The first thing I did wrong in Singapore was take a taxi from the airport. Twenty-two dollars gone before I’d seen a single hawker stall. The MRT would have cost me two. That gap tells you a lot about how this city works.
Getting Around: The MRT Is the Right Answer
- Cost: Most journeys cost SGD 1.00–2.50
- Coverage: Connects the airport, city center, and all major areas
- App: Download the MyTransport.SG app before you land
- Payment: Use SimplyGo — tap your contactless credit card or phone at the gantry
The trains are cold in a way that feels aggressive at first. After an hour in the humidity outside, you’ll understand it. Clean, on time, clearly signed in English. Instead of buying a physical card, most travelers now use SimplyGo by tapping their own contactless credit card at the MRT gantry. I never took a taxi again after that first mistake.
Tip
- Do not eat or drink on the MRT. The fine is SGD 500. They mean it.
- Avoid peak hours — 8:00–9:00am and 6:00–7:30pm — carriages get genuinely packed
Hawker Centers: Where the Real Eating Happens
- Average meal cost: SGD 4–8 at most stalls
- Best time to go: Slightly off-peak — 11:30am or after 1:30pm
- Payment: Cash preferred, though some now accept PayNow
Maxwell Food Centre smells like stock and char and something faintly sweet I never identified. I ate there four times in three days. The queue at Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice starts before the stall opens. That chicken, served at room temperature over rice cooked in the same broth, is one of the better things I’ve eaten anywhere.
Tip
- Try chili crab, satay, and char kway teow before anything else
- Hawker stalls don’t take reservations — find a seat first, then order
Cash, Cards, and What You Actually Need
- Currency: Singapore Dollar (SGD)
- Cards: Accepted almost everywhere in malls and restaurants
- Cash: Still needed at Hawker Centers and older wet markets
I carried about SGD 50–80 in cash at any time and never ran short. The city is not aggressively cash-dependent, but trying to tap a card at a hawker stall run by an 80-year-old man who’s been making prawn noodles since 1978 is not the move.
Visas and Mandatory Entry Forms: Check Before You Book
- SG Arrival Card (SGAC): Mandatory for ALL travelers; submit online via ICA within 3 days of arrival
- Visas: Nationalities needing a visa should apply through an authorized agent
- Processing time: 3–5 working days for e-Visas, but allow 4 weeks for manual cases
Check the ICA website first. Most visitors don’t need a visa, but everyone must complete the SG Arrival Card (SGAC) digital form before flying. Skipping it means entirely Avoidable delays at immigration. If you do need a visa, remember that you cannot submit the form yourself—it must go through an authorized agent.
Tip
- Passport must have at least 6 months validity beyond your intended departure date
- Submit your SGAC early—it’s free and takes five minutes.
SIM Cards: Get One at the Airport
- Singtel: From SGD 15 for 100GB (Tourist SIM)
- M1: From SGD 12, validity from 7–12 days
- StarHub: Similar pricing, with an eSIM option
All three are available in the Arrivals hall at Changi Airport. I picked up a Singtel card for SGD 15 before I left the terminal. Coverage was solid everywhere I went, including the nature reserves and the southern islands.
Cultural Rules Worth Knowing
- Dress code: Modest clothing for religious sites
- Littering: Fines start at SGD 300
- Jaywalking: Fines apply; use designated crossings
Singapore enforces its rules. Not aggressively, but genuinely. I watched someone get stopped for eating on the MRT. The fine is SGD 500 and it was paid without argument. The place works because most people seem to prefer following the standards.
A Few Places Worth the Time
- For green space: Singapore Botanic Gardens is free and genuinely large.
- For something unexpected: Jewel Changi Airport is worth an hour even if you’re not flying.
- For something wilder: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve has primary rainforest 12km from the center.
The Honest Answer
Singapore is not cheap, but it’s predictable. You know what you’re getting: functioning transport, clean streets, and food that’s genuinely good at every price point. The hawker centers alone justify the trip. If you want a city that works, and food that makes you stop mid-bite, Singapore is hard to argue with.
