Ambulance services in Singapore: 995, 1777 and private ambulances, costs compared
There are three ways to get an ambulance in Singapore, and they are not interchangeable — one is free, one is ending soon, and the rest are priced very differently. Here is when to call which, what each costs, and a compared price list of private operators, all pinned to official sources.
The short version
- 995 is the SCDF emergency ambulance — free for genuine emergencies, but $274 is charged if the case is assessed as non-emergency.
- 1777 is SCDF's chargeable non-emergency hotline. It ends on 1 January 2027 — after that, book a private operator directly.
- Since April 2019, SCDF no longer conveys non-emergency cases to hospital.
- For a non-emergency private ambulance, MOH's published median one-way fee is about $175; operators advertise from roughly $70–$210, plus surcharges.
- MOH publishes accredited operators and fees at go.gov.sg/pao; medical advice line NurseFirst 6262 6262.
For families of an elderly parent, an ambulance is rarely a one-off. There is the emergency in the middle of the night, but also the dialysis run three times a week, the discharge from hospital back to a nursing home, and the specialist appointment that a wheelchair taxi cannot manage. Each of these needs a different service — and calling the wrong number can mean either a $274 bill or a delayed ambulance for someone whose life actually depends on it. This guide explains the whole system in plain English.
Three ways to get an ambulance
Each is for a different situation, and each is priced differently.
Emergency vs non-emergency: the difference that decides the cost
The single most important distinction in Singapore's ambulance system is between an emergency and a non-emergency. It governs which number you call, how fast an ambulance arrives, and whether you pay anything at all.
An emergency is a life-threatening condition needing immediate intervention. SCDF gives clear examples: cardiac arrest, seizures, breathlessness, loss of consciousness, excessive bleeding, major trauma and stroke. For these, you call 995, and SCDF does not charge for conveyance.
A non-emergency is a stable condition that still needs transport by ambulance — because the patient is bed-bound, needs a stretcher, requires oxygen or monitoring, or simply cannot travel by car or wheelchair taxi. SCDF lists examples of what is not an emergency: toothaches, diarrhoea, coughs, headaches, slight burns or scalds, constipation, or medical check-ups. For these, you do not call 995 — you book a non-emergency ambulance, which is chargeable.
When to call 995 — and when not to
Call 995 immediately, without hesitation, if the person shows any of these:
- Chest pain, or sudden severe breathlessness
- Signs of stroke — face drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech (act F.A.S.T.)
- Unconsciousness, or cannot be woken
- A seizure, or a first-ever fit
- Heavy, uncontrolled bleeding
- A major fall, road accident or serious injury
Do not call 995 for a stable patient who simply needs to get to a hospital, clinic or dialysis centre — a scheduled discharge, a routine appointment, or a transfer between facilities. Those are non-emergency trips, and there is a separate, appropriate channel for them. If you are unsure whether a condition is urgent, SCDF's myResponder app and the NurseFirst helpline on 6262 6262 — staffed by trained nurses — can help you decide.
The big change: the 1777 hotline ends on 1 January 2027
For non-emergency ambulances, many Singaporeans have long dialled 1777, the SCDF non-emergency ambulance hotline introduced in 1998. That is about to change. The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced that the 1777 hotline will cease from 1 January 2027. The reason: the market has moved on — only about 6% of private ambulance bookings are now made through 1777, with the rest booked directly with operators.
This follows an earlier shift. Since April 2019, SCDF itself has not conveyed non-emergency cases; 1777 simply routed callers to Private Ambulance Operators (PAOs). From 2027, you skip the middle step and book a PAO directly.
What to do for a non-emergency ambulance from 2027
- Book a private operator directly. MOH publishes the full list of accredited operators, contact numbers and fees at go.gov.sg/pao.
- Not sure if you even need an ambulance? Call NurseFirst on 6262 6262 for free advice from a trained nurse.
- Plan recurring trips ahead. For dialysis or regular appointments, ask operators about standing bookings and package rates.
- Keep 995 for emergencies only. The change does not affect the 995 emergency line, which continues unchanged.
How non-emergency ambulance policy has shifted
The system has moved steadily from a single SCDF hotline toward direct private booking.
What a private ambulance costs: the official MOH fee ranges
Private ambulance fees are not regulated — operators set their own prices. But to make the market more transparent, since 1 June 2021 MOH has published the fees charged by operators accredited under its Voluntary Accreditation Scheme (VAS), which covers more than 90% of the market. The tables below are the closest thing to a neutral benchmark, showing the fee range plus the median (50th percentile) and 75th percentile, as of January 2026.
MOH splits providers into two types, matching the emergency/non-emergency divide:
- Emergency Ambulance Service (EAS) — conveyance and clinical care for life-threatening conditions.
- Medical Transport Service (MTS) — non-emergency conveyance with monitoring for stable patients. This is what most families book for an elderly relative.
| Service | MTS (non-emergency) range · median |
EAS (emergency) range · median |
|---|---|---|
| 1-way to A&E (office hours) | $70–$500 · $175 | $110–$600 · $230 |
| 1-way to A&E (after hours) | $90–$500 · $200 | $150–$600 · $255 |
| 2-way transfer (office hours) | $80–$400 · $165 | $160–$738 · $210 |
| Hospital discharge | $50–$500 · $115 | $70–$600 · $137 |
| Psychiatric transfer | $110–$600 · $363 | $110–$600 · $400 |
| Oxygen equipment | $10–$300 · $65 | $20–$300 · $78 |
| CPR | $0–$1,295 · $325 | $0–$1,295 · $425 |
| SG → Johor Bahru | $400–$15,000 · $663 | $400–$15,000 · $725 |
Source: Ministry of Health, published private ambulance fee ranges (VAS-accredited operators), as of January 2026.[6] "Median" is the 50th-percentile fee across operators. The list is not exhaustive and other charges may apply case by case — always confirm with the operator before booking.
One-way non-emergency fare, at a glance
Typical starting one-way fare for selected providers (before GST and surcharges); ranges are shown at their lower bound. Wheelchair transport is the cheapest option; a full stretcher ambulance costs more. See the full operator table below.
Private ambulance operators in Singapore, compared
Singapore has a large private ambulance market — MOH accredits around 30 operators under its Voluntary Accreditation Scheme and lists them on HealthHub. The directory below brings together the main operators that serve the public, each linked to its own website. Where an operator publishes non-emergency fares, we show the starting one-way fare; where it doesn't, we mark it "Call for quote." Figures are indicative starting points before GST and surcharges, retrieved July 2026 — scope differs (a wheelchair transfer is far cheaper than a full stretcher ambulance with a paramedic), so read the notes, not just the number. This list is not exhaustive.
| Operator | Service | Non-emergency 1-way (from) |
Notes / specialties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Both | from $70[12] | 24/7; repatriation & event standby | |
| Both | from $75[9] | Budget non-emergency transfers & medical appointments | |
| Both | from $80[13] | "No bill shock" fixed pricing; dialysis & discharge | |
| Both | from $80[12] | Hospital transfers & event medical cover | |
| Both | from $90[14] | Published 2026 rates; dialysis, IMH, cross-border | |
| Both | from $105[15] | Own-site pricing; two-way $210; dialysis & discharge | |
| Both | from $120[12] | 995 contractor; road, air & sea; international assist | |
| Both | $125.35[7] | Fixed GST-incl pricing; two-way $212.55; escort $59.95/hr | |
| Both | from $150[12] | Advanced-life-support fleet since 1999; IMH, cross-border | |
| Both | from $160[8] | Full itemised schedule; COVID/IMH transfers priced higher | |
SPSpeedoc |
Non-emerg. | $120–$170[9] | On-demand booking app; ~30 min arrival |
| Non-emerg. | from $140[9] | App-booked; bundles escorts & home care | |
| Non-emerg. | Call for quote | Non-emergency only; dialysis, discharge, escort, rental | |
| Non-emerg. | Call for quote | Dialysis, psychiatric appointments, SG–JB transfers | |
| Wheelchair | $49[11] | Non-profit wheelchair transport for disabled & frail elderly; +$3 peak | |
| Emergency | Call for quote | Emergency, event standby, air evacuation, training | |
| Emergency | Call for quote | Land, air & sea medical evacuation & repatriation | |
| Both | Call for quote | Hospital-group ambulance (Mount Elizabeth, Gleneagles) | |
| Air | Call for quote | Air medical evacuation & repatriation, Asia-wide |
Each operator's name links to its own website (its booking or pricing page where one exists). "From" is the lowest typical non-emergency one-way fare the operator publishes; "Call for quote" means no price is published, so phone for one. The badge colour shows service type. Figures are indicative, before GST and surcharges, retrieved July 2026, and depend on the patient's condition, location and time. This directory is not exhaustive — for the full accredited list, check go.gov.sg/pao or the HealthHub directory.
The surcharges that catch families out
The headline trip fee is rarely the final bill. Across operators, the same add-ons recur, and they are worth asking about upfront. Typical published examples:
None of these are unreasonable — an ambulance carrying a patient down five flights of stairs is real work — but they explain why two operators quoting a similar base fee can produce very different final bills. Ask for an all-in estimate for your situation, including any lift access, oxygen needs and expected waiting.
For families of elderly patients: choosing the right service
Most eldercare transport is non-emergency, and the cheapest suitable option depends on how mobile your relative is:
- Can sit and transfer with help? A wheelchair transport service (typically $25–$50 per trip) is usually enough for appointments and day-care runs — much cheaper than an ambulance.
- Bed-bound, or needs a stretcher, oxygen or monitoring? You need a Medical Transport Service (MTS) ambulance — MOH's median one-way fee is about $175.
- Regular dialysis or recurring trips? Ask about package or standing-booking rates; per-trip pricing adds up fast at three sessions a week.
- Discharge from hospital to a nursing home? This is a standard MTS "hospital discharge" trip (median ~$115) — the hospital's care team or the home can often help arrange it.
How to choose a private ambulance operator
- Check accreditation. Prefer VAS-accredited operators on the official list at go.gov.sg/pao.
- Match the service to the need — wheelchair vs stretcher (MTS) vs emergency-capable (EAS). Don't overpay for capability you won't use, or underbuy for a patient who needs oxygen.
- Get the all-in quote — base fare plus stairs, oxygen, waiting and after-hours, for your exact address and time.
- Ask about response time — non-emergency ambulances typically arrive in 30–45 minutes, so book ahead where you can.
- Confirm the crew and equipment — paramedic vs medic vs nurse, and whether a stretcher, oxygen or a ventilator is included.
Frequently asked questions
Is calling 995 for an ambulance free in Singapore?
Yes, for a genuine life-threatening emergency — SCDF does not charge for any emergency case it conveys to hospital. But if SCDF assesses the case as a non-emergency and still conveys it, a $274 charge applies. Calling 995 for a non-urgent problem can therefore cost you and delay help for someone in real danger.
What's the difference between 995 and 1777?
995 is the free SCDF emergency line for life-threatening conditions. 1777 is SCDF's chargeable non-emergency hotline for stable patients who need transport — and it will cease on 1 January 2027, after which you book a private operator directly.
How much does a private ambulance cost in Singapore?
Using MOH's January 2026 figures, a one-way non-emergency (MTS) trip to A&E has a median fee of about $175 (range $70–$500). Individual operators advertise one-way non-emergency transfers from roughly $70 to $210, plus surcharges. Wheelchair transport for mobile patients typically costs about $25–$50 per trip.
Who do I call for a non-emergency ambulance?
Book a private ambulance operator directly. MOH lists accredited operators and their fees at go.gov.sg/pao. For advice on whether transport is needed, call NurseFirst on 6262 6262. Until 31 December 2026 you can also still use SCDF's 1777 hotline.
Are private ambulance fees regulated by the government?
No. MOH publishes operators' fees for transparency but does not regulate them — operators set their own prices, and additional charges can apply depending on the patient's condition. That is why comparing quotes, and checking the official list, is worth the few minutes.
Sources
- Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), "Emergency Medical Services" — 995, the $274 non-emergency charge, examples of emergencies, and 2022 EMS call volume. scdf.gov.sg
- Ministry of Home Affairs, "1777 non-emergency ambulance hotline to cease from 1 January 2027" — cessation date, 1998 introduction, ~6% of PAO bookings via 1777, NurseFirst and go.gov.sg/pao. mha.gov.sg
- Ministry of Health, "Publication of Fees Charged by Private Ambulance Operators for Price Transparency" — Voluntary Accreditation Scheme (VAS) from 1 June 2021, >90% market coverage, non-regulation of fees. moh.gov.sg
- Ministry of Health, "Private Ambulance Services" — EAS vs MTS definitions, operator directory on HealthHub, and the fee tables. moh.gov.sg
- First Aid Singapore, "Singapore Ambulance Numbers — 995, 1777 & Private." firstaidsingapore.com
- Ministry of Health, published EAS and MTS fee ranges with 50th/75th percentiles, updated January 2026 (via the Private Ambulance Services page above). moh.gov.sg
- Medlink Healthcare Group, "Private Ambulance Services" — published price list. mhg.sg
- EFAR / Emergencies.com.sg, "Our Pricing Schedule." emergencies.com.sg
- SilverActivities, "Non-Emergency Medical Transport Services in Singapore" — operator round-up with First Ambulance, Homage, Speedoc and Ambulance Medical Service prices. blog.silveractivities.com
- Connect Centre Group, "1777 NEAS" — 1777 call-centre operations and indicative MTS/EAS fee tiers. connectcentregroup.com
- Handicaps Welfare Association (HWA), "Transport Services" — Dial-A-Ride wheelchair transport fare (S$49.00 per one-way trip, GST included, from 1 June 2026) and booking line 6254 3006. hwa.org.sg
- "Emergency Medical Ambulances (SG) — Info & rates of Private ambulance companies in Singapore," directory of licensed operators with indicative rates (AMS, Islandwide, Red Lion, Hope and others). singaporeambulance.wordpress.com
- Comfort Ambulance Services, published price list. comfortambulance.com/prices
- I.M Ambulance Services (iMAN), published prices effective 1 January 2026. imambulance.com/prices
- Lentor Ambulance, "Medical Transport" — published non-emergency fares (one-way $105, two-way $210, before GST). lentorambulance.sg
Editorial independence.
NursingHomeGuide.sg is an information directory. We do not accept payment to influence rankings, reviews, or editorial content, and we are not affiliated with any ambulance operator listed above.
This guide is based on public SCDF, MOH and MHA information and operators' own published prices, current as of 14 July 2026. Ambulance fees are not government-regulated and change often — always confirm the latest price directly with the operator and check the official list at go.gov.sg/pao before booking. Spot an error? Tell us.
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