How to Get from Singapore Changi Airport to City [Travel guide 2023]

Now you have booked your tickets to Singapore., one of the most important questions that you will ask yourself before arriving in the city is: How to get from the airport to the city?

Traveling to a new city for the first time can be intimidating. Especially if you are unfamiliar with the available transportation that you can use when you arrive.

Here are the 4 ways that you can use to get to the city

  1. Taxi

  2. MRT

  3. Bus

  4. Ride Hailing

Photo by Grahame Jenkins on Unsplash

TAXI

Photo by Dave Kim on Unsplash

If you are bad with directions, a Taxi is always the best solution if you are a first-time visitor to any country. In Singapore, Just because drivers are locals and they are very much familiar with the places.

it’s so easy to find a taxi at Changi Airport not only because every terminal has its own taxi stand but also because it is available at any time of the day. If you are worried about how much it costs? you can easily check the taxi calculator to give you an estimated cost of your destination.

Pros: Very accessible, fast, and comfortable

Cons: If you are a budget traveler, this is not for you as it is more costly than public transport

Modes of payment: Cash, Credit card, or EZ-link cards, NETS FlashPay, DBS PayLah!, OCBC PayAnyone, UOB Mighty, Alipay, WeChat Pay

MRT

Singapore-MRT ride to city

Photo by Kit Suman on Unsplash

MRT or Mass Rapid Transit is one of the cheapest methods to get to the city. Take this option if you want to spend less. At Changi Airport, go from the MRT Station (CG2) to Tanah Merah MRT Station (EW4), then transfer to the East-West Line towards Tuas Link MRT Station (EW33). It is very easy to find when you are at the airport. You can find the MRT station in the basement of Terminal 2. No matter what terminal you arrive at, just follow the sign “Train to the City” and you will never get lost.

From Changi Airport MRT Station to Tanah Merah MRT Station:

First train

  • Monday to Saturday: 5:31 AM

  • Sunday and public holidays: 5:59 AM

Last train

  • Connecting to Tuas Link: 11:18 PM, daily

  • Connecting to Pasir Ris: 12:06 AM, daily

Pros: Convenient, afforfdable, and fast

Cons: If you are arriving with a lot of baggage, don’t think about it as it involves a lot of walking.

Modes of payment: By credit card(Visa and Mastercard), travel card (EZ-Link, Singapore Tourist Pass, Standard Ticket or NETS FlashPay).

BUS

Public transportation in Singapore

Photo by Johann Benedicto on Unsplash

Another cheapest way to travel from Changi airport to the city other than the MRT is the public bus. It may seem a little daunting to take this ride, especially for first-timers who are not familiar with which bus to take, where to stop, etc. but thanks to technology taking the bus now are such a breeze. Just check your google map, key in your destination and drop off, and viola! It will tell you which bus to take, where to board, and where to alight.

You can easily spot the But terminal in Changi by following “Bus to City” located at every terminal in Changi Airport.

Terminals 1, 2 and 3: Bus stops are located at the basement bus bays. You can take buses 24, 27, 34, 36, 53, 110 and 858 from there.

Terminal 4: At the bus stop next to Car Park 4B, you can take buses 24, 34, 36 and 110. At the bus stop near the SATS Inflight Catering Centre 1, you can take buses 27, 53 and 858.

Pros: Affordable

Cons: Slowest way to get to thecity

Modes of payment: By exact cash or travel card

RIDE-HAILING

Hello-Singapore-airport-to city

If you live in Southeast Asia, you are most likely familiar with the ride-hailing app called Grab and is othe biggest ride-hailing app in Singapore. It is super convenient to use. Just download the app from your mobile phone, pin your point of origin and destination, and then you're good to go.

Other smaller ride-sharing companies are Gojek, Ryde, TADA, Kardi.

Pros: Instant fare rate, easy to find a ride

Cons: More expensive than public transportation. If you have a limited budget, this is not for you.

Modes of payment: By cash, credit card