Why Study in Singapore?

ABOUT SINGAPORE

Singapore is located approximately 137 kilometers north of the equator. It comprises the main island of Singapore and some 63 offshore islands. Singapore is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

OUR PEOPLE AND FESTIVALS

There are close to four million Singaporeans of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian ethnicity. The main religions practiced are Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Christianity and Hinduism. The four official languages in Singapore are Bahasa Malayu, Chinese (Mandarin), Tamil and English. The national language is Bahasa Malayu, while English is widely used as the language of administration. The different ethnic groups in Singapore coexist peacefully and they enjoy religious harmony.

Singapore offers all the technological excellence of the West. It is less expensive to study in Singapore than in most other major cities of the West. Strategically located, Singapore is poised to grow tremendously in the new millennium.

Students who are part of this dynamic growth process would have opportunities in the various Financial, Information Technology and Manufacturing sectors.

With political stability and a conducive study environment, Singapore is an ideal place to gain an internationally recognised educational qualification.

WEATHER

Singapore's climate is warm and humid, with only slight variations between the average maximum of 31 degrees Celcius and minimum of 23 degrees Celcius. This makes it ideal for those who enjoy sunbathing, swimming, sailing and other water sports. But for those who do not enjoy the tropical climate, Singapore is sheltered from the worst effects of the sun with air-conditioning in almost all of its shops, hotels, office buildings and restaurants.

Rain falls throughout the year, with more consistent rain coming during the monsoon season from November to January. Showers are usually sudden and heavy, but also brief and refreshing.

GETTING AROUND SINGAPORE

MRT

The Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) is a modern, air-conditioned passenger train service with stations all over the city. There are two main lines - one from Marina Bay to Jurong East via Woodlands and the other from Changi Airport to Boon Lay. You can obtain a copy of "A Quick Guide to MRT Travel" from the Station Control Rooms in all MRT stations.

For more information on both the MRT and bus services, you can refer to the TransitLink Guide, which is available at S$1.50 in most MRT stations and bus interchanges as well as at major bookstores.

From the city centre, the MRT ride to the Changi Airport station is only 27 minutes. The train service from the Changi Airport station operates at an average frequency of 12 minutes and its service hours are as follows:

Changi Airport station to City Hall station
First train: 5:31am (Mon to Sat), 5:59am (Sun and public holidays)
Last train: 11:18pm (daily)

City Hall station to Changi Airport station
First train: 6:09am (Mon to Sat), 6:45am (Sun and public holidays)
Last train: 12:03am (daily)

The fare for a single trip from Changi Airport station to City Hall station is S$1.40. For the convenience of travellers, trains serving the Changi Airport station provide luggage racks and free space in every carriage.

The Rail Travel Information System (RATIS) disseminates real-time information on train arrival times and destinations. The information is displayed on plasma screens in the platform area and on LED panels found on the concourse. Do read the train destinations from the RATIS or listen to in-train announcements to ensure that you are travelling on the right train to your destination.

If you are on board a train going towards Pasir Ris station, you will need to alight at Tanah Merah interchange station and board the train going towards Changi Airport station.

• Frequency
  
  Trains operate at intervals of between two and a half minutes and eight minutes from 5:30am until 12:30am daily. Check at respective MRT stations for precise train arrival/departure timings.
  

• Fares
  
  Travelling on the MRT is cheap, with rides ranging from S$0.80 to a maximum of S$1.70. Instead of using cash, you may choose to pay your MRT and bus fares with a stored value Ez-link Card. The Card can be bought or revalued from any TransitLink Ticket Sales Office located in most MRT stations and bus interchanges. Each adult Card is sold with a minimum value of S$10.00 plus a deposit fee of S$5.00.

BUS

You can easily get from one point to another by bus with an ez-link Card, which can also be used on the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT). SBS bus 36 runs between Orchard Road and Changi Airport. The public bus stations are located in Terminal 1 at Basement 2, and in Terminal 2 at Basement Level. Details of bus routes and fares are displayed at bus stations.

Fares

• S$0.70 to S$1.40 - non air-conditioned buses

• S$0.80 to S$1.70 - air-conditioned buses.

Exact fare is required. Check with the bus driver on the appropriate fare for your destination or visit the TransitLink website for the fare structure. Alternatively, call the TransitLink hotline at 1800-767 4333 (toll-free in Singapore only, operating hours are from Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm and Saturday, 8am to 1pm) for assistance.

Operating hours:

From 6am to 12 midnight. Check at respective bus interchanges or bus stops for precise bus arrival/departure timings.

SIA HOP-ON

Hop onto this tourist bus service and explore the shopping, cultural and entertainment areas within the city. The SIA Hop-on covers Orchard Road, Bugis Junction, Suntec City, the Civic District, Boat Quay, Chinatown, Little India and the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Fares

• Singapore Stopover Holiday (SSH) passengers (Please present SSH Identification Card for boarding): Free of charge

• Singapore Airlines or SilkAir passengers (Please present air ticket or boarding pass when purchasing day pass): S$3.00 for adults and children.

• Other visitors: S$6.00 for adults and S$4.00 for children.

• Tickets can be purchased from most hotels, SIA ticket offices in the city and from the bus drivers directly.

• Operating hours: Daily, from 9am to 6pm at 30-minute intervals.

TAXIS

Over 15,000 air-conditioned cabs provide comfortable, hassle-free travel at a very reasonable cost. They can be flagged down 24 hours a day on most roads, with well-marked taxi-stands available outside most major shopping centres and hotels. At Changi Airport, the taxi stand is located just outside the Arrival Hall on Level 1 in Terminal 1, and located at the end of the Arrival Hall on Level 1 in Terminal 2 (South Wing)

Standard Taxi Rates

All taxis are metered.

• S$2.40 for first 1km or part thereof (flag down fare)

• S$0.10 for every 225m thereafter (up to 10km)

• S$0.10 for every 200m thereafter (from 10km onwards)

• S$0.10 for every 30 secs/25 secs of waiting time

Surcharges

Some surcharges not shown on the meter include:

• Between 12am and 6am: 50% of fare

• Each time a taxi is hired at Changi or Seletar Airport: S$3.00. A surcharge of S$5.00 is payable on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for trips from 5pm to 12 midnight.

• Each time a taxi is hired at Singapore Expo: S$2.00

• Each time a taxi is hired through the telephone:
  - for current bookings: S$2.80 (TIBS), S$3.00 (CityCab), S$3.20 (Comfort)
  - at least half an hour in advance: S$4.80 (TIBS), S$5.00 (CityCab), S$5.20 (Comfort)

• Each time a Premier taxi is hired through the telephone:
  for current bookings: S$8.00 (TIBS/Comfort)
  - at least half an hour in advance: S$16.00 (TIBS/Comfort)

• Between 5pm to 8pm, Mon to Fri for taxis hired within the CBD: S$1.00 (CityCab)

• Between 5pm to 8pm, Mon to Thu and 5pm to 12 midnight, Fri & Sat for taxis hired within the CBD: S$1.00 (Comfort/Tibs)

• Between 7:30am to 9:30am and 5pm to 8pm, Mon to Sat: S$1.00

• Each time a station wagon or London cab is hired: S$1.00

• Each time the passenger pays by credit card: 10% of fare

• From 6pm on the eve of five major public holidays (New Year's Day, first and second day of Lunar New Year, Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali and Christmas) to 12am of the day of the public holiday (surcharge will apply on the following Monday if the public holiday falls on a Sunday): S$1.00

• Everytime a taxi passes through an Electronic Road Pricing gantry during peak hours on various roads (including the major expressways), a charge ranging from S$0.50 to S$3.00 is added to the taxi fare. For specific charges visit the Land Transport Authority site.

Note:
Drivers showing red destination labels on their dashboard or windscreen are changing shift and prefer to accept passengers travelling in that general direction only.