A few hours in Singapore
 

Hello, my wife & I fly to Europe, this time with Singapore
airlines. Arrive Changi 17.45 depart 23.35. We could just
hang around in their lounge, but is it worthwhile & easy
to go to town shopping ? If so where to & how to get there.
We will stopover for 2 weeks on the return, so could take the risk
to buy electronics items (guarantee issues).

Many thanks for any advice, John

A few hours in Singapore
 

Which day of the week do you arrive?

It is so easy to get into town that it really doesn't need an explanation. Go through customs and immi which takes 5 minutes and follow the signs. Head to Orchard Rd and take your pick of the malls & shops. But - if its just a few hours there is so much to see, do & buy in the airport those few hours will soon pass by anyway.

The Singapore Tourist Board offers free city tours if you have four hours or more stopover. I'm not sure if they operate so late in the day though.

While you might think that you have a fair gap between your flights, it's actually not going to give you much time to go shopping. Having regularly travelled to Singapore & stayed in Orchard Road when there, it normally took about 90 minutes from stepping off the plane to climbing up out of the MRT station under the Marriott at Tangs Plaza in Orchard Road.


I used to find that taking a taxi was pretty much of a gamble as far as time was concerned to get from the airport into Orchard Road. One time if the traffic was light & no hold ups, or queue at the airport taxi rank, you could expect to be at the hotel in less than an hour from the plane, other times, if you were unlucky & arrived after a few 747's etc. landed, there could be a queue for immigration, bags and taxis that would eat up a good 15-20 minutes for each. Add to that Singapore traffic at a busy time, the odd accident & roadworks and you can be looking at well over an hour in the taxi.


What time you take going in, is likely to be the same coming back, so although you have just under six hours on the ground, this could be eaten up just landing & getting to & from Orchard Road.


Even going by the MRT direct from the terminal, which doesn't suffer any jams and runs to an incredibly precise timetable, you still won't have much time to spare, as you will likely need to be back at the gate to go through gate security at Changi at least an hour before boarding your next flight. :-(. This is also in addition to the initial security screening & passport control just to get airside, which again, although quick, can take time.


I really don't want to rain on your parade, but I would estimate that you could really only expect to have about 90 minutes (safely) shopping during your stopover which is completely inadequate to do justice to Orchard Road, never mind the whole of Singapore.


I'd suggest that you just take in the airport on your first transit, as it's got a whole load of shops, restaurants etc. to keep you amused without running the risk of missing your connecting flight for the sake of a minor saving.


I'd also caution that electronics are no longer a major bargain in Singapore, prices are only a little cheaper for some things and can be more expensive for others (the last couple of times I was there it was slightly cheaper to buy I-Pads & I-Pods in the UK than there). The best place for electronics is probably still Sim Lim Square, where the higher you go, the better the prices can become, but it's not the place to be considering when you are pressed for time, and it can be a bit hit or miss whether they have what you are specifically looking for or not.


Have fun and enjoy your visit whatever you decide to do, but save the shopping for the return leg when you have plenty of time.

Singapore
 

My thanks to all who responded. Perhaps I'll just
sit it out in the lounge.

For a first trip it's probably safest to remain in the airport, although exploring out to the kerb to see what the taxi environment is like could be a useful exercise. That way, at least you know what to expect for next time and can make a better judgement on whether an off-airport excursion is worth the effort.

When I've had a few hours to spare between flights, I've been known to mention to friends local to the airport that I'll be there if they want to meet for a chat. I've even picked connecting airports and flights with that in mind.

In which case this thread from about 12 months ago might interest you:
http://www.pprune.org/passengers-slf...things-do.html

Don't plan on taking any duty free cigarettes thru SIN (they are forbidden) and if you plan on drinking a beer or few there then consider remortaging your home :)

Have a shower.
Ambassador Transit Hotel

Shower, Fitness & Spa Services - Changi Airport

I don't think it's that cheap shopping here, electronics are just about the same as Europe I find, and certainly it would be better drinking SQ's beer in their lounge than paying Orchard Rd bar prices…

The Sing dollar is quite strong so anyone with Euros won't find many bargains.

Another option is the Changi City Point mall a few minutes away where you can shop and also eat/drink we'll for prices less then in the airport (Mao New Zealand Bar is on example with live music, pretty smart place).

Alternatively, East Coast Park is an easy run for a bite to eat and wind down between flights, perhaps 15 mins by taxi.

We've used Changi as an en route stop twice a year for ages now and have a set routine of:

Buterfly Garden-next to the Ambassador Lounge.

Ambassador Lounge-shower and shave (the wife just has a shower)

Massage parlour (near the kid's playground) for half an hour having the feet done.

Relax-have a beer and watch the world go by.

On the odd occasion we have upgraded to business using our accumalated miles and used SIA's lounge I've kind of missed the normal routine. The lounge is OK but it's so big it's like sitting in a small terminal.