In-town transportation

• Getting to and from Changi Airport
• Taking the MRT/Bus
• Taking a taxi

Getting to/from Changi Airport

Singapore's Changi Airport is 30 minutes from the city centre, with a variety of means to get to and from the airport. Expect to pay between S$18 and S$38 for your journey. More information is available at the Changi Airport website.

Taking the MRT/Bus

(Photo credit: EZ-Link)

Singapore has put in place a highly-efficient public transit system that consists of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), buses and taxi services. Visitors who wish to travel by MRT will have to purchase an EZ-Link Card for their trips. Payment of bus fares can be made either in cash or through the EZ-Link Card. More information on this here.

Tip: You can download apps for the Singapore Bus Service, MRT and even public transport schedules onto your phone, which will prove helpful in getting on track with local public transportation.


Taking a taxi

For a tiny nation of 5-plus million people, there are (as of February 17, 2012) eight cab companies with some 26,000 taxis cruising the island plus individually-owned cabs. You can easily identify them by their vibrant colours.

Taxi rides in Singapore are generally fraught-free and law-abiding, although the fare structure can range greatly depending on the time of day and pickup point.

If you prefer comfort and don't mind paying a premium, limousine cabs offer the best rides. These include CityCab's Presido and MaxiCab, SMRT's Prestige and London Cab and Airport Transfer service.

Tip: You don't have to tip as it is not expected. The driver is also expected to return you your change. Some taxis have credit card facilities onboard. If you pay by credit or charge card, an additional 10 percent administrative charge is applied to the total fare.