Population:2,700,000
Area:238.6 square miles (618.1sq. km)
Time Zone:Greenwich Mean Time plus eight hours; Time in Singapore is 12 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in New York. (13 hours ahead of central time in Chicago, etc.)
International Dialing Code:International Access Code: 106 for Malaysia (before the country code), 104 for other countries in the area.
Country Code 65
City Codes not required.
Emergency Numbers:Ambulance: 995Fire: 995Police: 999
Passports:Valid passport or internationally recognized travel document and an onward/return ticket are required of all visitors.
Visas:Visas are not required for most nationals of non-communist countries for social visits of under 14 days. Visitors arriving as tourists are given a 14-day social visit pass on arrival. As regulations may change from time to time, international visitors are encouraged to check with the nearest Singapore overseas mission before departure.
Currency:The currency unit is the Singapore dollar (S$).
Coins are in denominations of: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 cents.
Notes are in denominations of: $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500, $1,000 and $10,000.
Brunei notes are interchangeable with Singapore notes and are quite common. The best exchange rate can be obtained at banks, or at bank ATM machines through credit cards. Just as in the US, it is best to use an ATM outside or inside a bank (in case the ATM card should be retained for any reason by the machine).
Tipping:Tipping is not usual in Singapore. The staff at large international hotels may, however, expect tips.
Bargaining:It is wise to become acquainted with prices so that you can bargain effectively at small shops that do not have fixed prices. Some merchants add only a small mark up over their cost; others add on a greater percentage
Customs Regulations:Contact Head, Terminal Section Airports Branch Customs & Excise Department, Singapore Changi Airport Changi Airport P.O. Box 5 Singapore 9181 Tel: 5459122 or 5427058 for information
Or The Customs Officer Singapore Changi Airport Tel: 5412572 or your nearest Singapore Overseas Mission.Average Temperatures:
F
High
Low
Jan. - March
88
73
April - June
90
75
July - Sept.
88
73
Oct. - Dec.
88
73
The climate in Singapore is tropical, with an average daytime
temperature around 80ºF. Evening temperatures are only slightly lower.
Rainstorms occur on about 40% of all days in Singapore. Rainstorms are usually
short and intense, and because of the tropical air temperatures, the rain is
warm.
Useful measurements:1 cm 0.39 inches 1 meter 3.28 feet / 1.09 yards1 km 0.62 miles1 liter 0.26 gallons1 inch 2.54 cm1 foot 0.39 meters1 yard 0.91 meters1 mile 1.60 km1 gallon 3.78 liters
National Holidays:
January 1 - New Year's Day
Two days: Jan. or Feb. - Lunar(Chinese) New Year
January (date varies each year) - Hari Raya Puasa
March (date varies) - Hari Raya Haji
April (date varies according to date of (Easter - Good Friday)
April or May Wesak Day
May 1 - Labor Day
August 9 - National Day
November (date varies) - Deepavali
December 25 - Christmas Day
Electricity:
Singapore has 230 voltage:
To use a 110/120 volt appliance (U.S. appliance) where there is only 220/240 power available, you must use a step down or combination converter. Your appliance's wattage and circuitry will dictate the converter you need to purchase.
Dual Voltage Appliances are recommended. They are designed to work with both 110/120 or 220/240 volt electricity and tend to work better than using a converter with an existing appliance.
Modem/Phone Adapter Plugs for Singapore:
Singapore has the following telephone jack(s): RJ11, TUK
Non-RJ11 jacks require an outlet adapter for use with the U.S. RJ11 phone plug.
Phone adapter plugs can be used in reverse to adapt the Singapore phone plug to the RJ11 outlet.
Visitors with disabilities: Please contact:
Handicaps Welfare Association,
16 Whampoa Drive, (behind Block 102),
Singapore 327725.
Tel : (65) 254 3006
How to get around:
Cars: a car is not necessary in Singapore as there is an excellent public transportation system. If you decide on using a car, rentals can be obtained from any of the international firms, or from local car hire firms. You will need both a national and international license. The law requires driving on the left side of the road and wearing a seat belt. Parking is expensive in the city.
Taxis: Taxis can be hailed from the street or, for an additional cost, called on the telephone. Taxi drivers are not given tips.
Trains: Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system is a new, clean and easy way to travel. The train consists of two main lines that run north-south and east-west. Coin-operated ticket-dispensing machines are located inside the main doors at each station. Money-changing machines for changing paper money to coins are located opposite the ticket machines. Enter the platform through the gates marked with green arrows. There the ticket is inserted, arrow first (and facing up). The machine will open the gate and return the ticket. The same procedure is followed at the destination, except that the ticket will not be returned.
Buses: There are two types of buses in Singapore: the Singapore Bus Service and the Trans-Island Bus Service. You can purchase a Singapore Explorer ticket that will allow you to travel anywhere for up to three days. The ticket comes with a useful map with details on major tourist destinations and whcih service to use to get there. For more information. pick up the "See Singapore by Bus" pamphlet from the STPB (Singapore Tourist Promotion Board) in Raffles City.
Ships and Ferries: Ferry and water taxi services depart from Cliff Pier, Jardine Steps and the World Trade Centre for travel to Singapore's outlying islands.
Bukit-Panjang LRT (SLRT):
This automated elevated people mover line started operation
on 6 Nov 1999 and connects the MRT station at Choa-Chu-Kang with the new town of
Bukit Panjang. Service is provided on a double track loop line every 6 minutes
(2-4 minutes during rush hours) from 5:00 to 1:00. The lines are operated by
SMRT (Subway operator).
Apart from station names shown in English, stations are also numbered. Between City Hall (C2) and Raffles Place (C1) there are four tracks, both stations allow comfortable transfer between lines on the same platform, City Hall in direction north/east and Raffles Place south/west. Trains operate 5:30am - 12:30am
Airport: Changi Airport in Singapore is 10 miles (6km) from the city center and is accessible by shuttle, bus and taxi.
Its two terminals, connected by the Skytrain monorail, are modern, efficient and air-conditioned.
The airport boasts a 24-hr post office and telephone service, hotel reservations counters, day rooms, saunas, and business and internet centres. There's also a McDonald's, a Swenson's ice cream parlour and, in Terminal One's basement, a food court.
However, there isn't usually enough time to take advantage of these many amenities. Baggage comes through so quickly at Changi that you can be on a bus or in a taxi within fifteen minutes of arrival. Be sure to pick up one of the free maps and weekly "What's On" guides that the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board (STPB) leaves at the airport.
Bus departure points in the basements of both terminals are well marked, but make sure you have got the right change before you leave the concourse, as Singapore bus drivers don't give change
Take the #16 bus(every 10min, 6am-midnight).
If you arrive in the early evening, you could also take advantage of the faster #16e (every 12min, 5-8pm:
A private company, Airbus, runs a shuttle into town (every 20min, 7am-midnight). Its air-conditioned buses traveling straight into the city centre before circuiting each of the three hotel enclaves
Taxis from the airport levy a surcharge on top of the fare. Again, pick-up points are well marked: a trip into downtown Singapore takes twenty minutes There are also car rental agencies at the airport, though you'd be advised not to travel around Singapore by car.
Singapore
