Image Credit: Vulcan Post
Whether you’re a driver or someone who hails taxis regularly, you’ll know that one of the most dreaded experiences of being a motorist in Singapore is (drum roll): ERP (Electronic Road Pricing). Yay.
The ERP system was implemented by the Land Transport Authority in 1998 to replace the preceding Singapore Area Licensing Scheme (ALS) that was first introduced in 1975 and has since been one of our favourite things to complain about when it comes to traffic. In total there are approximately 78 ERP gantries in total, and there are three types of gantries: Those on the expressway, arterial roads, and city cordons.
With ERP rates varying between $1 to $6, it’s no head-scratcher as to why we’re touted as one of the most expensive cities in the world. Thankfully, ERP rates are reviewed quarterly and during school holidays and have been adjusted during the pandemic.
ERP rates
Image Credit: Alex Wong | Unsplash
Well, what are the current ERP rates, gantries, and operating hours? While the government lowered the ERP rates during the school holidays, we’re afraid it’s back to the usual now. Read on to find out more:
*ERP rates from LTA (ERP rate is per Passenger Car Unit or PCU)
| Expressway ERP Gantries | ||
| ERP Gantry | Time | Rate |
| AYE after Jurong Town Hall towards City (Set of 3 gantries) | 8.30am – 9.30am | SGD $1.00 |
| 5.30pm – 6.30pm | SGD $1.00 | |
| Southbound CTE before Braddell Road | 7.00am – 8.00am | SGD $1.00 |
| 8.00am – 9.30am | SGD $2.00 | |
| 9.30am – 10.00am | SGD $1.00 | |
| Southbound CTE after Braddell Road & PIE Slip Road into Southbound CTE (Set of 4 gantries) | 7.30am – 8.00am | SGD $1.00 |
| 8.00am – 9.30am | SGD $2.00 | |
| 9.30am – 10.00am | SGD $1.00 | |
| Southbound CTE Auxiliary Lane to PIE (Changi) / Serangoon Road | 7.30am – 8.00am | SGD $1.00 |
| 8.00am – 9.30am | SGD $2.00 | |
| 9.30am – 10.00am | SGD $1.00 | |
| Northbound CTE after PIE (Set of 2 gantries) | 5.30pm – 6.00pm | SGD $1.00 |
| 6.00pm – 6.30pm | SGD $3.00 | |
| 6.30pm – 7.00pm | SGD $2.00 | |
| KPE (ECP) after Defu Flyover | 8.30am – 9.00am | SGD $1.00 |
| All Expressway, Arterial, and City Cordon ERP gantries | |
| Arterial Gantries | Woodsville Tunnel |
| Geylang Road westbound before Kallang River | |
| Thomson Road southbound after Toa Payoh Rise | |
| Dunearn Road eastbound after Dunkirk Avenue | |
| Upper Bt Timah Road southbound after Hume Ave | |
| Lorong 6 Toa Payoh from Braddell Road | |
| Kallang Bahru from PIE | |
| Geylang Bahru westbound after Geylang Bahru Terrace | |
| Upper Boon Keng Road near Lorong 1 Geylang | |
| City Cordon Gantries | Bugis to Marina Centre (9 Gantries) – Victoria Street (after Rochor Road) – Nicoll Highway (after Republic Avenue) – Bencoolen Street (after Rochor Road) – Queen Street (after Rochor Road) – North Bridge Road (after Rochor Road) – Beach Road (after Rochor Road) – Temasek Boulevard (after Rochor Road) – Republic Boulevard (after the junction of Republic Avenue and Republic Boulevard) – River Valley Road (after Clemenceau Avenue) |
| Shenton Way to Chinatown (11 Gantries) – Eu Tong Sen Street (after Outram Road) – Lim Teck Kim Road (after Cantonment Road) – Anson Road (after Keppel Road) – Tanjong Pagar Road (after Keppel Road) – Havelock Road (after Clemenceau Avenue) – Havelock Road (from CTE Exit) – Merchant Road (after Clemenceau Avenue) – Merchant Road (from CTE Exit) – Central Boulevard (after Marina Gardens Drive) – Slip Road from Westbound MCE towards Maxwell Road – Sheares Ave towards Marina Boulevard (after Sheares Bridge) | |
| Orchard (9 Gantries) – Orchard Link (after Orchard Boulevard) – Oxley Road (after Eber Road) – Orchard Road (after Scotts Road) – Orchard Turn (after Orchard Boulevard) – Killiney Road (after Exeter Road) – Buyong Road (after Kramat Lane) – Kramat Road (after Buyong Road) – Clemenceau Avenue (before Penang Road) – Cairnhill Road (after Cairnhill Circle) | |
| – YMCA Gantry – Fort Canning Tunnel Gantry | |
| Handy Road Gantry | |
| – New Bridge Road – SouthBridge Road – Southbound Fullerton Road – Southbound Bayfront Ave Gantries | |
| – Eu Tong Sen St at Central – Northbound Fullerton Road – Northbound Bayfront Ave Gantries | |
| Expressway Gantries | AYE – Between Portsdown Road and Alexandra Road |
| Citybound AYE (Set of 3 gantries) – After Jurong Town Hall – Clementi Avenue 6 into AYE – Clementi Avenue 2 into AYE | |
| Tuas-bound AYE – After North Buona Vista | |
| BKE – Between Dairy Farm Road and PIE | |
| CTE – After Braddell Road – Serangoon Road – Balestier slip road – Slip road to PIE (Changi) / Serangoon Road – Between Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 and Braddell Road | |
| ECP (City) | |
| ECP – Eastbound before KPE | |
| MCE – Westbound before exiting to Central Boulevard – Before exiting to Maxwell Rd – Eastbound after entry from Maxwell Road – On slip road after Marina Boulevard | |
| KPE – Southbound after Defu Flyover – Slip road into citybound ECP | |
| PIE – After Kallang Bahru exit – PIE Slip Road into Bendemeer Rd – Eastbound after Adam Road and Mount Pleasant – Slip road into the eastbound PIE – Slip road into CTE Westbound before Eunos Link | |
| CTE – Northbound between Jalan Bahagia and PIE – Northbound between PIE and Braddell Road, PIE to CTE northbound before Braddell Road | |
When is the ERP operational?
Image Credit: Singapore Press Holdings
ERP is operational every day except for Sundays and public holidays. Additionally, ERP also stops operating at 1 pm on the eve of the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Christmas Day, Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Puasa, and Deepavali.
Read More: Tips for a Safe and Comfortable Road Trip
Read More: Tips for a Safe and Comfortable Road Trip
How is the ERP rate determined?
Image Credit: David Kabovsky | Unsplash
ERP rates usually vary between 30-minute segments and are adjusted to keep motorists moving at an optimal 20 to 30 km per hour on arterial roads, and 45 to 65km per hour on expressways. Therefore, if you drive during peak hours, you are likely to pay a higher ERP rate. In addition, ERP charges are also affected by the size and type of your vehicle – the bigger your vehicle is, the more you’ll pay.
Covid-19 measures
Image Credit: KSDK
We are grateful that the government took into account the lower traffic volume after the implementation of Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) measures, which included full Home-Based Learning from 19th May. The nation saw ERP rates across all gantries reduced by $1, and zero charges on the AYE and KPE, which was wonderful.
However, the revised rates were only effective from 27th May to 27th June 2021 and reverted to the usual charges on 28th June, which was the end of the June school holiday period. The LTA promises to continue monitoring traffic speeds and congestion levels closely and to keenly assess if ERP rates need to be further adjusted. We’ve got our fingers crossed. Have you?
If you ever find yourself looking for more information regarding the LTA and ERP rates and gantries, look no further: Check out the LTA News Room for more updates. You’re welcome.
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