Look into extending bus, MRT hours

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Mar 10, 2017 06:00 am

RICHARD THONG KOK MUN

While it is good news that there will be two MRT lines at Changi Airport's Terminal 5, I hope the authorities will also look into providing more means of transport after the public bus and MRT cease operations for the day ("Changi's T5 likely to be served by 2 MRT lines"; March 6; The Straits Times).

I have often been on flights that land in the wee hours of the morning and have heard pre-disembarkation announcements informing passengers that "the only means of transport to the city, at this time, is by taxi". This results in disappointed faces.

A full plane with about 400 passengers results in long queues at the taxi stand. Hong Kong has public buses that operate 24 hours a day from the airport to housing estates, albeit at longer intervals and higher fares though still cheaper than taxis.

We need to weigh the costs of extending the operating hours of public buses against the benefits of providing good transport links at the airport. If we can provide a bit of convenience and present a good image of our airport to travellers, why not do it?