In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Take the MRT to the city: Changi Airport station sits beneath Terminals 2 and 3. Change at Tanah Merah for the East West Line (City Hall, Raffles Place, Bugis, Outram Park) or at Expo for the Downtown Line (Bugis, Little India, Chinatown, Bayfront). The contactless fare is about S$2.30 to the city centre. The last train that connects west departs at 23:18. A metered taxi costs S$25 to S$45 from arrival ranks, while Changi’s official concierge car is a fixed S$70. Terminal 4 is not on the MRT: a free shuttle bus links it to T2 and T1. Or book a tour: If you prefer a private arrival transfer directly to your hotel with meet-and-greet service in the terminal, book a private Changi Airport transferad.
⚠️ From 6 October 2026 the Skytrain does not run from midnight to 05:00. It links Terminals 1, 2 and 3; during maintenance hours use the pedestrian link bridges instead, or the free T4 midnight shuttle bus, which loops T2, T3, T1 and Jewel, and T4 (Changi Airport). Between 05:00 and midnight it runs normally every few minutes.
The options, compared
Fares are adult, one way, as published by Changi Airport Group and the Public Transport Council. Prices are in Singapore dollars.
| Option | Fare | Operating hours | Where it drops you |
|---|---|---|---|
| MRT | About S$2.30 to the city centre (S$1.28 to S$2.07 network range) | First train 05:31 (Sunday 05:59); last connecting to Tuas Link 23:18 | Any MRT station; cross-platform change at Tanah Merah or Expo |
| Public bus | Distance-based (about S$1.90 to S$2.30); exact cash or contactless card | Route timetables vary; roughly 06:00 to 23:45 | Designated stops along suburban and downtown routes |
| Metered taxi | S$25 to S$45 metered, plus S$6 to S$8 airport surcharge | 24 hours, from ranks outside Terminals 1 to 4 | Direct to your hotel doorway |
| Private hire (Grab, Gojek, Tada) | Dynamic upfront pricing shown in app | 24 hours, from designated ride-hailing bays at T1–T4 | Direct to your hotel doorway |
| Changi Ground Transport Concierge | Fixed S$70 (4-seater) or S$75 (6-seater) | 24 hours, booked at counters or Changi App | Direct to your hotel doorway (single drop-off) |
| Pre-booked private transfer | From S$65 to S$90 per vehicle | 24 hours, pre-booked with driver meet-and-greet | Direct to your hotel doorway |
Changi Airport (SIN) is located approximately 20 kilometres east of the city centre. Changi Airport MRT station (CG2) is situated underground between Terminals 2 and 3. Passengers arriving at Terminal 1 can reach the station via the free Skytrain or via a 5-minute walk through Jewel Changi Airport, which directly joins the T1 arrival hall (Changi Airport).
A Changi Airport Terminal 2 hall with signs to the GST refund counter, Skytrain and City Train. Photo: Terence Ong, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5.
Which route for where you are staying
| Destination neighbourhood | Recommended MRT route | Interchange station | Travel time |
|---|---|---|---|
| City Hall, Marina Bay, Raffles Place | East West Line towards Tuas Link | Tanah Merah | 32 to 38 minutes |
| Chinatown | Downtown Line direct, or East West Line to Outram Park | Expo (DTL) or Tanah Merah (EWL) | 36 to 42 minutes |
| Bugis and Kampong Glam | Downtown Line direct or East West Line | Expo (DTL) or Tanah Merah (EWL) | 30 to 35 minutes |
| Little India | Downtown Line direct towards Bukit Panjang | Expo | 35 to 40 minutes |
| Bayfront (Marina Bay Sands) | Downtown Line direct towards Bukit Panjang | Expo | 35 minutes |
| Orchard Road | East West Line to City Hall, change to North South Line | Tanah Merah, then City Hall | 45 minutes |
| Sentosa Island | East West Line to Outram Park, change to North East Line to HarbourFront | Tanah Merah, then Outram Park | 55 minutes |
Our where to stay in Singapore guide breaks down each neighbourhood by station, while the public transport guide details fare calculation, SimplyGo contactless card acceptance, and Tourist Pass maths.
Airport transfers and tours
For travellers arriving late at night, with substantial luggage, or travelling as a family, pre-booking a dedicated private transfer removes the queue at the airport taxi stands.
1. Changi Airport Private One-Way Transfer
From S$57 · 4.7 stars from 202 reviews · 45 minutes · Private vehicle
A private one-way transferad from Changi Airport (SIN) to your hotel.
2. Changi Airport to Hotel Private Transfer
From S$68 · 4.7 stars from 408 reviews · 45 minutes · Private vehicle
A private transferad between Changi Airport and your hotel.
3. Private Transfer to/from Changi Airport
From S$31 · 4.5 stars from 283 reviews · 1 hour · Private vehicle
A private transfer to or from Changi Airportad.
The MRT from Changi Airport
About S$2.30 to the city centre · first train 05:31 · last connecting train to Tuas Link 23:18 · cross-platform change at Tanah Merah or Expo
To take the East West Line towards downtown:
- Board the Changi Airport branch line train at platform A or B at Changi Airport station (CG2).
- Travel two stops to Tanah Merah (EW4).
- Step across the island platform to the waiting westbound train heading towards Tuas Link (EW33). This train stops directly at Bugis, City Hall, Raffles Place, Tanjong Pagar, and Outram Park.
To take the Downtown Line towards Chinatown or Little India:
- Board the branch line train at Changi Airport.
- Alight at the very next stop, Expo (CG1/DT35).
- Follow the internal underground concourse up to the Downtown Line platform and board the train towards Bukit Panjang (DT1). This line serves Downtown, Telok Ayer, Chinatown, Jalan Besar, and Little India.
| Train direction | First departure | Last connecting departure |
|---|---|---|
| Changi Airport to Tanah Merah | 05:31 (Mon–Sat); 05:59 (Sun & public holidays) | 00:06 every night |
| Connecting to Tuas Link (westbound) | 05:36 (Mon–Sat); 06:04 (Sun) | 23:18 every night |
| Connecting to Pasir Ris (eastbound) | 05:40 (Mon–Sat); 06:08 (Sun) | 00:06 every night |
| Connecting to Downtown Line at Expo | 05:36 (Mon–Sat); 06:04 (Sun) | 23:40 every night |
- Fare payment: Tap your foreign or local contactless Visa, Mastercard, or mobile wallet (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay) at the fare gates. Overseas credit and debit cards incur an administrative processing charge of S$0.60 per day of transit usage, posted as a combined transaction on your statement.
- Singapore Tourist Pass: Unlimited-travel Tourist Passes (S$17 for 1 day, S$24 for 2 days, S$29 for 3 days) are sold at the SimplyGo Ticket Office inside Changi Airport MRT station. Because individual MRT trips cost only S$1.28 to S$2.07, tapping your normal bank card is cheaper for almost all visitors.
Inside a Changi Airport Skytrain car. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Metered taxis and ride-hailing apps
S$25 to S$45 · about 25 to 35 minutes · surcharges apply
Official taxi ranks operate 24 hours outside the arrival halls of Terminals 1, 2, 3, and 4. Uniformed rank attendants marshal passengers into queues. Every Singapore taxi is strictly metered; drivers cannot legally negotiate fixed prices.
Airport and peak surcharges are added automatically to the final meter display:
| Surcharge type | Applicable hours | Amount added to meter |
|---|---|---|
| Changi Airport surcharge | 17:00 to 23:59 daily | S$8.00 |
| Changi Airport surcharge | All other times (00:00 to 16:59) | S$6.00 |
| Midnight surcharge | 00:00 to 05:59 daily | 50% of the metered fare |
| Peak hour surcharge | Mon–Fri 06:00 to 09:30; daily 17:00 to 23:59 | 25% of the metered fare |
| Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) | Varies by city gantry (Mon–Sat daytime) | S$1.00 to S$3.00 if entering expressway gantries |
Most taxi drivers accept contactless credit cards, though a 10 per cent administrative fee applies to card payments on taxi meters. Carrying cash (Singapore dollars) avoids this fee.
Ride-hailing apps: Grab, Gojek, Tada, and Zig are widely used in Singapore. Bookings are made on mobile networks via your smartphone app, and pick-ups occur at clearly signed Ride-Hailing bays located on the ground level of each terminal. The app displays the exact total price upfront before confirmation.
Changi Ground Transport Concierge
S$70 for a 4-seater · S$75 for a 6-seater · 24-hour service
Changi Airport Group manages the Ground Transport Concierge desk, providing fixed-fare private saloon and MPV transport 24 hours a day to any single residential or hotel address in Singapore.
Service desks are located in each arrival hall:
- Terminal 1: Basement 1 arrival pick-up area
- Terminal 2: Level 1 arrival hall near Door 6
- Terminal 3: Level 1 arrival hall beside the central information counter
- Terminal 4: Level 1 arrival hall near the exit doors
Bookings can be made directly with counter staff or arranged on the official Changi App. The fixed fee covers toll gantries, luggage handling, and airport surcharges with no midnight multiplier.
Public bus connections
Public bus bays are situated in the basement levels of Terminals 1, 2, and 3, and at roadside bays adjacent to Car Park 4B at Terminal 4.
- Bus 36: Runs through Marine Parade and continues along the East Coast Parkway to Suntec City, City Hall, and Orchard Road. A scenic route, but takes 60 to 75 minutes to reach downtown due to multiple local stops.
- Bus 24: Heads to Bedok and Ang Mo Kio.
- Bus 27: Connects Changi with Tampines and Compassvale.
- Bus 34: Serves Punggol via Tampines.
- Bus 858: Connects to Woodlands and northern housing estates.
MRT fares range from S$1.28 to S$2.07 when tapping a contactless card. If paying cash, exact fare is required as drivers carry no change. Public buses operate from roughly 06:00 until 23:45. Eating, drinking, or carrying durians aboard public buses is strictly prohibited under Land Transport Authority regulations.
Terminal 4 transfers
Terminal 4 is situated separately from the central terminal cluster and does not have an MRT station.
- Free public shuttle bus: Loops continuously between Terminal 2 (Door 1) and Terminal 4 (Arrival pick-up) every 5 to 9 minutes from 06:00 to 24:00, and every 20 minutes from midnight to 06:00. The journey takes approximately 10 minutes.
- Jewel / T1 shuttle: Connects T4 directly with Terminal 1 and Jewel Changi Airport during daytime hours.
- If arriving at T4 and heading to the city by train, take the free shuttle to T2, descend one level via escalator, and enter the Changi Airport MRT station.
Direct coaches to Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Two scheduled cross-border coach services run direct from Changi Airport across the Woodlands Causeway to Johor Bahru:
| Coach service | Destination terminal in Johor | Schedule from Changi | One-way fare from Changi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transtar TS1 | Larkin Sentral | 08:15 to 22:15 (9 departures daily) | S$11 adult, S$5.50 child |
| WTS Travel WTS9 | Taman Ungku Tun Aminah | 08:00 to 23:00 (11 departures daily) | S$11 adult, S$7.00 child |
Buses depart from the Terminal 1 coach bays (bays B and C for TS1, bay D for WTS9). Terminal 4 passengers can board TS1 from the designated T4 coach bay. Return tickets from Malaysia cost RM13 to RM15. For detailed customs procedures and border advice, see our complete Johor Bahru day trip guide and day trips from Singapore.
Practical arrival essentials
Submit your free electronic SG Arrival Card within three days before landing in Singapore; paper landing slips were phased out permanently in 2020.
For connectivity upon arrival, see our guide to buying an eSIM for Singapore or collecting a tourist SIM at Changi Recommends counters. Read money in Singapore for tips on ATM withdrawals, currency exchange kiosks, and local tipping customs. If you have an extended transit between flights, consult our Singapore layover guide and Jewel Changi Airport guide. To begin exploring the city, check our 3 days in Singapore itinerary and where to eat in Singapore.
Common questions
What is the cheapest way from Changi Airport to the city?
The MRT. Take the train from Changi Airport station to Tanah Merah and change to the East West Line, or go to Expo and change to the Downtown Line. The fare is distance-based and costs about S$2.30 to the city centre.
What is the last MRT train from Changi Airport?
The last train that connects to the Tuas Link line at Tanah Merah leaves Changi Airport at 23:18 every day, and the last connecting to Pasir Ris departs at 00:06. The first train to Tanah Merah departs at 05:31 Monday to Saturday and 05:59 on Sundays and public holidays.
How much is a taxi from Changi Airport to the city?
Changi estimates S$25 to S$45 for about 30 minutes, metered. An airport surcharge of S$8 applies from 17:00 to 23:59 and S$6 at other times. Peak-hour and midnight surcharges of 25 and 50 per cent apply on top of the metered fare.
Is there a fixed-price car from Changi Airport?
Yes. Changi's Ground Transport Concierge operates a 4-seater at S$70 per trip to any single destination in Singapore, and a 6-seater at S$75, 24 hours a day. Book in the Changi App or at the arrival hall service counters.
Is Terminal 4 on the MRT?
No. A free shuttle bus connects Terminal 4 to Terminal 2 (for the MRT) and Terminal 1 (for Jewel) between 06:00 and 24:00 every 5 to 9 minutes. The trip takes approximately 10 minutes in the public area.
