Off Peak MRT Travel (If there is such a thing?!)

Pennywhistle · Post by **Pennywhistle** » Sun, 15 Sep 2013 7:01 am

Hi all. After reading some horror stories about lack of etiquette shown to people with prams (strollers / buggys),elderly, and so it seems anyone who actually needs access to priority seating....I would love to know if there is such a thing as 'off peak' travel where negotiating the MRT with my baby and pram might be a more enjoyable outing!?

Looking to be on the yellow circle line around Haw Par Villa MRT stop, and travel into the city and also the opposite direction out to Holland area a few times weekly.

After reading many posts I have low expectations so I know not to be overly offended by the commonality of selfish people on transport and I have read some advice about people politely asking for seats etc and not being refused so I am not adverse to that idea as well.

But would still love to know if there is a peak period for quiet travel!

zzm9980 · Post by **zzm9980** » Sun, 15 Sep 2013 7:20 am

Honestly you'll probably only have a few hours a day where the train is sardine packed where you'd have trouble. You'll have no problem most of the time getting your stroller into the MRT and at least having plenty of standing room. The Circle line (at least as of a year ago) was also generally really empty since it's new and not very direct from anywhere to anywhere. Red and Green lines between 730-930am towards the city and 5-8pm away from I'd avoid though.

Pennywhistle · Post by **Pennywhistle** » Sun, 15 Sep 2013 8:09 am

Thank you! That's great to hear. I was hoping that was the case with the circle line as well. It has certainly made MRT travel a lot less daunting.

Another quick question this time in relation to Peak Hour travel. How sardine like would the train be at 7.15-ish on the morning commute away from the city? My HB would be looking to get off at Lorong Chuan and I thought I better do the unselfish thing and ask what his daily commute might be like as well. The same would apply on the home commute around 5pm. Fingers crossed we are going against some kind of flow of human traffic but on an island that small with a large population, I might be dreaming!

Post by **nakatago** » Sun, 15 Sep 2013 8:20 am

Pennywhistle wrote:How sardine like would the train be at 7.15-ish on the morning commute away from the city?

Going into the city or work hubs, unless you're severely nearsighted, holding a magazine or newspaper sized reading material would be a challenge as you can only hold it very close to you.

Pennywhistle · Post by **Pennywhistle** » Sun, 15 Sep 2013 1:28 pm

Yikes! Glad it's him and not me!

Thank you for the reply.

Hannieroo · Post by **Hannieroo** » Sun, 15 Sep 2013 6:34 pm

I use Haw Par a fair bit during the day with children and we've never had to stand.

the lynx · Post by **the lynx** » Mon, 16 Sep 2013 9:36 am

1. For all train networks, avoid 7-9am and 4-8pm.

2. How packed can it get during peak hours? Short of being lifted off your feet (happened to me in KL trains, it was so packed that I got lifted off and my feet dangled)

3. You're not alone, All senior citizens, stroller-bound FTM and pregnant mothers think of the same. So if you try to travel during those off-peak hours, you will find the trains filled with them instead. Enough standing room fortunately.

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Mon, 16 Sep 2013 10:58 am

the lynx wrote: 2. How packed can it get during peak hours? Short of being lifted off your feet (happened to me in KL trains, it was so packed that I got lifted off and my feet dangled)

Depending on who you were with, that could be fun!

Pennywhistle · Post by **Pennywhistle** » Mon, 16 Sep 2013 11:40 am

Thanks everyone! Your advice is invaluable. I will certainly be avoiding those times, but great to hear the fellow traveler having no issues with kids at Haw Par. Phew!

Lifted off your feet?! Crazy!

zzm9980 · Post by **zzm9980** » Mon, 16 Sep 2013 1:30 pm

At least it's not this bad:

Tokyo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7kor5nHtZQ

Beijing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifa9rdb4iH4

Wd40 · Post by **Wd40** » Mon, 16 Sep 2013 1:44 pm

zzm9980 wrote:At least it's not this bad:

Tokyo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7kor5nHtZQ

Beijing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifa9rdb4iH4

Cars however are a lot cheaper in those cities, so for most well off people that isnt an issue.

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Mon, 16 Sep 2013 2:01 pm

Monthly parking in Tokyo costs between 40,000 – 80,000 JPY. One wonders what you consider well off. Must start at a minimum of Qtr Mil yeah? Of course the average expat makes that according to that silly survey conducted by one of the banks.

zzm9980 · Post by **zzm9980** » Mon, 16 Sep 2013 3:18 pm

Wd40 wrote:
zzm9980 wrote:At least it's not this bad:

Tokyo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7kor5nHtZQ

Beijing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifa9rdb4iH4
Cars however are a lot cheaper in those cities, so for most well off people that isnt an issue.

More talking out of your ass. Have you been to Tokyo? Most "well off" people don't drive and do take trains.

bloodhound123 · Post by **bloodhound123** » Tue, 17 Sep 2013 1:01 am

zzm9980 wrote:
Wd40 wrote:
zzm9980 wrote:At least it's not this bad:

Tokyo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7kor5nHtZQ

Beijing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifa9rdb4iH4
Cars however are a lot cheaper in those cities, so for most well off people that isnt an issue.
More talking out of your ass. Have you been to Tokyo? Most "well off" people don't drive and do take trains.

I went to Tokyo last year and my friend who was brought up in Tokyo said that cars are very cheap but the monthly parking in the residential apartment blocks would cost nearly the same as their monthly house rent. Cabs are insanely expensive there ( nearly 4-5 times that of SG ) and trains are the only option. This gave rise to "capsule inns" which are a little better than coffins to accomodate drunk Japanese men who could not catch their last train back home and who would be better off if they spent 2,000-3000 yen/night to sleep in one of those "coffins" rather than pay a bomb for a taxi ride back home.

BTW I tried hard to catch a glimpse of this peak hr madness in the Tokyo subway but my friend told me that it happens only on the Yamamote line and that too only for a short duration during the "peakest" of the peak hour.

zzm9980 · Post by **zzm9980** » Tue, 17 Sep 2013 8:44 am

bloodhound123 wrote: BTW I tried hard to catch a glimpse of this peak hr madness in the Tokyo subway but my friend told me that it happens only on the Yamamote line and that too only for a short duration during the "peakest" of the peak hour.

That's indeed where I've seen it. Yamanote between Shinjuku and Shibuya at about dinner time. Not as extreme as the video, but pretty crazy.

I've also seen it in Beijing along Line 1 during evening Rush Hour. Less people overall, but much more aggressive "stuffers". They weren't politely pushing, it looked more like they were tossing trash into a bin

SINGAPORE EXPATS FORUM
Singapore Expat Forum and Message Board for Expats in Singapore & Expatriates Relocating to Singapore

Off Peak MRT Travel (If there is such a thing?!)

Off Peak MRT Travel (If there is such a thing?!)

Who is online