Singapore commuters now have another way to catch up on the latest headlines while travelling, with The Straits Times audio news bulletins now playing across 68 SMRT-operated train stations.
The three- to four-minute English-language bulletins are broadcast at the top of every hour from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, giving commuters regular news updates during their journeys.
The service covers stations on the North-South, East-West and Circle MRT lines, as well as the Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit (LRT) line.
There are some exceptions. On the East-West Line, the bulletins are not available at Bedok, Tanah Merah, Gul Circle, Tuas Crescent, Tuas West Road and Tuas Link stations. Braddell on the North-South Line is also excluded.
On the Circle Line, broadcasts are currently available only at Keppel, Cantonment and Prince Edward Road, with SMRT working toward expanding coverage to additional stations.
The Bukit Panjang LRT operates on a separate schedule, with bulletins playing from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The rollout is part of a broader partnership between SPH Media and SMRT, first formalised in January 2026. The agreement was designed to bring news and information directly into commuters’ daily journeys through audio, digital screens and physical newspaper access.
The partnership goes beyond audio. News from The Straits Times and Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao will also appear on digital screens located at station concourses, platforms and selected bus stations.
Meanwhile, commuters who still prefer printed newspapers will soon have another option. Vending machines carrying SPH Media publications — including The Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao, Berita Harian and Tamil Murasu — are scheduled to begin appearing at SMRT-operated stations, starting with Choa Chu Kang on Oct. 15.
SPH Media described the initiative as a way to bring trusted journalism closer to commuters, while SMRT said the collaboration combines the transport network’s reach with SPH Media’s news content.
The expansion effectively turns parts of Singapore’s daily commute into another news-delivery channel, allowing passengers to hear or see updates without having to leave the station environment.
And with digital displays and newspaper vending machines still being rolled out, the 68-station audio launch may only be the beginning of how commuters encounter news across Singapore’s public transport network.
WWC ONE MEDIA G,A
