After a three-year pause due to COVID-19, Changi’s Free Singapore Tour offers a fresh look at local life and culture.
SINGAPORE: Transit passengers passing through Changi Airport with a few hours to spare can once again explore Singapore through the Free Singapore Tour, now featuring a new route to the Tampines estate. Relaunched on Apr 3 by Changi Airport Group (CAG), Singapore Airlines (SIA), and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the tours have resumed after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A fourth itinerary now takes visitors to eastern Singapore, in addition to the original three refreshed routes. Each two-and-a-half-hour tour is available for transit and transfer passengers with layovers of at least five-and-a-half hours and less than 24 hours.
New Changi Precinct Tour
The new route showcases Tampines New Town, which highlights Singapore’s approach to high-quality, affordable housing. Stops include Tampines Central Park and Our Tampines Hub, an integrated community complex. The tour also provides insights into the lifestyle of local residents and the historical significance of the area. Additional stops include the Changi Chapel and Museum, Changi Village, and Changi Park.
Updated Itineraries
New sights have been added to the existing routes. The Jewel Tour now includes local snack tastings, while the City Sights Tour features national monuments like Anderson Bridge and the Padang, a potential UNESCO World Heritage Site. Starting in June, the Heritage Tour will also introduce visitors to spots like Chinatown’s Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Arab Street.
Originally launched in 1987, the Free Singapore Tour attracted over 80,000 passengers in 2019, with Indian and Australian travelers making up a large share of participants.
