2024 Edition: Best Credit Cards for Public Transport (SimplyGo)

Public transport is unlikely to be a significant chunk of your monthly expenditure, but that’s no reason to leave miles on the table. Every little bit helps, and a regular recurring expense, charged to the right credit card, can reap rewards over time. 

With that in mind, here’s the best credit cards to use for bus/MRT rides. 

How are you paying for public transport?

There are three ways to go about using your credit card for public transport, but be warned: only one of them will earn rewards!

❌Top-up at General Ticketing Machines/ Add Value Machines

EZ-Link cards can be topped up with credit cards at General Ticketing Machines (GTMs) or Add Value Machines (AVMs) located inside MRT stations, ever since 2016. However, you will not earn any credit card points for transactions at these machines, so avoid them as much as possible.

❌ Top-up via EZ-Link app

EZ-Link cards can also be topped up via the EZ-Link app, either on an ad-hoc basis or via Auto Top-Up. 

Again, this isn’t the right path to take. While it was possible in the past to earn 2 mpd on Auto Top-Up (then called EZ-Reload) with the HSBC Revolution or up to 1.4 mpd with the Standard Chartered Visa Infinite, both have been nerfed.

✔ Pay via SimplyGo

The only way to earn miles on your public transport rides is also the simplest. All you need to do is tap your credit card (or credit card linked to a mobile wallet) at the gantry.

All contactless-enabled credit cards can be used at MRT and bus gantries, with no need to register the card beforehand. Registration, however, allows you to track your fares and usage online or via the SimplyGo app.

What MCC do SimplyGo transactions code as?

Regardless of whether you pay with Visa or Mastercard, SimplyGo transactions code as MCC 4111 (Transportation- Suburban and Local Commuter Passenger, including Ferries).

SimplyGo transactions will appear on your bank statement as BUS/MRT.

What credit cards earn rewards for SimplyGo?

The good news is that with the exception of Citibank and OCBC, all banks continue to award points for SimplyGo transactions. 

🚆 SimplyGo Transactions
Bank	Awards Points?
	Not accepted for SimplyGo
	✓
	✕
	✓
	✓
	✓
	✕*
	✓
	✓
*An exception has been carved out for the OCBC Rewards Card, but this earns a mere 0.4 mpd so there’s really no reason to use it

With that in mind, you can use the following cards to earn the most miles on SimplyGo. You’ll earn exactly the same number of miles whether you tap the physical card at the gantry, or use the digitised version on your mobile wallet. 

🚆 Best Cards For SimplyGo
Card	Earn Rate	Remarks
SCB Smart Card Apply	5.6 mpd	Capped at S$818 per s. month
UOB Lady’s Solitaire Apply	4 mpd	Capped at S$2K per c. month, must pick Transport as quarterly bonus category
UOB Lady’s Card Apply	4 mpd	Capped at S$1K per c.m month, must pick Transport as quarterly bonus category
KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card Apply	3 mpd	With min. S$800 SIA Group spend in m. year
DBS Vantage Apply	1.5 mpd
UOB PRVI Miles Visa Apply	1.4 mpd
UOB PRVI Miles Mastercard Apply	1.4 mpd
UOB Visa Infinite Metal Card Apply	1.4 mpd
SCB Visa Infinite Apply	1.4 mpd	Min. S$2K spend per s. month, otherwise 1 mpd
DBS Altitude Visa Apply	1.3 mpd
HSBC TravelOne Card Apply	1.2 mpd
Maybank Visa Infinite Apply	1.2 mpd
SCB Journey Card Apply	1.2 mpd
Options earning less than 1.2 mpd are not shown

The StanChart Smart Card earns 5.6 mpd on public transport, together with selected fast food chains and streaming subscriptions, but unless you spend substantial amounts on these categories each month, you may end up with orphan miles. It might be a better idea to cash out the points earned on this card for cash rebates instead, which would give you the equivalent of 6% off your rides. 

The UOB Lady’s Cards will earn 4 mpd on public transport rides, provided you declare transport as your quarterly bonus category.

Alternatively, you can use the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card, which earns an uncapped 3 mpd on public transport rides provided you spend at least S$800 in a membership year on SIA Group transactions (defined as SIA, Scoot and KrisShop).

Apart from that, everything else is general spending cards already. 

Do note that the UOB Preferred Platinum Visa will only earn 0.4 mpd on SimplyGo transactions (even though they’re contactless), so don’t bother using it here. Likewise, the HSBC Revolution will only earn 0.4 mpd, because its Transport bonus category does not include SimplyGo.

Conclusion

While I doubt you’ll earn a First Class ticket from public transport spending alone, it all adds up.

Just avoid the ticketing machines and head directly to the gantry, since tapping most cards except Citibank and OCBC will earn miles.