Saturday, January 21, 2017

Cycle Commuting - Work to Home

As some of you might have noticed. I have changed job and work around the town area(CBD - Central business district...in Singapore terms). 
That has greatly reduced the time for commuting. Be it by bus, motor bike, MRT or cycling.  I have several options at hand now...
Just carried down my foldie from 3 flights of stair... almost ready to roll!
The Bus way. City Direct Bus 666.
Travel time: 50mins to an hour. 
Cost: $2.50 each way.
I am very lucky to that Bus 666 is just beside my home which takes me very close my work place. The route is via the TPE, CTE and turns out at Outram exit and then to Keppel and drops folks off at the CBD area. The traffic bottlenecks at the expressways are horrific in peakhour... but I dont have to focus on driving. Just sit(80% of the time I get one) and zone out. But its just booorring. Thats just me. 
MRT
Travel time: 45 min. 
Transfer at Outram MRT. 
Cost: $1.60 each way. 
I stay about 1.8km from the MRT, just abit too far to walk but its possible. A bicycle is a nice addition as u reduce the dependency to wait for feeder bus which can take up to 15 mins to come.  Or you can take a foldie, ride to MRT station and take the train.  The journey from Punggol to Tanjong pagar takes about 45min with a transfer at Outram MRT. I am so very glad that there is the all day access for  folding bikes.   Oh.. or u can also take a PMD,  Arcboard to reduce the last min inconvenience too! 
Motorbike
Route: TPE-KPE- Sims ave- Chinatown-Keongsiak area 
Travel time: 40min.
ERP: $1.00 
Parking: 65 cents!!!!!
Yes... I have one. Get on, zip along the congested bottlenecks at cycling speed. I can reach my work location in 40 min flat.... riding like a grandpa. 
Car 
Route: TPE-KPE-MCE -Central Boulevard 
Travel time: 20 - 45min
ERP: $3-4.50 
Parking: Season parking $480
Parking by daily rate: $1.07 per 10 mins. which works out to be $59<<< a day (9am-6pm)  Holy mackerel!!
(Thanks Anthony Tan for ur inputs!)   
Cycling
I think with all the riding I have done, the distance (to and fro) is not the issue for me at all. The challenge is my current office space is small and I do not have secure parking nor shower facilities.  That might change later in the year with the Kohler experience centre... finger crossed. 

The cycling bug in me is strong, so for the time being I am trying on this on Fridays. That I will bring my folding bike and ride home from office. This is based on my cycling "intensive" local knowledge of the simplest, smoothest route back home haha.. if there's a better route... please tell me.   





Overall it was really nice, nothing too epic and tiring.  Riding home also means I don't have to worry about washing up. This is a good way for anyone who thinking they cannot do it.. to try. Hope this can give u some insights and encouragement to try cycling commute. If taiwoon (lao uncle) can do... so can you! 

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