Necessities Guide

Currency

The denomination used in Singapore is the Singapore dollar (SGD/ S$). Money changing services can be found at major shopping centres, hotels, at the airport & banks, arranged in the increasing order of the exchange rates. ATMs, which can be found in most shopping centres & MRT stations, accept major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard & cards with Plus or Cirrus.

Electricity and Voltage

Get an Electric Plug adaptor for British-style plug holes (with two flat blades & one flat grounding blade) in your country to recharge your mobile phone & laptop. The electricity voltage is 230V 50Hz.

Connectivity

Purchase a Starhub Preferred Tourist Prepaid SIM card at S$15 to enjoy S$18 worth of credit, 20 SMS & 30MB local data bundle with 3-day validity free of charge at the UOB Foreign Exchange counters in Singapore’s Changi Airport Terminal 1, 2 or 3.

Once you finish using the 30 MB or if you are still in Singapore after 3 days, just activate a new data plan by keying *123# into your handset, followed by the Call Connect button.
Data plans available are as follows:-
(a) Pay S$2 and enjoy 30MB with 3-day validity
(b) Pay S$4 and enjoy 200MB with 3-day validity
(c) Pay S$7 and enjoy 1GB with 7-day validity
(d) Pay S$15 and enjoy 600MB with 30-day validity
(e) Pay S$20 and enjoy 1.2GB with 30-day validity

You can also access to free wireless internet at the convention venue & public hotspots across Singapore via Wireless@SG by registering your Starhub mobile number. Click here for the methods of registration.

If you need to call overseas, the IDD number for Starhub is 018.

Transport

Singapore has one of the most extensive & efficient public transportation systems in the world. With the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) trains, buses & taxis, travelling in the city and suburbs can be a quick and affordable affair. For a comprehensive guide that includes offline maps, estimated prices & time, download free smart phone app Singapore Map by Street Directory Pte Ltd from Google Play or Apple App Store. If you are using a Blackberry, you can still visit www.streetdirectory.com for the same services.

Train (MRT)
The MRT is a fast and cost-effective way of getting around Singapore. You can take the MRT from Changi Airport Terminal 3 to the city for a just couple of dollars. (If you are arriving at Terminal 1 or 2, you can take the Skytrain to Terminal 3.) If your hotel is not walking distance from any MRT station & you wish to save some dollars from transport, you can consider taking the MRT to the nearest MRT station before taking a taxi. Services operate from about 5:30am and usually end before 1 a.m. daily. For the MRT Network Map, click here.

Bus
There are currently more than 300 bus services which run daily from 5.30 to midnight. The suggested app above will direct you to the exact bus-stop and the number to take.

Taxi
Taxis ply the island round the clock, bringing you wherever you want, anytime you want. However, do note that airport, peak-hour, city area & Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) gantry surcharges apply.

To the specific, the airport surcharge for average taxis is as follows:-
S$5 airport surcharge – 5.00pm to 12.00am (Fridays to Sundays)
S$3 airport surcharge – all other times
Midnight surcharge of 50% of final metered fare – 12.00am to 6.00am (daily)
For 4-seater limousine taxi & 7-seater large taxi, the once-off charge to or from the airport are S$55 & S$60 respectively, with an additional S$15 for every additional stop.

You can download a handy taxi app called Grabtaxi by MyTeksi from Google Play & Apple App Store to call for cabs when you need it. The hotlines for various taxi services in Singapore, are also listed below.