The Free Singapore Tour is back for international transit travelers after three years of the pandemic. Of all major airport layover tours, the Singapore Changi Airport transit tour is the most interesting one. A free city sightseeing tour or a walking tour across the airport is the best to kill a layover (minimum 5.5 hours) at Changi Airport while traveling on Singapore Airlines flights between India and USA. The Free Singapore Tour comprises two city sightseeing itineraries (City Sights Tour), one itinerary exploring the airport (Jewel Tour), and a newly added residential town & village beach tour (Changi Precinct Tour). You can pre-book either of the four tour itineraries.
What are the eligibility requirements for a free Singapore airport or city tour?
All international transit travelers are eligible for the Free Singapore Tour, regardless of their nationality. The first and foremost condition is the layover period or transit time that must be between 5.5 hours to 24 hours. Your transit schedule at Changi Airport should correspond with the tour timings.
How to register for a free Singapore transit tour?
You can register online for the Free Singapore Tour, a guided service. You can pre-book a tour itinerary of your choice under the ‘Airport Guide’ section of the website ChangiAirport.com. Do note that registration or booking is absolutely free.
Is an entry or transit visa required for the Free Singapore Tour?
US citizens do not need an entry or transit visa for a Changi Airport tour or a Singapore City sightseeing tour. Singapore offers 96-hour visa free transit facility (VFTF) to Indians in transit to or from any third country via Changi International Airport. Indian passport holders with a valid US/UK/Canada/Japan/Australia/NZ visa and valid onward flight tickets are eligible for 96-hour visa free transit in Singapore. An entry visa to Singapore is required for an airport layover/city transit tour, if Indian transit travelers do not meet the eligibility criteria for the visa-free transit facility.
PC: Wikipedia (left) | Caroandbram.com (right)
Changi Airport Precinct Tour
Among free Singapore airport layover tours for transit travelers, the 2.5-hour Changi Precinct Tour will take you away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The tour will let you explore a “uniquely designed residential town and a quiet village.” the tour starts with a visit to Tampines, the residential town which was once a forested area with swamps. The town won the UN World Habitat Award for being an exemplary model of local Singaporean life.
The Changi Precinct Tour goes through Tampines Hub, Singapore’s largest integrated community and lifestyle hub with environment-friendly space for food and leisure services. The next stop on the tour is Changi Chapel & Museum where the story of the prisoners of World War II is preserved.
Changi Village and Beach Park is the most beautiful part of Changi Precinct Tour for international transit travelers in Singapore. It is a recreational getaway with pristine white beaches immersed in tranquility, where you can breathe in fresh air, listen to your heartbeats, and drink to natural beauty. This is also a popular place for plane spotting.
Changi Airport Jewel Tour
A 2.5-km walking tour across Changi International Airport. Exploring the world’s best airport (in 2023), from the Control Tower to Canopy Park to the forest valley and indoor waterfall in the Jewel complex, is the best thing to do during transit in Singapore if your layover falls short of city sightseeing. Changi Airport’s Jewel tour starts from the Jewel complex where you can breathe in the calm of the lush green landscape inundated with natural light.
The world’s tallest indoor waterfall at Singapore Changi Airport is the prime attraction of the Jewel Tour. The cascading waterfall doubles up as a light-and-sound show in the evenings. Family travelers with kids can see the magic of aviation through interactive games and immersive projections in the Changi Experience Studio. The Jewel tour ends at Canopy Park on the topmost floor of the Jewel complex sprawling 14,000 sqm. The Canopy Park is a recreational wonderland with a number of attractions for children.
Singapore City Sights Tour
A City Sights Tour makes the Free Singapore Tour a lot interesting for international transit travelers. The 2.5-hour City Sights Tour showcases the modern landscape of Singapore as a most vibrant city. The tour starts from City Hall where there are the Parliament House and the Supreme Court within spitting distance from. It takes travelers through the Civic District where the old national monuments are juxtaposed with the modern skyscrapers.
The Jubilee Bridge is a significant landmark that commands vivid views of the Marina Bay and the city skyline during the City Sights Tour. The tour includes a 30-minute stopover at the Merlion Park, a major tourist attraction without any entry fee. There are many beautiful spots to take photos and selfies for Instagram. Another 30-minute stopover is at the Gardens by Marina Bay where more than 500,000 plants make a horticultural oasis. The Avatar-like Supertrees that add to the dazzles of the night sky are a must see during this tour.
Singapore Heritage Tour
A 2.5-hour Heritage Tour transports you back to the colonial past of Singapore. It includes stopovers at Chinatown and Kampong Gelam home to many architectural marvels. A heritage tour for international transit travelers in Singapore starts from Marina Bay and continues through Central Business District where the city’s iconic hawker center and a thriving night street food zone are located amid modern high-rises.
Integral to the colonial history of Singapore, Chinatown is a 30-minute stopover during the heritage tour. Street murals depicting the lives of locals in the bygone decades do not go unnoticed. This free Singapore tour for transit travelers includes a visit to the Singapore River and its quays, where the economy of the country is believed to have been cradled. Glimpses of the bustling life in this part of old Singapore are simply unmissable.
The next stopover is Bugis, the early settlement of Europeans in Singapore during the colonial era. Some of the country’s oldest churches with towering spires are situated here. This area is also known as Arts District. The heritage tour culminates at Kampong Gelam where the lifestyle of locals is an interface between the traditional and the trendy. This neighborhood is home to some of Singapore’s swanky cafes and ultramodern art galleries.
I have a layover for about 10+ hours at Changi Airport, I’m a UK citizen holding a British passport.
can I do immigration and go inside the city and do the tour on my own and come back to pick up my later flight?
Please advise.
Hi Ramesh! In our knowledge, British citizens are eligible for visa-free entry to Singapore during transit/layover at Changi International Airport. Kindly note that this is subject to approval by the Immigration and Checkpoint Authority at the airport. We have little idea whether international transit travelers can go out of the airport for city sightseeing, without joining a free tour conducted by the airport.
We are going to India for US stamping, so we don’t have valid US Visa stamped on passport in that case we have to apply for Singapore e-visa or transit visa? Also while returning to US we will have valid US stamp in that case no need to apply for any Singapore visa? Please Advice.
Hi Harika! No Singapore visa is required while returning to the USA with a valid US visa. You may not need a Singapore e-visa or transit visa if you stay within the transit area of Changi Airport and do not go through immigration while traveling to India via Singapore.
Hi we are going to hongkong and transit at Singapore. We have induan passport. We have 6 hours layover at singapore. Is it possible to visit the jewel changi airport without singapore visa?
Can I use a Canadian PR card to enter Singapore for < 96 hours when I am traveling from USA to India via Singapore with Indian passport?
Hi Sumithra! In our knowledge, you can.
If I choose a free singapore city tour as a transit passenger, then I want to know regarding whether I need to buy seprate ticket for entry in garden by the bay and Marina bay and Jubilee bridge?
Hello, this is Babu and we are travelling to India with my kids ( myself, Indian national with US work authorisation / Advance Parole and no visa stamped and my 2 kids, who are US citizens) and I do have 12 hour layover in Singapore while travelling from US to Indian so do I have to apply e-visa/ transit / visa on arrival/ free.
Appreciate your help.
Thanks,
Babu
Hi Babu! Your sons being US citizens don’t need any sort of visa for Singapore. If you hold a valid US visa, you are eligible for Singapore’s 96-hour visa-free transit. We have little idea whether an Indian national with advance parole requires an e-visa/transit visa for Singapore.
Hi , i am an indian travelling back from china and have a layover of 14 hours. I only have chinese visa stamped on my passport. How can i take the singapore city sightseeing tour ? Please advise. _/\_
Hi Snigdhendu! In our knowledge, Indians having a Chinese visa are not eligible for visa-free transit in Singapore. You need to apply for an entry visa to Singapore for city sightseeing.
I am traveling with a single Journey visa to China through Singapore. One the return back to India, am I eligible for Visa Free Transit facility for 96 hours? I have a US Visa that is valid till 2032. I intend to meet few of my company’s customers in Singapore with a valid return ticket to India within 96 hours. Do I need an invite from the customer to avail the Visa Free Transit Facility?
Hi Anand! In our knowledge, you are eligible for Singapore’s 96-hour visa free transit on the way back to India.
Hi. I am a Medicine student currently studying in Philippines. I am going on a vacation to India this month through Scoot airlines and have 20 hours layover in Singapore airport. As an Indian Passport holder, am I eligible for the Visa free Transit Facility?
Hi Ayesha! We are not sure whether Indian passport holders with the Philippines visa are eligible for Singapore’s visa-free transit facility.
Hi we’re travelling from India to Thailand via Singapore Air and have a 10 hour layover to explore Singapore, are we eligible for the visa free transit?
Hey Rowllah, I wish I could help you, I am trying to understand the same, Please advise if you find something out, Thanks
Hi, I am an Indian passport holder traveling from UAE to Indonesia. I have a 9 hrs layover and want to do the transit Singapore tour. Do I need to get a visa for that?
Hi, I am an Indian passport holder with a valid US visa. I am traveling to Thailand via Singapore through Singapore Airlines with a layover of over 23hrs. Am I eligible for a Singapore transit visa?
Hi Shiv! In our knowledge, you are.
Hello sir Maine Indian passport dharak hu mujhe Australia jana hai to Kya Maine Ek din Singapore ruk kar ghum sakta hu bina visa k
Can I just stay on the bus for the entire duration?
Hi,
I’m an Indian Passport Holder travelling to Bali, Indonesia via Singapore through FlyScoot Airlines with a layover of 9hours.
Am I eligible for visa free transit facility (VFTF)???
Hi,
I am in Indian passport holder with a valid NZ visa, travelling to India from Auckland with a 12 hour layover in Singapore. I am interested in doing the Free Singapore city tour offered by Chengi Airport during layover.
Do i need any sort of entry visa to avail that ?
Thanks in advance
Hi,
I am an Indian passport holder with a valid Australia PR, traveling from India to Melbourne with a 12-hour layover in Singapore.
traveling via different carriers (IndiGo & Singapore Air
I need to go out to collect baggage from IndiGo and a boarding pass from Singapore Airlines, Does this consider a transit Visa?
Thanks in advance
HI,
My Name is MJ, currently indian passport holder with permanent residency in UK. Travelling to London from Indonesia, but planning to stay in singpaore for 3 days. According to the official site I can get transit visa, but when I contacted the Singapore High commission in London they mentioned that official at entry point can deny as its not a 100% gurenteed. Not sure what’s the best case scenarion in this. Shall we take a chance and soldier on as I have all teh requirements to get the 96 hours Visa anyway.
Thanks in advance
MJ
Hi Praveen! We are not much knowledgeable about this. All we can say is that if you are traveling with Singapore Airlines, you can contact the airline.
Hi,
My name is Shubham. I am from India. We have pre-booked the Singapore city tour at Changi airport. However, I do not have visa for any of these countries – US/UK/Canada/Japan/Australia/NZ. Will I be able to get the transit visa to go on a free city tour offered by the airport? Or do I need to apply for the Singapore visa?
Hi Shubham! We have little knowledge of this.
Hi,
I am visiting flying
5 Nov- Mumbai- Singapore ( 3 days stay in Singapore)
8 Nov Singapore- Malaysia( 3 days in KL)
11 Nov Malaysia- Mumbai
I hold valid US and Canada Visa. Since I am in Singapore for
less than 96 hrs and leaving Sg by air, can I enter Singapore under VFTF? Is the VFTF process smooth? Will immigration authorities in India check my passport for Singapore Visa before allowing me to leave?
Hello!
I am going to Bali from New Delhi in the month of February 2024. I have two connecting flights with different airlines one is with Air India and the other is with Jetstar. And the layover is more than 9hrs. Do I need to have transit visa for that. And while returning also these two connecting flights.
I am in Indian passport holder with a valid Australian visa, travelling to Australia from India with a 15 hour layover in Singapore. My husband is an Australian passport holder travelling with me. We are interested in doing the Free Singapore city tour offered by Changi Airport during the layover. My husband is eligible due to Australian passport. Am I also eligible to do the free Singapore city tour with him??
Hi,
I will be traveling to Bali from Mumbai in the month of February 2024. I have two connecting flights with different airlines one is with Air India and the other is with Jetstar. And the layover is more than 9hrs. Do I need to have transit visa for that. ??? And while returning also these two connecting flights. Please respond ASAP !
Hi..
I am Dr.Selvaraj, Indian passport holder, working in China (holding Chinese visa). We would like to return back to India on January, and transfer through changi airport after 5.55 hours waiting period. Please let me know, do you we need to get transit visa even we are not going out from airport.
Thank you
Hello,
My wife and I will be traveling from Delhi, India to Bali, Indonesia in March 2024. We have connecting flights with the same airline (Singapore Airlines) and the layover is more than 11 hours. Do we need to have a transit visa for that? Additionally, is any visa required for the Free Singapore Tour – City Sights Tour? I hold an Indian Passport.
Hi,
I am an Indian. I am going to Bali, Indonesia for one week trip, while returning from Bali layover at singapore, Almost 23hrs time with me to next flight which is from Singapore to India. Can I get transit Visa? please suggest me.
regards,
Mani MN
HI,
I’m an Indian citizen with valid US visa who is flying from India to Australia. I was wondering if I need a visa for the Free Singapore Tour.
Thanks!
Hi,
My wife and kids will be travelling from India to Australia via Singapore where they will have 15 hrs of lay off. They have PR visa for Australia. So, are they eligible for free Singapore city tour?
Thanks