Learn About
Singapore Changi Airport

1. Overview

Singapore, as you might know, is a regional air hub in Southeast Asia. Many of the world's major airlines have a route going through Singapore. Now, as a major international flight destination, Changi Airport is understandly huge and extremely well organized.
 

The passenger terminal in Singapore Changi Airport
Photo by StarvingFox Some rights reserved
 

2. Airport Facilities

The and immigration and baggage handling services in any airport are one of the key indicators of an airport's efficiency. Changi Aiport comes out on top in this area. You will find that the distribution of baggage is faster than most international airports.
 

3. Airport Terminals

If you walk around Changi Airport, you will find that there are three terminals - Terminal 1, Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. Terminal 2 operates Singapore Airlines and most Star Alliance partners, while Terminal 1 operates most other airlines. You can move between the two terminals using a 'Skytrain' service that runs regularly, or you can just walk across. Terminal 3 currently handles only Tiger and Cebu Pacific flights and is connected to Terminal 2 by a shuttle bus.
 

4. Things To Do

Here's some good news for international transit passengers. The Singapore Visitor Centre in Terminal 1 or 2 offers free city tours that you can and should take if you have five or more hours to spare.
 

The immigration counters at Singapore Changi Airport
Photo by VirtualErn Some rights reserved
 

If you don't want a city tour but want to kill time, there's a great movie theater, swimming pool (with a jacuzzi) and also free Internet access. You will also love the X-Boxes set up to keep children and gamers happy. Of course, you can go around having some choice food options including the Soup Restaurant (which sells Peranakan dishes) and Sakae Sushi (selling Japanese food).
 

5. Accommodation

You will also find that both Terminal T1 and Terminal T2 have airside transit hotels on their third floors. You can simply call +65-6541-9106 or do a booking online at the Ambassador Transit Hotel website. A six-hour block for a single/double/triple room costs about $55/65/85 respectively.
 

6. How To Get Into The City

Finally, if you want to leave Changi Airport for the city proper, you have many options:

• Taxi. Going into the city by taxi is the simplest and will cost you between $20 and $30 (this includes a $3-5 airport surcharge, but do bear in mind that from midnight to 6 am there is an additional 50% surcharge ). If you arrive after midnight, you should take a limousine which charge a flat $35 to anywhere in the city. Another option is to take a van-sized MaxiCab, which are great if you have a large family or a lot of baggage.
   
• Subway. The Mass-Rapid-Transit (MRT) trains into the city run from Terminal 2. You will need to stop at the Tanah Merah MRT station, then cross a platform to the city-bound MRT train track. Cost-wise, you can expect a 30 minute ride to City Hall MRT station to set you back about $1.40 plus a refundable $1 deposit). The MRT trains in Singapore run from about 5:30 am to 11:15 pm.
   
• Bus. Of course, you can take the good ol' bus into the city. Bus terminals are found in the basements of both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 and they operate from 6 am to midnight. Expect fares to cost at most $2.00 per trip.
   

Conclusion

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