Are lower train fares possible? Look to HK

[Fddd]

Are lower train fares possible? Look to HK

 

 

FOLLOWING the merger of Hong Kong's two major train operators, the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) and the Mass Transit Railway Corporation, the territory's government has announced a reduction in fares.

According to a press statement of the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region dated Nov 22 on its website, http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/infrast...1122en06009.htm, 'About 2.8 million commuters will enjoy lower fares from Dec 2 when Hong Kong's two rail companies merge. Annual fare concessions are expected to reach HK$600 million.

 

'The Mass Transit Railway Corporation's Octopus smart-card users (Hong Kong's version of the ez-link card), will see fare reductions, with more than half enjoying a 5 per cent saving. All adult Octopus cardholders will pay 20 cents less per trip minimum, while long-distance fares at $12 or above will be cut by at least 10 per cent...

 

'With the removal of a second boarding charge, passengers interchanging between the Mass Transit Railway and Kowloon-Canton Railway networks will have fares cut by up to $7.'

 

 

 

 

I have been using Hong Kong's railways at all hours for the past fortnight and I find that the frequency of trains ranges between one and three minutes. Although it is winter now (temperature between 19 and 25 deg C), the air-conditioning in the trains functions very well in spite of the heavy commuter traffic. In addition, the trains are relatively clean and well maintained and the images of the live programmes on mobile television installed in the KCR trains are always clear and smooth.

In contrast, Singapore's trains arrive every five to eight minutes and the air-conditioning leaves much to be desired, especially for aboveground journeys in the afternoons.

 

Yet, we have been told constantly by our transport operators and the Public Transport Council that fares have to go up annually because of higher oil prices, inflation and the higher cost of maintenance. Perhaps it is time for the Government and industry in Singapore to learn from Hong Kong.

 

Liew Kai Khiun

Hong Kong

 

Well said,man!!

When is Spore private companies be as efficient and effective as other country??? [thumbsdown]

[Panda88]

what to do? do you have the choice?

[Windwaver]

Whatever that goes up will never come down in a place call S'pore.

[Panda88]

except salary

[Apollo]

in singapore anything is possible as long as the gahment wants it done.

[Sosaria]

You got a nice avatar, man

 

Anyway, I recently had to take a few MRT rides, after a break of a few years, and was very much surprised at the deterioration in quality of service. Trains definitely take longer to arrive nowadays, and most are overcrowded, especially in the city and orchard areas.

 

It used to be much better some years ago

[Boyboy]

if u think train is bad, u shd try the bus

 

fares keep going up, quality of service keeps going down. sure, u get fancier, newer buses, but i'd much rather they cut the excess frills and just increase the frequency..

 

tried taking pubic tpt to NTU recently. calculated the amt i spent. basket, shd have driven, it costs way less.. of course, free parking and no ERP, but if i carpool, i will still save or even make a slight "profit".

 

once u have bought a car, can forget abt pubic tpt. won't save much (maybe wun save) and kill urself sooner with stress, foul air (yes from the aircon)..

 

the way to save costs, is by car pooling and economy driving. maybe CNG too.

 

u leave the car at home, still must pay fixed costs. petrol cost by itself shd be less than pubic tpt fares unless u drive some crazy drinker

[Curahee]

For their case, their transport co really is privatize co. Here say privatize but all bull sxxt, still belong to one person, still monopolizing the mkt.

[Curahee]

Even they come down also juz for show, they will upz other things to replace the drop. Typical way of spore governing style

[Lufu]

For some reason HK is always ahead of SG and we have always been playing catching-up.

SG fnancial sector recently did very well but on comparison it is still smaller than HK.

 

SG must increase GST yet HK decide not to implement GST because people were against it.

They also have similar tax structure. Where did the Govt find the money to operate the country and "help the needy".

 

I have been really puzzled what have they done that our Million dollar ministers fail to see?

 

 

And in HK, I have never waited 5 minutes for the train. The trains are almost back-to-back with 1 arriving ever 1 minute or so although I have never done any research on the actual statistic

Edited November 25, 2007 by Lufu

[Cheerios]

they are republic of china

[Windwaver]

And how much are the ministers of HK drawing?

[Mcff_1980]

not that our gahment dont know how to tackle these issues, just that they prefer to fill up their own pockets 1st

[Kb27]

Gahmen always claim we are "world-class".

So since we are "world-class" , there is nothing to improve on.

 

Nothing to improve on, means we have to accept whatever sh-t thrown at us.

 

And besides, public transport here has to make money and return a profilt.

So it's unlikely that train fares will ever be lowered.

Edited November 25, 2007 by Kb27

[Fddd]

Yah, cos private trnasport companies have to answer to their shareholder for profit and our major shareholder is ????????

Edited November 25, 2007 by Fddd

[Curahee]

They know how to tackle issues for sure. But use different approach. Over here in order to solve problem, increase price is the only way.

[Apollo]

warouz.. dun lidat leh.. if they dun raise prices u all comprain they do nothing.

 

now tat they do nothing good for the users, also kena comprain.

[Verve]

to be fair the hk people are paying alot more for their train fares compared to singapore

 

i heard the quality of service and environment is better too.

 

SGD 4 for a long train trip i think is alot more than what we pay i think.

 

can anyone clarify, the last i recall was that mrt costs like $1 to $1.60 or thereabouts