5 hour layover in Singapore
Dec 11, 2004, 4:11 am
#1
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5 hour layover in Singapore
I am flying SQ from TPE to SFO connecting in SIN, so there will be a 5 hour layover. Should I just stay at the airport? or do I have enough time to get out of airport and tour the city a little bit? This is my first time in Singapore.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Dec 11, 2004, 5:47 am
#2
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Five hours is definitely enough time to go into the city. You can take a cab on your own into town, or check out the free Singapore tour offered from Changi airport:
Enjoy your visit to Singapore! 
Free Singapore Tour
If you have at least five hours to spare before your connecting flight, you can register for a 2-hour sightseeing tour of Singapore where you can choose between a Sentosa tour and a bumboat ride. There are 5 tours a day at 10am, 1pm, 3pm, 4pm and 5pm. Tour counters open from 8.30am to 4.25pm, daily.
If you have at least five hours to spare before your connecting flight, you can register for a 2-hour sightseeing tour of Singapore where you can choose between a Sentosa tour and a bumboat ride. There are 5 tours a day at 10am, 1pm, 3pm, 4pm and 5pm. Tour counters open from 8.30am to 4.25pm, daily.
Dec 11, 2004, 8:41 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2000
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Question: If you do that, do you still have to buy the Immigration Visa and pay the departure taxes? If so, how much is it again?
Dec 11, 2004, 8:59 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Singapore
Posts: 53
Hi, welcome to Singapore.. one thing abt travelling on taxis during this time of the year is IF you are dropping by Orchard Road in the evenings and/or during the weekend, traffic will be quite bad. bad traffic means a long time in the cab, as well as high taxi fares. If you are taking the train to & fro, do remember you have to change trains at Tanah Merah, and City Hall mrt stations. It shld take around 1hr..
I was just with some French (stranger) visitors (on transit?) on the public bus from the airport to town, this very evening. They arrived around 5.30pm at the airport and only managed to drop off at Orchard Road at 7.30pm (i don't know what time they boarded the bus though) and they had a 10.30pm flight to catch home! i advised them: "PLEASE TAKE THE TRAIN BACK TO THE AIRPORT..."
I sure hope they managed to find their way back (via the MRT) to the airport in time for their flight after a very short visit to Orchard Road! hmmmm..
ps: I think that the single-trip train ticket from Orchard MRT station to the Airport Terminal 2 station costs S$2.60. and i highly recommend that you ask from the station control staff (if it's not given automatically to you after you ask for directions), for one of those MRT station "map" which come in green and purple. They come in very handy ^
I was just with some French (stranger) visitors (on transit?) on the public bus from the airport to town, this very evening. They arrived around 5.30pm at the airport and only managed to drop off at Orchard Road at 7.30pm (i don't know what time they boarded the bus though) and they had a 10.30pm flight to catch home! i advised them: "PLEASE TAKE THE TRAIN BACK TO THE AIRPORT..."
I sure hope they managed to find their way back (via the MRT) to the airport in time for their flight after a very short visit to Orchard Road! hmmmm..
ps: I think that the single-trip train ticket from Orchard MRT station to the Airport Terminal 2 station costs S$2.60. and i highly recommend that you ask from the station control staff (if it's not given automatically to you after you ask for directions), for one of those MRT station "map" which come in green and purple. They come in very handy ^
Last edited by tzwlh; Dec 11, 2004 at 9:04 am
Dec 11, 2004, 1:11 pm
#5
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Originally Posted by tvl4free
Question: If you do that, do you still have to buy the Immigration Visa and pay the departure taxes? If so, how much is it again?
If you go on the Free City Tour, you do not need to pay for a departure tax as you are in transit.
Dec 11, 2004, 5:00 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: CO
Posts: 813
More info on the departure tax, please?
I am transiting through Singapore this week and have about a 16 hour layover. I am planning on staying at the Sheraton in town but wasn't aware of the departure tax. Based on this thread, should I assume that it isin't included in the ticket price? These are * awards from UA. If I do have to pay the departure tax, how much is it and where do you pay it? Thanks.
Dec 11, 2004, 6:03 pm
#7
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Originally Posted by acnev
I am transiting through Singapore this week and have about a 16 hour layover. I am planning on staying at the Sheraton in town but wasn't aware of the departure tax. Based on this thread, should I assume that it isin't included in the ticket price? These are * awards from UA. If I do have to pay the departure tax, how much is it and where do you pay it? Thanks.
Dec 12, 2004, 4:14 am
#8
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Originally Posted by MovieMan
Five hours is definitely enough time to go into the city. You can take a cab on your own into town, or check out the free Singapore tour offered from Changi airport:
Enjoy your visit to Singapore!
Enjoy your visit to Singapore!
Appreciate the info!!
Dec 12, 2004, 8:59 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Singapore
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Posts: 348
Hello,
I assume you will be taking SQ29 (Arrival in SIN @ 1145hrs) transit to SQ2 (Depart at 1700hrs). You should be able to join the 1pm tour, but pls be reminded to book early as both SQ1 and SQ29, both which will arrive around 1145am, have lots of Indian paxs joining the tour.
There are two free tour counters, one near the fern garden outside the bookshop (Near F Gates). The other is beside the Skytrain station near Gate E20.
There are two types of tours. One will include a Bum boat ride along Singapore River, the other will be a bus ride to Sentosa and will stop at Siloso Beach for a ten minute break/ photo-taking. Rest of the time will be on the bus.
If not, you can pop by the Singapore Visitors Centre and get a small transparent plastic bag from Singapore Tourism. You can exchange a FREE Train ticket for ten rides in Singapore.
NOTE: You must get a transparent bag inside transit (before Immigration) to exchange for a free ticket at the Arrival Hall opposite Belt 32. If you are lucky, you might get the card by just showing your foreign passport at the Arrival counter...
PS: BTW, why don't you take a flight from TPE-HKG and transfer on SQ2 ?
I assume you will be taking SQ29 (Arrival in SIN @ 1145hrs) transit to SQ2 (Depart at 1700hrs). You should be able to join the 1pm tour, but pls be reminded to book early as both SQ1 and SQ29, both which will arrive around 1145am, have lots of Indian paxs joining the tour.
There are two free tour counters, one near the fern garden outside the bookshop (Near F Gates). The other is beside the Skytrain station near Gate E20.
There are two types of tours. One will include a Bum boat ride along Singapore River, the other will be a bus ride to Sentosa and will stop at Siloso Beach for a ten minute break/ photo-taking. Rest of the time will be on the bus.
If not, you can pop by the Singapore Visitors Centre and get a small transparent plastic bag from Singapore Tourism. You can exchange a FREE Train ticket for ten rides in Singapore.
NOTE: You must get a transparent bag inside transit (before Immigration) to exchange for a free ticket at the Arrival Hall opposite Belt 32. If you are lucky, you might get the card by just showing your foreign passport at the Arrival counter...
PS: BTW, why don't you take a flight from TPE-HKG and transfer on SQ2 ?
Last edited by Jubilee777; Dec 13, 2004 at 9:40 am
Dec 12, 2004, 2:15 pm
#10
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Originally Posted by Jubilee777
PS: BTW, why don't you take a flight from TPE-HKG and transfer on SQ2 ?
This is a * award ticket on first class. I can only get whatever is available out there, not always the best choice of flights or connections. But I am OK with this iteniary since I've never been to SIN, and never fly on SQ metals, I am actually looking forward to it.
btw, is there any locker in the 1st class lounge to store my carry on luggage (a laptop roller) for a few hours while I am on the free city tour?
Thanks.
Last edited by Mama; Dec 12, 2004 at 9:02 pm
Dec 13, 2004, 11:14 am
#11
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Originally Posted by Mama
btw, is there any locker in the 1st class lounge to store my carry on luggage (a laptop roller) for a few hours while I am on the free city tour?
Thanks.
Thanks.
May 27, 2005, 9:39 am
#12
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Originally Posted by GibSpmuh
Any departure taxes you may be required to pay from Singapore will have already been included in your ticket, don't worry.
May 28, 2005, 1:12 am
#13
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I have gone thru immigration at SIN many times just to meet someone streetside at the airport (actually bringing them vital supplies - cheese, meat, duty free booze, etc) and rechecked in, no worries, no additional taxes or anything. No problems with immigration either.