A TikToker posted a clip of himself on an MRT train sipping through a straw from a bottle, asking viewers whether the trick sidesteps the ban on eating and drinking on the rail network. SG Daily shared the clip on 28 April 2026.
Whether plain water is treated differently from sweet drinks is an evergreen argument online. Under the Rapid Transit Systems Regulations, eating and drinking are not allowed on trains or in the paid areas of stations, and operators have acted on clips in the past. When a man filmed himself drinking water in front of a no-drinking sign in 2025, SMRT lodged a police report. An SBS Transit spokesperson has since said the prohibition covers the whole paid area rather than only the train cabin, and that it exists to keep trains and stations clean, prevent pest problems and keep passengers safe. Signs on the network list a $500 fine for eating or drinking.
Comments on the clip went both ways. Some readers said plain water is usually tolerated, while others argued that a straw does not change the rule and that the restrictions apply to everyone. The post does not say whether any action was taken against the TikToker.
Mothership: Man drinks water on MRT train as a challenge to test the rules
