prepare them for the launch.

And to ensure a smooth transition, the current series will continue to be legal tender, as they are phased out over the next four years.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

S'pore, Malaysia high-speed rail link

S'pore, Malaysia agree on high-speed rail link

Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to build a high-speed rail link between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, with a target to complete it by 2020.

This was announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Tuesday during their annual Leaders' Retreat.

With the new link, it will take about 90 minutes to get from Singapore to KL and vice versa.

The two leaders described the high-speed rail system as a strategic development in the bilateral relations, saying it will dramatically improve the connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore.

The link will also facilitate seamless travel between KL and Singapore, enhance business links, and bring peoples of Singapore and Malaysia closer together.

Mr Lee said: "It is a strategic project for the two countries. It will change the way we see each other. It is the way people in London and Paris are able to think of it -- as twin cities, where you can commute, go up there, do business, meet friends, have a meal and come back, all within two thirds of the day.

"And I think it is going to be a game changer. It will transform the way people interact, the intensity of our cooperation and the degree to which we become interdependent on each other and therefore have stakes on each other's success."

The leaders added that it will usher in a new era of strong growth, prosperity and opportunities for both countries.

They said ultimately the project will give both countries greater stakes in each other's prosperity and success.

Mr Najib said a joint ministerial committee will look into the details of the project.

He said: "Our two cities will complement each other. Our two countries will look at each other differently and the opportunities are boundless between our two countries.

"So I am excited about the project. We will certainly do our level best to meet the 2020 deadline. It may go slightly beyond that, but those are details in implementation.

"The modalities will be offered to Singapore. Basically, we want Singapore to participate in this based on the different kinds of options that we will offer to the Singapore government."

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Early-bird sales of F1 Singapore GP tickets

Early-bird sales of F1 Singapore GP tickets

 

Fans of the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix can buy tickets from Wednesday, with 65,000 general three-day tickets on sale for the early birds.

They will enjoy significant savings and new initiatives for the sixth instalment of the world's only Formula One night race on 20, 21 and 22 September.

As in previous years, race promoter Singapore GP will release the tickets in two phases: the early-bird phase from 20 February to 30 April, and the regular phase from 1 May.

About 85 per cent of the ticket categories on offer are priced the same or lower than in 2012.

Fans can look forward to savings of up to 30 per cent if they buy early as a group under the Group Booking Special scheme.

In response to popular demand, Singapore GP is offering an additional combination package for spectators to explore different parts of the Circuit Park on each of the three days.

Fans can opt for the new Zone 1 Walkabout combination package that consists of a Pit Grandstand ticket for both Friday and Saturday, as well as a Sunday Premier Walkabout ticket at only S$688 during the early-bird phase.

The Turn 1, Padang and Bay combination packages will still be available from S$398 to S$788 at early-bird price.

Following the sell-out success of the Turn 3 Premier Grandstand last year, an additional Premier Grandstand has been launched.

It offers spectators the chance to witness possible overtaking opportunities at the Memorial (Turn 7) up-close.

Tickets are priced at S$1,598 for the Turn 7 Premier Grandstand @ Stamford and S$2,128 for the Turn 3 Premier Grandstand.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Singapore River Hongbao 2013

Happy Chinese New Year

Construction of Changi Airport's T4 to begin

Construction of Changi Airport's T4 to begin

Construction of Changi Airport's Terminal 4 (T4) is expected to begin soon, with a total estimated budget of S$1.28 billion.

S$600 million is set aside for the construction of a two-storey building at the old Budget Terminal site. It will have a gross floor area of about 160,000 square metres.

The remaining S$680 million will be for the construction of additional parking stands, supporting airfield infrastructure, security requirements, specialised airport systems, ancillary buildings and road and drainage works.

In a media statement released on Friday, Changi Airport Group said T4 will be designed with the flexibility to meet the operational needs of both regional full service and low-cost carriers.

T4 will primarily handle narrow body aircraft and be designed to enable quick turnaround of flights.

The transfer of passengers and baggage between T4 and the other terminals will also be provided for.

In terms of feel and ambience, T4 will be comparable to Terminals 1 and 2.

Unlike the Budget Terminal, T4 will have aerobridges at its boarding gates.

Departure and arrival immigration control and pre-boarding security screening will be centralised for more efficient deployment of manpower and equipment.

T4 will have more kiosks for self check-in, self bag-tagging and self bag-drops.

Bag sorting at T4 will be fully automated. The baggage handling system will be equipped with the latest technology to enable heavy and odd-sized bags to be handled with ease even by older workers.

The number of aircraft parking stands will also be increased.

A 38-hectare land plot south of Terminal 3, which houses the airport nursery and reservoir, will be converted into an aircraft parking area to house 17 narrow-body and nine wide-body aircraft stands.

An overhead vehicular bridge across Airport Boulevard will be built to enable buses and other airport vehicles to move from T4 to the aircraft stands.

Major drainage works, including the construction of a new reservoir, will be undertaken to prevent flooding in the event of a heavy downpour.

A new road will be built to facilitate outgoing traffic from T4 onto the East Coast Parkway.

A multi-storey car park with spaces for 1,200 vehicles will also be built next to the terminal.

T4 is expected to be ready in 2017.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Chinese New Year @ Chinatown

New historical trail in Kranji area launched

New historical trail in Kranji area launched

Sarimbun Beach, in the north west of Singapore, was the site where allied forces battled the Japanese army when it invaded Singapore in the early hours of 8 February 1942.

Now Sarimbun Beach is one stop on an historical trail called "War & Peace: the Kranji Experience" that was launched on Thursday.

The Kranji Experience trail covers some 11 kilometres with stops at Sky Greens Pte Ltd, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Kranji Reservoir Park, Kranji Dam, Kranji Water Reclamation Plant and Kranji War Cemetery.

The Kranji area has rich historical significance and features rich biodiversity of some of Singapore's mangrove wetlands, rivers and farmlands.

The stops show how Singapore has overcome its land and water constraints.

The Kranji Experience is the fourth of five historical trails called Resilience Trails that focus on different aspects of Singapore's historical moments and achievements.

The trails allow participants to come away inspired by the stories of Singapore's experiences in the Second World War and other major events that have shaped the nation.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Theme park KidZania coming up on Sentosa

Theme park KidZania coming up on Sentosa Island

A new attraction for children will be hitting the shores of Sentosa Island. KidZania, a S$90m theme park, will open its doors in early 2015.

It is targeted at those aged 4 to 14.

In KidZania, children will get to learn and have fun, pretending to be police officers, doctors and scientists in a real-life environment.

The children will be given "salaries", which they can spend or save in bank accounts.

To make the experience more authentic, KidZania has partnerships with multi-national and local companies.

Through each activity, children will get a taste of what the adult professions are like.

They can also learn valuable skills such as financial literacy, team work and independence.

KidZania will be the centrepiece of the new multi-million-dollar redevelopment at Palawan Beach.

It will cover an area of more than 80,000 square feet.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

Changi Airport record 51 million passengers

Changi Airport logs record 51 million passengers in 2012

Singapore's Changi Airport handled a record 51 million passengers last year. This is 10 per cent more 2011.

In December alone, the airport saw close to five million passengers, an 8.6 per cent increase year-on-year.

The air hub's busiest routes cover Jakarta, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Manila.

Flight movements grew by 7.6 per cent to some 325,000.

On December 22, last year, a daily record of 180,400 passengers passed through Changi Airport within 24 hours.

Meanwhile, analysts said Changi Airport looks set to expand its aircraft handling capacity and maintain its competitiveness.

This, as it revamps the Budget Terminal to reopen as Terminal 4 in 2017, hence increasing runway availability.

Looking ahead, Changi Airport says it plans to further strengthen links to emerging markets like Russia and Africa.

Lim Ching Kiat, senior vice president of market development at Changi Airport Group, said: "In the longer term, we are interested to further develop markets like Russia and Africa. We need work with existing partners as well as look for new airline partners and other trade partners to work with to further grow these links."

Meanwhile, the airport's connectivity to secondary cities like Gold Coast and Padang in Indonesia has kept it competitive against other regional air hubs like Incheon International Airport.

Subhranshu Sekhar Das, director of aerospace and defence practice at Frost & Sullivan, said: "Changi has a challenge all the time as it is a small base. Attracting international transit passengers is one of the strategies Changi has clearly positioned itself as one of the best airports in providing services to transit passengers. Changi is trying to create a positioning in the industry to attract new carriers and create this hub so that requires a lot of investments in runway expansion."

However, due to uncertainties in the global economy, the airport experienced a decline of 3.2 per cent in cargo volumes to 1.8 million tonnes.

Changi Airport has increased landing fee rebates for freighter aircraft from 20 to 50 per cent to help their partners relieve costs.

Still, experts remained upbeat and said that the outlook is hopeful.

James Fong, assistant vice president for cargo development at Changi Airport Group, said niche cargo segments such as perishable and pharmaceuticals have been growing pretty well over the past year.

"We will continue to work hard at these specific segments and hopefully we'll bring about some growth for us," said Mr Fong.

Mr Sekhar Das said: "Having seen the recovery is still under progress, it (cargo volume) will continue to decline for a few months. But in subsequent quarters, we will see the cargo volume grow. Asia Pacific domestic markets are really performing well. Some of the countries have outperformed the productions numbers expected in Q4 2012 so that will give a boost to the cargo traffic."

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~