Singapore - Getting Around
Singapore’s downtown area is served by one of the world’s most efficient public transport systems. Buy an ez-link card for frequent trips on Singapore’s MRT trains and buses. Or try the Singapore Tourist Pass, which can be used at MRT stations, buses and shuttles to the airport. You can pick either up at the airport’s tourist information booths or at the Tourist Information Centres along Orchard Road.
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Trains
The MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) and LRT (Light Rail Transit) trains offer cheap and reliable journeys throughout Singapore, at around $2 a trip. Underground stations are safe, clean and easy to navigate around. Lines are named by the routes they take: North South Line (NS), East West Line (EW) (CG), North East Line (NE) & Circle Line (CC) - the Circle Line stretches from CC1 Dhoby Ghaut Station in the main hotel and retail belt to CC29 Harbour Front Station, Singapore's largest entertainment and retail centre. You can grab a map at any of the stations.
Buses
Bus routes dive deeper into Singapore’s interior - but they’re a little complicated, and not the fastest in the world. Still, should you wish to explore Singapore’s suburbs, or simply get off the beaten track for a while, they’re a good option.
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Taxis
Taxis are metered, honest and reliable. Trips within the downtown area shouldn’t set you back any more than around $10. Pick up fare is around $3, with increments of around 20 cents every 200 metres, but fares do rise in peak hours and evenings. Credit cards are accepted by most but not all cabs, and a 17% surcharge applies for this. In the Central Business District, taxis may only pick up passengers at taxi stands (found outside any shopping mall) or hotels. Outside the city centre you're free to hail taxis on the street. Tri-shaws, three-wheeled bicycle taxis, are strictly for tourists, plying the quays and downtown areas for a fixed fee of around $20 an hour.