The MRT costs about S$2 and takes 30 minutes. A taxi costs ten to twenty times that and the surcharges are where the surprise lives.
- The MRT costs about S$ 2 and takes 30 minutes, from a station under Terminals 2 and 3 with a free Skytrain from Terminals 1 and 4.
- Tap in with a contactless bank card - no ticket and no local card required - with one simple change at Tanah Merah.
- The MRT stops around 23:30, and that is exactly when the 50 percent midnight taxi surcharge applies.
- Taxi extras are what surprise people: an S$ 8 airport surcharge from 17:00 to midnight (S$ 6 otherwise), 25 percent in the peak periods and 50 percent after midnight. Grab quotes one all-in number.
- Taxi drivers here do not haggle, refuse fares or take the long way. Whatever you have learnt elsewhere in the region, unlearn it.
The MRT, unless you have a reason not to
| Option | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| MRT to City Hall | about S$ 2 | about 30 min |
| Grab to the centre | S$ 20 to S$ 35, all in | 20 to 30 min |
| Taxi to the centre | S$ 25 to S$ 45, plus surcharges | 20 to 30 min |
- The MRT station is under Terminals 2 and 3, with a free Skytrain from Terminals 1 and 4.
- You need one change at Tanah Merah to continue into the city, which is signed and simple.
- Tap in with a contactless bank card. No ticket, no local card required.
- The MRT stops running around 23:30. A late arrival means a taxi, and that is when the 50 percent midnight surcharge applies.
The taxi surcharges
The meter is honest and the extras are what surprise people.
- Airport surcharge: S$ 8 between 17:00 and midnight, any day, and S$ 6 at every other hour. It is charged only on trips starting at the airport.
- Peak-hour surcharge, 25 percent on the meter: Monday to Friday 06:00-09:29, weekends and public holidays 10:00-13:59, and every day 17:00-23:59.
- Midnight to 06:00: 50 percent on the meter.
- An evening arrival pays twice - the S$ 8 airport surcharge and the 25 percent evening peak land on the same ride.
- Grab quotes one number that includes everything, which is why most visitors use it. Install it before you land, because you will want it at 01:00 rather than at leisure.
- Taxi drivers here do not haggle, do not refuse fares and do not take the long way. Whatever you have learnt elsewhere in the region, unlearn it.
Practical
- Changi is consistently rated the best airport in the world and is worth arriving early for. Jewel, with the indoor waterfall, is landside and open to anyone, including on a long layover.
- Free city tours are offered to transit passengers with enough hours between flights, booked at the airport.
- Immigration is fast and automated, so budget your time for the bag rather than the queue.
- Terminals are far apart. Allow 20 minutes for the Skytrain between them.
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