Most bus passengers know how annoying it is when a fellow commuter blasts music or has a loud conversation on speakerphone. Now in Singapore, bus passengers could be fined hundreds of dollars for doing just that. It’s part of a crackdown on “disruptive” behavior on public buses in the Asian city-state, with fines of up to 5,000 Singapore dollars (SGD), or about US$3,900, for those who break the rules. Passengers who cause “annoyance” to others by placing their feet on seats, playing audio at loud volumes, littering, eating or drinking on the bus could be fined up to 500 SGD (US$390), according to a statement by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), which oversees public transit in Singapore. Serious offenses like causing danger to fellow commuters or “the soiling of any part” of a bus or other transit infrastructure carry a maximum penalty of 5,000 SGD. “Public transport is a shared space, and every commuter has a part to play in ensuring a gracious and pleasant commuting environment,” said the statement from the LTA. The new penalties align with pre-existing rules on Singapore’s subway system. Unlike major U.S. cities like New York, transit systems in Asia are largely known for their cleanliness, order and efficiency, and bans on drinking, eating and playing music on board are common. In Japan, for example, even chatting with fellow commuters is considered rude. Singapore, known for its strict laws to enforce public cleanliness, is not alone in its efforts to create a more peaceful commute. The issue has become particularly pronounced in London, where last year authorities launched an etiquette campaign to urge passengers to use headphones while riding the tube. Around 70 per cent of London transit users said they found it disruptive when commuters played loud music or spoke on the phone loudly without headphones — a practice some have nicknamed “bare beating” — according to a poll commissioned last year by Transport for London. Public transit operators in cities including Beijing, Kraków and Toronto have banned playing loud audio without headphones, though enforcement varies. While some disorderly commuters may walk away with a verbal warning, others have had to “face the music” for their annoying behavior. In February 2025, a man in France was fined $200 for taking a loud phone call on speaker while in a train station after he refused to turn the speaker off.
