How to get from Singapore Airport to the city centre

Why visit Singapore?

For a small island city-state, Singapore is a huge tourist hub in Southeast Asia. In 2017, the number of tourists visiting Singapore was actually 3x more than its population!

This is for good reason. Head to downtown Singapore and you’ll find a number of tourist attractions, all connected by efficient and high-quality transportation.

To revisit your childhood, there’s Universal Studios and the resort island of Sentosa. For shopping, head to Orchard Road. For art, visit the Kampong Glam area. For an amazing night and light show, you have to visit Marina Bay Sands.

Singapore Changi Airport

Singapore Changi Airport is one of the busiest airports in Asia and a popular destination in itself. Named the World’s Best Airport by Skytrax, it houses 4 terminals and Jewel Changi Airport, a massive indoor garden and retail complex.

Completed in 2019, Jewel may be a recent addition but it has since become one of the country’s main tourist attractions. If you’re arriving or departing from Singapore Airport, make sure to visit Jewel’s 40-metre Rain Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall.

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Public Transport via EZ-Link Card

The EZ-Link card is a smart card that is widely used in Singapore for easy public transport payment. To pay your fare, you just have to tap it on the card-reader machine in train stations, buses, and taxis.

This card is convenient when taking the bus, where you are required to pay an exact fare. Also, it saves you from having to buy a single journey ticket every time you take the train. Fares are cheaper, too, when you pay via an EZ-Link card!

These cards are reloadable and available from most train stations and 7-11 stores.

Another variant of the EZ-Link card is the Singapore Tourist Pass, which features unlimited public transportation rides for 1 to 3 days. Rates start at 13.50 SGD ($10.50) for a 1-day pass. These are available in selected locations. For more info, you can check out the EZ-Link website.

There are 4 ways to travel the 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Singapore Airport to the city centre. You can choose between the City Shuttle, taxi, train and Public bus. The journey takes 30 minutes - 2 hours and the quickest way is by city shuttle. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by train with tickets starting at 2.70 SGD ($2.10).

The train is a cheap option but requires you to make a transfer. If you like travelling with locals and are comfortable with your luggage, taking the train is not a bad idea at all. A train ride from Singapore Airport to the city centre costs only 2.70 SGD ($2.10)!

The airport MRT station is located at the basement of Terminal 2. If you’re coming from Terminal 3, just follow the signs that say “Train to the City.” If you’re coming from Terminal 1 or 4, you’ll have to take the skytrain or shuttle bus, respectively.

From Changi Airport MRT Station, take the Changi Line to Tanah Merah Station. This train journey takes about 8 minutes.

At Tanah Merah, transfer to the East West Line (green line), which is connected to most of the popular tourist areas in downtown Singapore. This takes another 30 minutes. Make sure you know which MRT station is closest to your hotel!

You can buy your tickets at the train station or just use an EZ-Link card.

Note that the train from Changi Airport Station operates from 05:31 to 23:18 (Monday to Saturday) and 05:59 to 23:18 (Sundays and public holidays). If you’re arriving outside of these times, you’ll have to use another mode of transportation.

We recommend taking an airport shuttle when travelling between Singapore Airport and the city centre. This shared ride provides drop-off/pick-up to most hotels in downtown Singapore at a relatively cheap rate (compared to a taxi) and they are available 24 hours.

To find a city shuttle, just head to the 24-hour Ground Transport Concierges (GTC) at the airport’s arrivals hall. You can expect a departure every 30 minutes.

Do you prefer to book your ride beforehand? Whether you’re travelling from the airport to downtown Singapore or the other way around, you can easily book a ride with Klook. This way, you can skip the usually long queue at the airport.

A city shuttle ticket costs 9 SGD ($7) whether you book at the airport or online. Travel time is 30 to 50 minutes, depending on the number of stops for drop-offs/pick-ups.

You can check out this hotel list from Singapore Airport to see if your accommodation is included in the drop-off/pick-up points.

Travelling in a group? Taking a taxi from Singapore Airport to the city centre is not that expensive when you split the cost.

All taxi fares from Singapore Airport are metered so you won’t have to worry about haggling for the best rates. A ride costs 47 SGD ($37) depending on your destination. The journey takes around 40 minutes - 2 hours.

You will find the taxis just outside the arrival halls of the main terminal buildings. Alternatively, you can pre-book your private transfer online on BookAway through the table below.

Note that either way, you’ll have to pay a midnight surcharge when travelling to and from Singapore Airport between 23:00 and 07:00.

Taxi options from Singapore Airport to the city centre

The public bus is another cheap option, but they make too many stops and so take around 40 minutes - 2 hours to reach the city centre.

The ticket price depends on where you’re heading to downtown Singapore, but it should be no more than 2.50 SGD ($2). Note that if you’re paying with cash, you should give an exact amount because they don’t provide change. You can tell the driver your destination so he can let you know how much to pay.

If you’re using an EZ-Link card, you only need to tap it on the card-reader machine near the front door on your way in and again at the machine at the back door on your way out.

Public bus schedule from Singapore Airport to city centre

Make sure you know which bus stop is closest to your accommodation and which bus number can take you there.

Most public buses are available from 05:30 to 23:30.