1. The Land Transport Authority's (LTA) next-generation e-payment system for public transit, Symphony for e-Payment (SeP), will go on trial from 29 August to 28 October 2008. Developed in-house by LTA, SeP is built on the Singapore Standard for Contactless ePurse Application (CEPAS¹) which allows any smart card that complies with the standard to be used with the system and in a wide variety of payment applications.

2. With SeP, new CEPAS-compliant transit cards will be required. Commuters can use cards issued by any card issuer for transit purposes as long as the card complies with the CEPAS standard and includes the transit application. Initially, EZ-Link will offer its new CEPAS-compliant cards.

3. "The new transit card can eventually be used for Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) payments in vehicles fitted with the new generation In-vehicle Units (IU), Electronic Parking System (EPS) carparks and a wide variety of other electronic payment options that support the CEPAS standard. And as more card issuers enter the market, commuters will have more choice and convenience," said Mr Yam Ah Mee, Chief Executive, Land Transport Authority.

SeP Trial

4. The objective of the trial is to ensure that the SeP system is ready for revenue service at the end of the year. Trial participants are pre-selected from adult ez-link cardholders based on the following criteria:

1. High public transport usage
2. Do not use non-transit applications or GIRO/Auto Credit Card top-up facilities (as these applications will not be available during the trial)

5. The first 10,000 commuters to respond to LTA's invitation to join the trial will be accepted as participants. Participants will receive a new ez-link CEPAS-compliant card in exchange for their current ez-link card. Participants who complete 100 rides on bus/trains within the trial period will receive a $20 public transport voucher.

Benefits of the new CEPAS-compliant transit card

6. The new CEPAS-compliant card will offer commuters the following benefits:

1. Full access of the card's stored value for non-transit payments

Currently, the ez-link card has a $3 travel deposit which is not shown as the card balance. Hence, when the card reader reflects a card as having $0.01 there is actually a $3.01 value still in the card. The $3 value is locked in as a travel deposit and can only be used for travel on trains and buses. This is why commuters are able to start a train or bus trip with only $0.01 reflected in their ez-link card.

With the new CEPAS-compliant card, there is no travel deposit and the real balance in the card is shown. Commuters will have access to the full value of their card for non-transit payments if they wish.

1. Use of the card across multiple environs

When the new transit card is launched at the end of the year, it can be used for other payments such as ERP payment (with the second-generation IU), EPS, payments at shops and more.

Functional difference between the current ez-link card and CEPAS-compliant card

7. Currently, commuters can start a train/bus trip although the balance in the card is reflected as $0.01. This is because the actual balance in the card, including the $3 travel deposit is $3.01. Hence commuters may, as a habit, top-up their card when the card reader displays a very low value (of less than $3).

8. The CEPAS-compliant card does not have a travel deposit; the card reader displays the real value remaining in the card. Hence with the new CEPAS-compliant card, the minimum value displayed that commuters must have in their card before they board the train remains at $3.00. However, this amount could be less than $3 for basic bus services, depending on the service and route. (Please refer to the SeP trial brochure for guidelines on fare required for the various train/bus services).

9. As the card reader displays the real value remaining in the CEPAS-compliant card. Commuters should avoid topping-up their cards only when the remaining value is very low, to avoid having insufficient value to start their train/bus trip. As a general guide, commuters are advised to have a minimal value of $3 in their card if they use the card for transit purposes. This value ensures that commuters have the required fare when they exit the gate, even for the longest train or bus (basic bus services) journey.

10. To help remind commuters to top-up, an alert message will be displayed when their stored card value is less than $5.00. With this alert feature, commuters would on average, be alerted at least 3 times to top-up their cards before their card value reaches the minimal required value for travel.

11. When SeP is launched, the new system and the existing Enhanced Integrated Farecard System (EIFS) will run concurrently for about a year before EIFS is shut down. Details of the ez-link card replacement exercise will be announced later in the year. Ez-link card holders are assured that they will have ample time and avenues to replace their cards.

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¹ CEPAS stands for Contactless ePurse Application. It is an interoperable micro-payment platform for Singapore made possible by a joint collaboration by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), LTA and the industry. Gazetted and published by SPRING Singapore as SS518 or Singapore Standard for Contactless ePurse Application, it allows multiple card issuers to issue a new generation of CEPAS-compliant cards that can be used for travel in public buses and MRT, Electronic Road Pricing (ERP), Electronic Parking System (EPS) carparks and other electronic payment systems.