Singapore, Singapore
Changi is safe, orderly and easy — the two things to get right are the free SG Arrival Card (submit it online before you land, only via ICA) and the strict customs rules: there is no duty-free allowance for cigarettes, and vapes are banned outright. Into the city, the MRT is cheap or a metered taxi / Grab is simple. It's the Singapore dollar, and cards work everywhere.
Every visitor must submit the SG Arrival Card (SGAC) online, within 3 days before arrival — it's free and includes a health declaration. Use only the official ICA e-service or the MyICA app; you'll get an electronic acknowledgement linked to your passport, so there's nothing to print.
Scam warning: Only eservices.ica.gov.sg (and the MyICA app) are official and free. Many look-alike sites charge a 'service fee' for the same free form.
Many nationalities enter visa-free, and Changi's automated lanes make immigration fast. Have your passport ready and follow the signs for automated clearance or manned counters as directed.
Use the red channel if you're carrying anything dutiable. Singapore gives no duty-free allowance for cigarettes, so all tobacco must be declared and taxed — even a single cigarette. E-cigarettes and vapes are illegal to bring in, possess or use under the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act (in force since 1 May 2026), with fines up to S$10,000. Alcohol is duty-free only up to 2 litres, apportioned (for example 1L spirits + 1L wine).
Scam warning: Undeclared cigarettes and vapes are routinely caught and fined heavily (up to S$10,000, with possible jail) — it isn't worth the risk.
Check the baggage screens for your flight number to find the carousel, and keep your bag-tag receipt until you've left the airport.
File a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at the baggage-service desk in the reclaim hall before you exit — it's much easier than starting a claim later.
Tip: Photograph your bag and its tag before you fly; it speeds up any claim.
Singapore is highly card-friendly, so a card covers almost everything. If you want Singapore dollars, use a bank ATM in the arrivals hall and choose to be charged in SGD (decline any home-currency conversion). City money-changers (like Mustafa or Raffles Place) beat the airport rate if you're changing cash.
Singtel, StarHub and M1 have SIM counters in arrivals (roughly S$12–50 with generous data), or use a travel eSIM. Data is cheap and fast island-wide.
The MRT runs from Changi Airport station (below Terminals 2 and 3) into the city for about S$2–3, taking ~45 minutes with one change at Tanah Merah onto the East-West line. Tap in with a contactless bank card (SimplyGo) or a tourist pass. Trains run roughly 05:30–23:30 — after that, take a taxi or Grab.
Grab, Gojek and TADA all work at Changi with a set fare and no airport surcharge, so they're often cheaper than a taxi. Book in the app and walk to the signposted ride-hail pickup zone in your terminal's arrivals.
Taxis are honest and metered — join the official taxi queue outside arrivals. The fare to the centre is about S$25–40 including a Changi airport surcharge (S$6–8), with extra during weekday peak (25%) and midnight–06:00 (50%). No haggling needed; the meter is the price.
Before leaving the baggage hall, file a PIR at the baggage-service desk and keep your tag receipt and a photo of the bag. You'll get a reference number to track the claim.
Go to your airline's transfer desk in the transit area — don't clear immigration if your onward flight leaves from here. Airlines normally rebook a connection missed because of a late inbound flight.
Report it to airport police, then contact your country's embassy or consulate for an emergency travel document. Keep a photo of your passport's ID page on your phone before you travel.
Go to an airport medical point or information desk, or call the local emergency number (shown in this airport's arrival tips) — it usually works from any phone, even with no SIM. Numbers differ by country, so don't assume 112 works everywhere.
Do not leave immediately — note the ATM's bank and location, then call your card issuer to block the card. Machines inside bank branches are safer to retrieve from than standalone ones.