5 things to help you enjoy a Changi Airport transit

Do you have a stopover in Singapore Changi Airport? Changing flights or airlines? Couldn’t connect straight through or perhaps you just want a break and have heard the shopping is good.  Whether you’re on a short transit stop or have a stopover of a day or more, we have a few suggestions about how you can fill those hours.

Take a free tour of Singapore

For this one, you can be travelling on any airline. You do need to be in transit for at least five and a half hours and be eligible to actually enter Singapore, but this is a special, guided trip around the sights. There are two trips – one is a general look at the ‘tourist attractions’ and the other takes in the Heritage areas. Well worth the effort. Leave your luggage in the ‘Left Luggage’ and don’t pass through Immigration. Sign up as soon as you arrive as the tours are on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. However, if you’re travelling Singapore Airlines, you get ‘first dibs’ and can reserve a spot online.

Go shopping

Singapore’s Changi Airport is well known as a shopping airport. There are lots of things to tempt even the most jaded traveller and if you’ve forgotten someone in your souvenir list, you’ll likely find something here.

The Changi Transit Programme is another special available to passengers flying Singapore Airlines, Silk Air and Air New Zealand where they can redeem a Changi Dollar Voucher (CDV), valued from S$20. There are quite a few conditions attached, and it’s only available until 31st March 2016, but if it gets you a bit extra for shopping……

Catch up on some sleep, get some work done, have a shower

There are currently three terminals in operation at Changi, with Terminal 4 due to open in 2017. There’s free wifi and hundreds of internet connections available across all the terminals so it’s easy to stay connected. You do need to stand though while using the kiosks, and normal precautions when using a public connection should be taken.

There are ‘free-to-rest’ areas in all terminals, but be aware that these are really popular so you may need to wait for a recliner to be available. If you need something a bit more comfortable, there are Transit Hotels in all terminals. Make sure you don’t clear immigration and it’s advisable to make a booking beforehand as rooms are very much in demand, especially at peak times.  If you want a shower and perhaps a massage, again, you can find them in each terminal. These are paid for services.

All terminals are well provisioned with restaurants and if you need medical assistance that’s also available. Smoking is not allowed in the terminal, although there are designated areas where you can have a puff if you’re desperate.