Changi Airport to the city: every way in, compared
MRT, bus, taxi, ride-hail or a car that waits for you: what each one costs, how long it takes and when it stops running.
What are the ways from Changi Airport to the city?
Six ways cover almost every arrival. The times are to Marina Bay or the CBD in normal traffic, and where a figure is our own estimate, it says so.
| Way in | Time to the city | Cost | Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| MRT | 30 to 40 min, one change (estimate) | S$2.20 to S$2.40 a person by card (estimate) | 05:31 to 23:18 |
| Bus 36 | An hour or more (estimate) | About the same as the MRT by card (estimate) | 06:00 to 23:58 |
| Taxi from the rank | About 30 min | S$25 to S$45, metered | 24 hours |
| Ride-hail app | About 30 min (estimate) | Shown in the app before you book | 24 hours |
| Changi transport desk | About 30 min (estimate) | S$70 for 4 seats, S$75 for 6 | 24 hours |
| Private transfer with us | About 30 min (estimate) | S$110, or S$130 from 23:00 to 06:59 | 24 hours, booked ahead |
Figures from Changi Airport, PTC and SimplyGo, plus our own rate card.
Which way suits your arrival?
Tell us who's travelling and when you land.
2 guests, 2 large bags. Out of arrivals about 18:30, to Marina Bay.
MRT Cheapest
The cheapest way in, and quick enough with light bags. One change, at Tanah Merah. From T2 and T3 the station is downstairs.
- Time
- About 30 to 40 min
- Cost
- S$2.20 to S$2.40 each
Bus 36
To Suntec City and along Orchard Road. Exact cash fare or a card.
- Time
- An hour or more
- Cost
- S$2.20 to S$2.40 each
Taxi from the rank
Peak hours add 25% to the meter.
- Time
- 35 to 50 min
- Cost
- S$30 to S$37
Ride-hail app
Grab, Gojek and others. Meet the car at the ride-hailing doors.
- Time
- 35 to 50 min
- Cost
- Shown in the app first
Changi transport desk
Changi Airport's own desk, open 24 hours. Book at the counter or ahead.
- Time
- 35 to 50 min
- Cost
- S$70, 4 seats
- Time
- 35 to 50 min
- Cost
- S$110, fixed
Weekday timetables, to Marina Bay. We assume you're out of arrivals 30 minutes after landing. Journey times and the taxi range are our estimates. Timetables, fares and desk prices are from Changi Airport, SimplyGo and PTC.
How do I take the MRT from Changi Airport?
Changi Airport MRT station sits under Terminals 2 and 3, linked straight into both buildings (Changi Airport). From Terminal 1, take the free Skytrain or walk, which takes 5 to 10 minutes. From Terminal 4, the free shuttle bus to T2 runs every 5 minutes from 06:00 to midnight and takes about 10 minutes (Changi Airport).
The airport line is a short branch, so you change once. For the city, change at Tanah Merah to the East West Line towards Tuas Link, or at Expo to the Downtown Line. The first train leaves at 05:31 from Monday to Saturday and at 05:59 on Sundays and public holidays. The last one that connects to the city leaves at 23:18 (Changi Airport).
Pay at the gates with a contactless bank card, a phone wallet or an EZ-Link card; foreign-issued cards pay a small admin fee (Changi Airport). Fares go by distance. An adult card fare for 17 to 25 km, which covers the city centre, is S$2.20 to S$2.40 (PTC; the distance is our estimate). Fares rise by 13 cents a trip on 26/12/2026 (PTC).
Is there a bus from Changi Airport to the city?
Yes, bus 36. It stops at all four terminals: in the basement bus bays at T1 to T3, and beside Car Park 4B at T4 (Changi Airport). It runs through Suntec City and along Orchard Road to Tomlinson Road. The first bus leaves T2 at 06:00 and the last at 23:58 on weekdays, and the late trips run as 36A (SimplyGo).
Pay by card or with the exact cash fare, as drivers give no change (Changi Airport). It is the slowest way in, often an hour or more (our estimate), and big suitcases are hard work on a city bus.
How much is a taxi from Changi Airport to the city?
Taxi stands are in the arrival areas of all four terminals, and taxis run all night (Changi Airport). Changi puts the ride at about 30 minutes and S$25 to S$45, all metered.
Three things move that number. Every taxi from the airport adds a surcharge of S$8 from 17:00 to 23:59 and S$6 at other times. Peak hours add 25% to the meter, and from 00:00 to 05:59 the meter adds 50% (LTA). Our taxi or private transfer guide works it out for the time you land.
Can I use Grab or another ride-hailing app?
Yes. Changi lists Grab, Gojek, Zig, Tada, Ryde and Geolah (Changi Airport). The car meets you at a pick-up point, not the taxi stand: at Terminal 4 that is Level 1, Doors 4 to 8 (Changi Airport). When you book through an app, the fare is shown before the ride starts, and a private-hire car can't be hailed on the street (LTA).
When is a private transfer worth it?
When the arrival itself is the hard part. A private transfer costs more than a taxi, so it earns its place when:
- you land after the last train, or before the first;
- you are three or more with cases, or travelling with children (child seats are S$10 each, up to 2 a car);
- you are meeting someone who doesn't know Singapore and shouldn't have to find a taxi;
- you need one fixed figure for an expense claim.
Changi's own Ground Transport Concierge is the middle ground: a car from its counters at S$70 for 4 seats or S$75 for 6 (Changi Airport).
With Auspicious Journeys, your chauffeur waits inside the arrival hall with your name and takes your bags. We track your flight and set the meeting 30 minutes after it actually lands, and the first 60 minutes after landing are free. An arrival is S$110 in a Toyota Alphard for up to 5 guests, or S$130 for pickups from 23:00 to 06:59. What happens from gate to car walks through the meet, and our airport transfers has the rest.
From our own trips
We plan an arrival around the time your flight actually lands, not the time it was due.
So your chauffeur's meeting time is 30 minutes after touchdown, and the first 60 minutes after landing cost nothing. A long immigration queue or a slow carousel is already allowed for.
Questions
What is the cheapest way from Changi Airport to the city?
The MRT or bus 36, at about S$2.20 to S$2.40 a person by card (our estimate from PTC fares). The MRT is quicker, with one change at Tanah Merah.
What time is the last train from Changi Airport?
The last train that connects to the city leaves Changi Airport at 23:18 every day, according to Changi Airport. After that, take a taxi, a ride-hail car or a booked transfer.
How long does a taxi take from Changi Airport to the city?
About 30 minutes, and S$25 to S$45 on the meter, says Changi Airport. Evening peak traffic can add 10 to 20 minutes (our estimate).
Is there a shuttle bus from Changi Airport to city hotels?
Not one run by the airport. Changi's shuttle page lists a shuttle to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, but none to city hotels. Bus 36 goes to Suntec City and Orchard Road.
Sources
- Leaving Changi Airport: transport optionsChangi Airport Group. Accessed 09/10/2026.
- Public transport fares and passesPublic Transport Council. Accessed 09/10/2026.
- Bus service 36: route and first and last busSimplyGo (TransitLink). Accessed 09/10/2026.
- Transfer between terminals and JewelChangi Airport Group. Accessed 09/10/2026.
- Outcome of Fare Review Exercise 2026 (29/09/2026)Public Transport Council. Accessed 09/10/2026.
- Taxi fares and payment methodsLand Transport Authority. Accessed 09/10/2026.
- Designated pick-up points at Changi AirportChangi Airport Group. Accessed 09/10/2026.
- Getting a ride: taxis and private hire carsLand Transport Authority. Accessed 09/10/2026.
- Shuttle servicesChangi Airport Group. Accessed 09/10/2026.
Prices for Auspicious Journeys come from our live rate card. Figures marked as estimates are ours.