A Singapore Experience
About Singapore
Singapore is located approximately 137 kilometres north of the equator. It comprises the main island of Singapore and some 63 offshore islands. Singapore is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Our People and Festivals
Singapore’s population stands at about five million people, with English as the main language of instruction, and a mother tongue for each major ethnicity. One of the distinctly Singaporean things you’ll notice on our island is a ubiquitous collage of cultures. Coming together as a society and living in harmony, there are found major races – namely the Chinese (majority), Malay, Indian and Eurasian. Each community offers a different perspective of life in Singapore in terms of culture, religion, food and language.
Singapore offers all the technological excellence of the West. It is less expensive to study in Singapore than in most other major cities of the West. Strategically located, Singapore is poised to grow tremendously in the new millennium.
Students who are part of this dynamic growth process would have opportunities in the various Financial, Information Technology and Manufacturing sectors.
With political stability and a conducive study environment, Singapore is an ideal place to gain an internationally recognised educational qualification.
Weather
Singapore's climate is warm and humid, with only slight variations between the average maximum of 31 degrees Celcius and minimum of 23 degrees Celcius. This makes it ideal for those who enjoy sunbathing, swimming, sailing and other water sports. But for those who do not enjoy the tropical climate, Singapore is sheltered from the worst effects of the sun with air-conditioning in almost all of its shops, hotels, office buildings and restaurants.
Rain falls throughout the year, with more consistent rain coming during the monsoon season from November to January. Showers are usually sudden and heavy, but also brief and refreshing.
Getting Around Singapore
MRT
Singapore’s MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) system is probably the fastest way to zip around the city. Most of our popular attractions are just a short walk away from an MRT station, making our trains a great way to get around.
Visitors can use the following options for MRT journeys:
1. Get a Singapore Tourist Pass (STP), a special EZ-Link stored-value card which will allow you unlimited travel for one day (S$10), two days (S$16) or three days (S$20).
The Pass can be bought at the TransitLink Ticket Office at selected MRT stations listed here, or at the Concession Card Replacement Office at Somerset station. They are also available daily at the Automated STP Kiosks at Orchard station, HarbourFront station, and Changi Airport station (Terminal 2 and 3) near the Transitlink Ticket Office.
2. You can use your foreign-issued Mastercard® and Visa contactless bank cards issued outside of Singapore for the payment of public transport fares in Singapore.
Do take note that admin fees apply for foreign-issued bank cards— you can check out the details at TransitLink’s SimplyGo website.
3. Adult Stored Value Smartcard (EZ-link / Nets FlashPay): These cost $12 inclusive of card value, and come with a stored value of $7 for you to use on your commutes. You’ll be able to purchase this card at any Transitlink Ticket Office or convenience stores.
Today, more than 130 stations across six MRT lines span the island. This 200km system has over three million daily ridership. In addition, there are more than 40 stations across two LRT lines and this 28km system has over 200 thousand daily ridership. More networks are being built to further expand rail coverage.
Complementing the rail system are the two Light Rapid Transit (LRT) systems in Bukit Panjang, and Sengkang and Punggol, which acts as a feeder service that brings commuters closer to their homes.
The train system is currently run by two public transport operators – SMRT Corporation Ltd (SMRT) and SBS Transit (SBS).
- SMRT operates the North-South Line, East-West Line, Circle Line, Thomson-East Coast Line and the Bukit Panjang LRT.
- SBS operates the North East Line and the Downtown Line, and the Sengkang-Punggol LRT.
Frequency
5.30am to around midnight daily. Operating hours are usually extended during festive periods. You may check the SMRT and SBS Transit websites for changes in operating hours, or download the MyTransport app (iOS | Android).
Train frequency is 2 to 3 minutes during the peak hours of 7am to 9am and about 5 to 7 minutes during off-peak times.
For more information, please visit https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/getting_around/public_transport/rail_network.html
Bus
Singapore's bus system has an extensive network of routes covering most places in Singapore.
Besides being an economical way to get around, it’s one of the most scenic — you’ll be able to indulge in air-conditioned comfort, as you admire the lush greenery and beautiful architecture of our 'city in a garden'. You can pay for your bus fare using an adult stored value smartcard (EZ-link / Nets FlashPay) or the Singapore Tourist Pass (STP). Just keep an eye out for the electronic card reader — located next to the bus driver—and tap as you board.
You can also use your foreign-issued Mastercard® and Visa contactless bank cards issued outside of Singapore to pay for your ride.
Remember to tap your card again, on the reader located at the rear exit, when you alight. You can also opt to pay in cash, but make sure you have the exact amount in change. Do note that admin fees apply for foreign-issued bank cards. You can find out more details at TransitLink's SimplyGo website.
Open strollers are allowed on all public buses, and parents can approach our friendly bus captains should they require assistance.
Do take note that you may be required to fold your stroller if the bus has too many passengers. You can refer to the the SBS Transit, SMRT, Go-Ahead Singapore, and Tower Transit Singapore websites for more information and guidelines.
For more useful information—including traffic news, journey planning and nearby transport services—download the MyTransport app (available for iOS and Android).
For more information, please visit https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/getting_around/public_transport/bus_network.html
SIA Hop-on
Hop onto this tourist bus service and explore the shopping, cultural and entertainment areas within the city. The SIA Hop-on covers Orchard Road, Bugis Junction, Suntec City, the Civic District, Boat Quay, Chinatown, Little India and the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Ticket prices
Free for Singapore Stopover Holiday (With Attractions) and selected SIA Holidays customers; S$19.50 (adult) / S$14.50 (child) for SQ and MI passengers; S$39 (adult) / S$29 (child) for all other passengers.
Tickets can be purchased from most hotels, SIA ticket offices in the city and from the bus drivers directly.
| Operating hours | Daily, from 9am to 6pm at 30-minute intervals. |
Taxi
Taxis are available at the taxi stands at the Arrival levels of each Terminal. The airport taxi meters in Singapore start at a basic fare of $3.20 and there could be some surcharges on top of your fare including airport surcharge (S$3 weekdays, S$5 weekends) and midnight- 6am surcharge (50% of the metered fare) or peak hour surcharge (Mon to Fri 7.00 am to 9.30am, Mon to Sat 5.00pm to 8.00pm).
Fares are metered and the journey to the city is estimated to cost between $18.00 and $38.00 and takes approximately 30 minutes.
There could also be the Electronic Road Pricing charges incurred during trip and for drop-off before designated ERP cordoned areas.
For more information about the taxi rates, please refer to http://www.taxisingapore.com/taxi-fare
Taxis can be hailed on the street or booked through your hotel. For advanced booking, please contact one of the following taxi operators:
Comfort or Citycab Tel: (65) 6552 1111
Premier Taxis Tel: (65) 6363 6888
SMRT Tel: (65) 6555 8888
SMART Tel: (65) 6485 7777
Transcab Tel: (65) 6555 3333