Since 2016, LTA has been publishing the Mean Kilometres Between Failure (MKBF) of our rail network. This metric is a simple and internationally recognisable indicator of rail reliability. It refers to the average distance a train travels before experiencing a delay of more than five minutes. A higher MKBF generally means greater reliability, as trains travel further without delays.

We achieved our target of 1 million MKBF in 2019 and have remained above it since. This was the result of years of hard work by the tripartite partners and thousands of engineers, technicians and service staff.

Beyond 1 million MKBF, the indicator may be less useful, as it becomes very sensitive to small changes in reliability. For example, one or two more incidents a year can cause the MKBF of a highly reliable line to halve.

Nevertheless, the MKBF remains a relevant benchmark us against other world-class operators. We also track other indicators such as the number of delays longer than 30 minutes over a 12-month period. Comparisons with other global metro systems that publish similar data, such as Hong Kong, Japan, New York and Taipei, are available on LTA's website.

From Oct 2025, LTA will also publish monthly MKBF updates as part of our commitment to transparency and accountability, so that the public has a clearer picture of how our rail network has been performing over time.