Asia Pacific Guides

Traveling to and from Singapore Changi Airport

To the city
Description Price One way fare (Airport - city) is SG$ 9 for an adult and SG$ 6 for a child. Main pros and cons

Airport Shuttle Service

This relatively inexpensive minibus service provides transport between the airport and anywhere in the City center, as well as to hotels all over Singapore (excluding Changi Village and Sentosa). You will need to book and pay the fare in cash at the Ground Transport Desk (there is one in each arrival Hall). Return journeys to the airport can be arranged from most of the large hotels. Daily, 24 hours a day Phone booking : Terminal 1 : 6542 8297, Terminal 2 : 6542 5831, T/3 : 6241 3818

Pros
Easy to board: Picking passengers from each of the arrival halls. Cheaper than a taxi (if you are on your own) Takes you exactly to where you want to go..

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Cons
For two people or more, taking a cab usually makes more sense More expensive than a bus/MRT (although still reasonable for what you get). Relatively long traveling time, as there are other passengers on the minibus, who need to be taken to different hotels

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MRT Subway
Singapore's subway/metro system is among the best on earth but, unfortunately, there is no direct service between Changi Airport and town, which means you have to change trains enroute Nonetheless, you are still likely to get to town in a reasonable time, so it is still an option worth considering

Less than SG$ 2 to the city centre (Orchard Road / Singapore River). A child will pay around SG$ 0.60 Average traveling time is roughly 35 50 minutes (including switching trains), depends where in town are you traveling to

Pros
Very cheap Quite fast and comfortable (especially if it is a "dead hour" of the day, and the train is fairly empty)

Cons
You will need to change trains enroute, and although the MRT stations are very comfortable, it still means dragging your luggage The MRT does not take you exactly where you want to go You will still have to move between the station and your hotel There is no direct access from terminal-1 to the MRT station: You will need to use the airport's "Skytrain" to move between the terminals, or the inter-terminal travellators, which is very easy, indeed (If coming from the Budget terminal, you will have to take the shuttle to terminal-2, from where there is direct access to the MRT station)

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Public buses
Bus No. 36 of SBS Transit connects Changi Airport with quite a few spots across the city centre, including all the major hotels along Orchard Road, Tanglin Road and Bras Basah. Bus stops can be found right next to each of the arrival halls.

Less than SG$ 2 for an adult Average traveling time is roughly an hour.

Pros
Very cheap In more than a few cases, the bus will drop you right where you need.

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Approximate rates (per vehicle): A trip from Changi Airport to the city centre (Orchard Road / Marina Bay / Singapore River) can start from as low as SG$ 20 (midweek, quiet hour of the day), to as much as SG$ 35 40 (weekend, after midnight)

Cons
Slow Do not operate 24 hours a day

Taxis
Taxis are available 24 hours a day and can be boarded next to each of the arrival halls. As in many countries, there are all sorts of "surcharges" in Singapore, for example when you take a cab after midnight, or on Sunday, or if you have excess luggage

Pros
Takes you directly to where you want to go Operating 24 hours a day Works out quite reasonable if there are 2 or 3 of you

Cons More expensive than MRT, or bus, or even than the

Airport Shuttle Service (if you are on your own)

Private transfers and Limousines

4-seater limos (Mercedes & London Taxis) or "Maxi cab" (7-seater), or minibus (9sater) make a great solution for families and small groups They operate 24 hours a day and can be booked and paid for at the Ground Transport Desk (there is one in each arrival Hall, Tel: (65) 6241 3818), or in advance, via the internet.

4-seater Airport Limousine (S$45 per trip to any destination in Singapore) 7-seater Large Taxi (S$50-55 per trip to any destination in Singapore) 9-seater Mini-Bus (S$50-55 per trip, anywhere in Singapore) Additional surcharge might apply (like the SG$ 10 midnight s'charge)

Pros
Possibly the most comfortable way to travel Takes you directly & exactly to where you want to go. Operating 24 hours a day Makes a very good and economical solution for groups of six people, or more.

Cons
Taxi will be somewhat cheaper if there are 2-3 of you MRT, public buses and Airport shuttle service are far cheaper.

To other sites and attractions across Singapore

To Singapore Zoo and The Night Safari : You can take the MRT, via Tanah Merah (change of trains), to City Hall Station, where you change trains and travel to MRT-Ang Mo Kio, from where you continue with SBS bus No. 138 (departing from the adjacent bus interchange) You can also take SBS bus No. 24 (from the bus-stop at terminal-2) and travel with it all the way to Ang Mo Kio, from where you continue with SBS bus No. 138 to the zoo / night safari. To Geylang Serai Market, the Malay Village and Joo Chiat Road: Take SBS bus No. 24 (from the bus-stop at terminal-2) and travel with it to the bus-stop of Joo Chiat Complex (opposite Geylang Serai Market and a few steps from the entrance to Joo Chiat Road). You can also take the MRT, via Tanah Merah (change of trains), to MRT-Paya Lebar and walk from there (less convenient). To Sentosa and Universal Studios Singapore : Take the MRT, via Tanah Merah (change of trains), to Outram Park station, where you change trains and travel one more station to MRT-HarbourFront. Walk to neighboring VivoCity Shopping Mall (directly linked to HarbourFront) and board the Sentosa Express monorail (the station is on Level 3 - Lobby L). Alight at either Waterfront Station, where Resorts World Sentosa and Universal Studios are located, or at Imbiah Station, where most of Sentosa's attractions can be found. To the town of Johor Bahru, on the Malaysian side of the border : Transtar Travel operates a shuttle service (TS1) from Changi Airport (departing from all the arrival halls, including the Budget Terminal) to Kotaraya II Terminal, in the centre of Johor Bahru. Shuttles run daily, from 7:15am to 11:15pm and the fare is SG$7 for an adult and SG$ 3.50 (They urge passengers to be at the pick-up point 10 minutes before departure time, to avoid delays). The ticket can be purchased directly from the driver (exact change, first comes first served), and if you have any queries, Transtar's counter is located at the Arrival Hall of Terminal 2 (Tel: 6297 9009) Copyright 2012 Asia-Pacific Guides Ltd. All rights reserved.