SINGAPORE: Singapore Post (SingPost) has announced that international and domestic postage rates will increase starting 1 Jan 2024.
Attributing the decision to an “overall cost increase,” SingPost said that the price hikes have been set “in tandem with the exceptional inflationary cost increases across manpower, fuel and electricity, as well as the increase in Goods and Services Tax (GST).”
Starting from 1 Jan 2024, domestic postage rates will be adjusted in line with the impending GST hike from 8% to 9%. The standard regular mail rate will be increased by $0.01 to $0.52, while there will be no change in the Standard Large mail rate. The Registered Service (Singapore) rate will be increased by $0.06 to $6.16 (plus prevailing postage rate).
The rates for international airmail letters, printed papers, aerogrammes and postcards will be increased by $0.05 for most countries. SingPost said that these increases result from yearly fee updates made by the Universal Postal Union (UPU), which has led to increased settlement costs.
The national post service is also set to standardise post office operating hours across the island progressively as part of ongoing efforts to simplify service offerings for a better customer experience.
Operating hours at SingPost mall outlets will be standardised from 10.30am to 7pm from Mondays to Fridays and 10.30am to 2pm on Saturdays. All other post offices in the heartland area will be open from 8.30am to 5pm from Mondays to Fridays and 8.30am to 1pm on Saturdays. All post offices will remain closed on Sundays.