Transit Hotel Plus Singapore City Tour

Flying from the UK to Australia, stopping for 17 hours. Will book six hours in hotel but want to know if you can leave the airport for a city tour?

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Transit Hotel Plus Singapore City Tour

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Feb 01, 2009

Yes, it's possible but...
by: Gabriel Tan

Hi there

It is possible to do both: stay at the Singapore Airport Transit Hotel and go on a city tour. This is subject to the following conditions:

1. You have a valid passport that allows you to enter Singapore without a visa. If you hold a British passport with 6 months' validity, you should be fine.

2. You have the relevant documents all ready for your onward flight - e.g. your air ticket to Australia already issued and endorsed.

This is especially important if you decide to use the Transit Hotel after the city tour. Once you get out of the transit zone, you'll need to show your travel documents (especially your boarding pass for onward flight) to get back in again.

Note also:

If you decide to use Transit Hotel first, you should not clear customs initially. You go straight to the hotel and clear customs only when you want to go on the tour.

Feb 01, 2009

tour or hotel first?
by: Anonymous

thanks for the prompt answer would you recommend tour or hotel first after 13 hour flight?

Feb 01, 2009

It depends...
by: Gabriel Tan

It depends on 2 factors...

May I know:

1. What time do you arrive at Singapore Airport?

2. Do you plan on joining the free Singapore city tour? Or do you want to see the city on your own?

Feb 01, 2009

hotel and tour
by: Anonymous

Hi we arrive @7.30 am would go on the free tour
2 adults

Feb 01, 2009

Free Singapore Tour Suggestion
by: Gabriel Tan

Here's a suggestion:

1. Upon arrival, go straight to the Visitors' Centre in the transit area and book yourselves on the 3-5pm Colonial Tour (sometimes they may replace this tour with a Cultural Tour).

Meantime, grab one of the free tourist maps at the Visitors' Centre.

2. 8am-2pm: Rest at Transit Hotel.

3. 3-5pm: Go on the tour.
(Please see below for the changes to free tour timing.)

4. 5-9pm:

a. Find out if the tour leader could leave you in town after the tour, preferably near the City Hall MRT Station. This station is very near the spots on the Colonial Tour.

b. For dinner, try the food court on Level 3 of Raffles City Shopping Centre, which is just above the City Hall MRT Station. This is a convenient place to sample local food.

c. Use the free tourist map and wander around the Singapore River or the Marina Bay area after sundown. It's quite pretty in the evening.

d. Take the MRT from City Hall Station back to the airport.

It's quite easy to figure things out. All the signs are in English. You change train once at Tanah Merah Station on the way to Changi Airport. Have some S$ ready for this.

The MRT journey takes at most 1 hour. But give yourself a good buffer to catch your onward flight. Also don't scamper for the last train!

Of course, you may reverse the order of your rest/tour. But I find the city prettier at night.

Have a nice stopover in Singapore.

-------------------

April 2011 Update

If you have 7 hours or more during your Singapore transit, consider optimising your time with these guided half-day tours:

1) 'Culture & Heritage' Half-day Singapore Tour

2) 'Fun by the Waters' Half-day Singapore Tour

3) 'City Panorama' Half-day Singapore Tour

4) 'Sightsee & Shop' Half-day Singapore Tour

Feb 01, 2009

hotel and tour
by: Anonymous

Hi Gabriel
Thanks for all your input sounds a good idea to have a rest first will book hotel
thanks again
david kerry

Feb 05, 2009

New Timings for Free Singapore Tour
by: Gabriel Tan

Hi David

I checked with the Airport's Visitors' Centre and here're the new timing for the free city tour:

Colonial Tour:
11am-1pm, 1pm-3pm, 5pm-7pm

Cultural Tour:
9am-11am, 2pm-4pm, 4pm-6pm

So adjust your schedule accordingly.

Mar 24, 2009

Transit Tour Suggestions
by: Anonymous

We are arriving in Singapore on 15 April at 21:30pm and will be leaving on 16 April at 14:10pm on the way to U.A.E.

Is it possible for us to have a tour of Singapore with this limited time? What can you suggest and where is the cheapest hotel to stay just for a limited time only? I'm with my wife and teenage daughter and we are from Philippines.

Aug 23, 2010

Transit hotel V Outside Hotel for Free Tour
by: Anonymous

Could anybody tell me if we stay overnight in a Hotel outside the airport are we able to take the free tour the next day as we dont leave until 5pm?

Hi there

Unfortunately, Once you leave the airport's restricted area, you are no longer able to sign up for the free city tour.

Gabriel

Feb 26, 2011

Singapore visa required for transit passenger ????
by: Kums

Hi,

My parents will be visiting US from India. On their way back from US to India, they reach singapore early morning 3:00 a.m and their next flight to india is at 9:00 p.m. They have more than 18 hrs lay off. I was thinking of booking the Ambassador hotel for them inside the airport to take some rest and take the singapore city tour.

Do they need a singapore visa to go for the singapore city tour as they have to leave the airport. They have Indian passports. Please advise.

---------------------------

Too many factors to consider and if anyone tells you they don't need a visa on the web, would you believe them?

Please contact the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority DIRECTLY for clarification:

http://www.ica.gov.sg

Best regards.

Gabriel

Apr 13, 2011

Do we need to take the baggage
by: Natasha

We are flying back to Australia from Europe with 14 hrs(all day) connection in Singapore. Of course we'll get a free tour and than hang aroung in Singapore.Does anyone know if we need to collect our luggage if we'are leaving an airport?

------------------------

Best if you check with your airline.

Gabriel

Apr 21, 2011

Transit luggage
by: Anonymous

Hello,

We did exactly what you are asking, if you fly from Europe your luggage should be tagged through to Sydney, it is only the budget airlines where you need to go through customs and have to collect luggage.

May 29, 2011

Pls confirm
by: dd

we'll hve about 17 hrs transit in Singapore from 20.45 (jun 19)- 14.00(jun20). From your replies to others, I'd like to confirm all belows before proceeding:
1. we can go out and stay at hotel in the city, right?
2. We'll not get our luggages out since it will be checked through? We use Star Alliance (Thai-SQ).

Thank you
dd

-------------------

Dear dd and all other readers

Please CONFIRM your transit procedures with your airlines, and not with any one else on the web.

Have a good trip.

Gabriel

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Transit Hotel Plus Singapore City Tour