PUBLISHED ONMarch 11, 2024 10:38 AMByClaudia TanSome Swifties who recently travelled to Singapore to attend the Eras Tour weren't just impressed by the American singer-songwriter's performance at the National Stadium.
Over the weekend, several concertgoers from neighbouring countries took to social media, remarking how Singapore's public transport system Hits Different.
A Malaysian, who goes by Muaz Mohd on X, wrote: "Went to the Eras Tour in Singapore (and had the best time ever) but I want to highlight how great Singapore’s public transport and public infrastructure are."
[embed]https://twitter.com/MuazMohd94/status/1766809237676793978[/embed]
During his stay in Singapore, he walked, took the bus and the MRT train.
"Didn't ride a single car there. Don't say [Malaysia] can't have it cause of our weather," he wrote.
In the same thread, Muaz Mohd shared a photo of the display panel at a bus stop near Dhoby Ghaut.
"The buses were on time if not earlier. You can track them on google maps but you could also find live information at the bus stops as to when the next bus is, how crowded it is etc. It’s arguably even better than London's."
Another Swiftie, Erika Arana, who hails from the Philippines, took to TikTok to document her trip to Singapore.
In her video, Arana praised Singapore's efficient transport system, as well as the crowd control.
"At this point, it's more than just The Eras Tour," she wrote in her video.
"May this trip remain as an eye-opener to what the Philippines is missing out on and what Filipino commuters could have if only our transport and government system is as efficient."
@erikas.era May this trip remain as an eye opener to what the Philippines is missing out on & what the Filipino commuters could have if only our transport and government system is as efficient. #cultureshock #TSTheErasTour #taylorswift #singaporetstheerastour #theerastour #firstworldproblems #thirdworldcountry #singapore ♬ Daylight by Taylor Swift sped up - brooke ⎕
In a report published by CNN Travel in March, Singapore's MRT system was ranked as one of 18 best metro systems in the world.
"Like the city it serves, MRT is famous for being spotlessly clean and efficient.
"To keep it that way, smoking, drinking and eating are banned at stations and on trains - and that includes the famously stinky durian fruit, a favourite of many locals," the publication reported.
With Taylor Swift's six shows drawing more than 368,000 concertgoers, crowd control measures were important.
When it came to managing the crowds flooding the Stadium MRT station after the concerts, SMRT Trains was Ready For It.
To help commuters get home Safe and Sound, SMRT staff were present to help commuters move into the station in batches, reported CNA.
Swifties who were waiting to get into the station were entertained by some of Swift's hits.
@clara.slays Ok la sports hub rlly got effort in managing the crowd lmaooo #erastour #erastoursg ♬ original sound - clara 🫒
Train frequencies were also increased to shorten waiting times, and the faregates were kept open to ease movement in and out of the station.
Some empty trains were also placed on standby to aid in crowd dispersal, in case of unforeseen circumstances.
SMRT also worked closely with other stakeholders such as Singapore Sports Hub and the Land Transport Authority to reduce traffic congestion on the roads in the vicinity.
Police officers and Singapore Civil Defence Force personnel were also on site to ensure that security and safety measures were in place.
claudiatan@asiaone.com