Changi Airport to Singapore city: MRT, taxi

Singapore Changi Airport lies at the eastern tip of the island, about 20 km from Marina Bay. Singapore is small and its public transport excellent, so getting into town is easy. You have three options: the MRT, a taxi or ride-hailing car, or a public bus. The short answer: take the MRT if you arrive between early morning and late evening and travel light; take a taxi or Grab late at night, with children or with lots of luggage – it is quick and not expensive by Singapore standards.

Changi Airport to the city: the options

The 20 minutes are pure driving time from Terminal 3 to Marina Bay Sands according to OpenStreetMap routing, without traffic; Changi Airport gives about 30 minutes for a taxi ride to the city. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) puts today's MRT journey from Changi Airport to Marina Bay at about 50 minutes.

The MRT: one change into town

The Changi Airport MRT station (CG2) lies below Terminals 2 and 3; from Terminal 1 you walk or take the Skytrain, and from Terminal 4 you first follow the signs to Terminal 2. The airport branch is a short line with only two more stations, so you always change once:

• Via Tanah Merah: ride to Tanah Merah (EW4) and change to the East West Line towards Tuas Link. This line runs through the centre – City Hall, Raffles Place, Tanjong Pagar.
• Via Expo: ride one stop to Expo (CG1/DT35) and change to the Downtown Line towards Bukit Panjang. It serves Bugis, the Marina Bay area, Chinatown and Little India.

Which one is faster depends on your hotel; any journey planner shows it.

Times: according to Changi Airport, the first train from Changi Airport to Tanah Merah leaves at 5:31 am Monday to Saturday and at 5:59 am on Sundays and public holidays. The last train with a connection towards Tuas Link – that is, into the city – leaves at 11:18 pm; the last one with a connection towards Pasir Ris at 12:06 am. If you land late, the MRT may already have stopped by the time you are through immigration.

Tickets: you do not need to buy a ticket. According to Changi Airport, you tap in and out with a contactless Mastercard or Visa, a NETS bank card or a mobile wallet; foreign-issued cards incur a small admin fee. Alternatively, stored-value EZ-Link cards are sold at the TransitLink ticket office in the station and in shops at the airport, and the Singapore Tourist Pass is valid too.

Coming changes: the LTA is converting the stretch between Tanah Merah and Changi Airport to the Thomson-East Coast Line. Once finished, the journey to Marina Bay is expected to take about 40 minutes without a change. No opening date had been set when we last checked, and the work may bring temporary service adjustments – check the LTA or SMRT announcements shortly before your trip.

Taxi and ride-hailing: fast and around the clock

Taxis wait at the taxi stands in the arrival halls of Terminals 1 to 4. According to Changi Airport, the ride to the city takes about 30 minutes; all taxis run on the meter, with surcharges for the airport, peak hours and the night (midnight to 6 am), as listed on the airport website. Taxis and private-hire cars are available 24 hours a day from all terminals – the answer when the MRT has stopped.

Ride-hailing: Grab, Gojek, Zig, Tada, Ryde and Geolah all operate at Changi; you go to the signposted ride-hailing pick-up points at each terminal. For a pre-booked car with a fixed price, a transfer from Changi Airport^* (Kiwitaxi) is an option, especially with children or late at night. Our article on when an airport transfer pays off compares the options.

Public buses: cheapest, slowest

Buses 24, 27, 34, 36, 53, 110 and 858 leave from the bus bays in the basements of Terminals 1, 2 and 3; at Terminal 4 some stop by Car Park 4B and others near the SATS catering centre, according to Changi Airport. Bus 36 runs towards the Orchard Road area. You can pay with the same contactless card as on the MRT; cash is possible, but you need the exact fare, because no change is given. With big suitcases, the MRT is more comfortable.

Which option suits whom?

• Hotel around City Hall, Raffles Place or Tanjong Pagar: MRT via Tanah Merah, East West Line.
• Hotel around Bugis or Marina Bay: MRT via Expo, Downtown Line.
• Hotel on Orchard Road: MRT with a further change, bus 36 or a taxi.
• Landing after about 10:30 pm: taxi or Grab – the last MRT connection may be gone by the time you have your bags.
• Family with lots of luggage: taxi or a pre-booked transfer.

Mobile data from home is often expensive in Singapore. A travel eSIM for Singapore^* (Airalo) is usually much cheaper than roaming, and our eSIM price index compares prices per gigabyte.

On the day you leave

The MRT takes you back to Changi Airport with the same change at Tanah Merah or Expo. Changi is known for its gardens, the Jewel complex and long walkways – allow time. If your flight leaves at night, you can leave your suitcases at a luggage storage point in Singapore^* (Radical Storage) and enjoy one last evening at Gardens by the Bay.

How long to stay and what to see is in our article how many days in Singapore; about the rainy and the drier months, see best time to visit Singapore.

Singapore trip planDay by day, with map and tips

How YesTrip helps you plan

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