Singapore Public Transport and Taxis

Getting around in Singapore in general is relatively easy and straightforward. However, there are certain things you have to beware of when you don't use your own method of transport.

Buses and the MRT are usually pretty packed around rush hour (as is the case in any larger city), so best don't count on the fact that you will be able to get on the next bus or train during such peak times. If you want to know when the next bus is arriving, there are various smartphone apps that are very helpful. There are no timetables posted at the bus stops themselves, only the routes the buses take. You might have to wait around for a while for your bus to show up, and often it's one bus following another with the same number.  For buses you need either an EZ-link card (you can buy it at any MRT station) or coins. For the MRT, you need to buy an EZ-link card. During raining season (November-February) the ground around some bus shelters (or sidewalks in general for that matter) can get flooded you might get your feet wet waiting for your bus to arrive.

Taxis: Cabs are another comparatively cheap and convenient way to get around in Singapore. However, there are again some things you need to watch out for. During peak hours, it might be hard for you to flag down a cab at the roadside, so you might be better off booking one for a fee of c. SGD 3.50, either through an app, by calling, or by sending a text message. Every building in Singapore has it's own postal code, so to order a taxi from "Comfort", the biggest taxi company here, all you need to do is send a text message to 71222 saying "Book XXXXX", where the XXXXX is the ZIP code of the building you are at. As soon as a taxi driver accepts your booking, you will receive a text message with the license plate and the estimated time of arrival, which tends to be on the higher side. If you want to cancel your booking, all you have to do is send "Cancel" to the same number. All very straightforward and convenient and no need for you to stay on the phone waiting to be connected to an operator.

Singapore has a lot of taxis, and if you ask 10 different taxi drivers how many taxis there are, you will get 12 different answers. My own personal survey has led me to believe it's around 25,000. Either way, there are always cabbies who haven't been driving for very long, and even though Singapore is a not a huge Metropolis, a surprising amount of taxi drivers simply don't know the place you want to go. This occasionally holds true even for bigger, more touristy places, but particularly so for residential addresses or restaurants. Again, there are smartphone apps you can use to direct your driver if you don't know the way, or simply use a printout so show him the location. If you don't know the way, and he doesn't know the way to your destination, getting out of the cab and picking the next one might save you quite a bit of hassle, time and money.

The large majority of cab drivers speaks good English and are friendly and straight with you. If you feel unsure, just ask them for a receipt when you get in the cab. Overtouting is illegal in Singapore, and they will usually only take you the long route if they don't know another. Sometimes, they ask you "by which way you wanna go" inquiring about your preferences as to the route they are supposed to take.

The cost for all taxis, including the white Mercedes, is roughly the same, except for one big exception: black Chrysler taxis. These are 'luxury cabs" and will charge you roughly twice the regular price, which can get particularly expensive on a long ride, say from the airport.