SometimesFlyer

NWR, have fun.

I saw your other post re plug type and adapters. Well, I'll also be at SFO on Thur morning. If you want to be sure, I'll be happy to loan you an adapter. PM me.

NWR

Thanks much for your offer. Actually I returned on Thurs morning and I bought an adapter prior. It was good to have one because not every outlet in SIN accepted US plugs.

cantdebug

Last week I took a similar trip (SFO-LAX-NRT-SIN-NRT-LAX-SFO) where I stayed in the Changi transit site during my 6.5 or so hours in Singapore. Below are notes from my trip.

What I did during layover
- I worked out at Ambassador Transit Lounge's gym (http://www.harilelahospitality.com/services_gym.html) in Terminal 2 because Terminal 3 lacked one. Lounge access was free using my Priority Pass Select card (provided by AMEX) alternatively I could have used my Diners Club card. Although lounge access was free for me, I paid about SGD 15 for a shower, a workout towel and a workout in its small gym equipped with 2 multi-exercise stations, a small rack of dumbbells and two cardio machines. There's not enough space and equipment for more than a handful of people to work out there. There are no storage lockers, so I left my backpack in the gym's open storage area. The unisex shower/bathroom facility was acceptably clean but not fastidiously so. The shower room I used seemed clean and didn't smell but the sink still had hair from an earlier occupant.
- I wanted to go for a swim but the swimming pool at Ambassador Transit Lounge in Terminal 1 (http://www.harilelahospitality.com/services_pool.html) closed at 23:00.
- I recharged my iPhone using a US plug at the Terminal 3 Ambassador Lounge and in the Terminal 2 SATS lounge. The electrical outlets accepted different plug types.

Getting between terminals
- I used the Skytrain to travel from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2 when I arrived on UA around 00:20.
- Skytrain service between terminals ends at 02:30 and resumes around 5:00. It's a long walk back from Terminal 2 via Terminal 1 to Terminal 3.

What I thought was annoying
- Each departure lounge has its own security checkpoint but it lacks restrooms.
- The departure lounge's security staff got confused when I told them that I didn't have any checked luggage and didn't leave the transit area.
- A clueless security staffer kept asking to look at my passport cover. It took several minutes for me to convince him that I don't have one. I keep my passport in my travel wallet/portfeuille which he ignored when I showed it to him. Whatever sticker he was looking for was not on my passport.
- I had to help that same clueless security staffer find my name in the UA flight's passenger manifest which listed names in what appeared to be a random order. He had my US passport in hand opened to my data page, so I wondered why he needed my help. He put a green sticker on my passport for my efforts.
- A departure lounge gate agent who was scanning boarding passes asked me to hand her my passport when she noticed that my boarding pass wasn't printed at Changi. Some other gate agent had to type (not scan or swipe) my passport number into their computer for some reason. I told her that the process is a waste of time since my airline reservation has my passport info and Singapore must have received that electronically. I asked why didn't they just compare their info against my passport's data page. My boarding passes for my return trip were printed at Narita in case I decided to go into town and then try to re-enter the Transit area before the UA counter opens in the morning.
- I had to throw away a 12-oz water bottle I got in the Transit area before entering the departure lounge.

What I thought was amusing
- Some passengers ignored the status message displayed at my departure lounge entrance which stated that it's not ready for passengers yet. Some passengers strolled in and then a few minutes later walked out unhappy.
- My departure lounge lacked any signage about what needs to be put through the x-ray machine or what not to wear through the metal detector even though there are icons and multi-lingual signs for practically everything else at the airport.

jpatokal

For future reference:

Yup, but you only enter just before the flight leaves, so you don't have to sit with your legs crossed for too long. If the urge gets unbearable, you can always pop outside, do your thing in the toilets in the corridors (no matter where you are, there's usually one <50m away) and come back -- although this will obviously require another round of security theatre.

Most gate lounges have water fountains, so you can just empty the contents and refill inside.

Congratulations, you've encountered Singapore's national characteristic kiasu!

NWR

To report back on my trip...I had no trouble printing my BP at the United Club at NRT (for the trip out of SIN the next day). For my 6.5 hr layover I stayed airside in T3 the whole time. I was contemplating grabbing food in town at a hawker but it was middle of the night and raining. Instead I got a transit hotel room (very clean), took an hour nap, showered then roamed around, checked out the butterfly garden (dark but could see the butterfly cocoons in their little hut), hit up both SATS and Kris Flyer gold lounges (they don't start serving food until around 4am). I plugged in both phone and laptop in both lounges, but needed a UK adapter.

The airport is so nice the lounges weren't much better. There's plenty of comfy lounging and free wifi to be had in the terminal (sans the free latte and lounge food). And a transit hotel, although nice for the shower and real bed, wasn't really needed for sleeping as there were plently of open sleeper lounge chairs in the resting zones. Besides I wanted to stay on CA time so I didn't want to sleep anyway.

Went to the transit desk to get my BP stamped around 4am and was confronted by a security or immigration officer checking all passengers. He asked rather sternly how was it that I already had my boarding pass, but was completely satisfied when I said I got them at NRT the day before. He checked my name off a list, then I got stamped at the counter. I almost didn't do the transit desk process since the lady at the transit hotel front desk said I could go directly to the gate. I don't think that advice is correct.

Like cantdebug I too got caught off guard and had to toss one water bottle at the gate (but downed another whole one when in line, which simply led to several annoying trips to the head later on the plane!). But I thought the gate process was easy enough.

When going through immigrations back at SFO, when asked how long my trip to Singapore was, and responding with "6 hours", the officer wanted to know why for so short and when I said I was doing a mileage run, he said "Oh Ok, you may proceed". Funny.

All in all, it was breeze and like everyone says SIN is a great place to transit. Next time I'll plan better and stay for a day or two in Singapore, and ealier in the year for better cpi.

Hey cantdebug...were you on UA804 out of SIN on the 13th? There were a couple of guys talking about being on a MR near me and one said he worked out in the gym that night instead of going into town for food. I bet that was you.

cantdebug

You're right. I'm the bearded guy.