Hello, Joanna reporting and I am back from my short trip to Hong Kong!
I am currently in the office, still in what may be construed as PJs, and still very overfed (thanks to my culinar-ily talented colleague), as I write this.
I arrived at Changi Airport at 1.40am. Honestly having never really paid attention to the arrival hall before, I had assumed little to write about. After all, I’m usually exhausted after a long flight and would usually be desperate to get to my hotel/home. Or perhaps that’s just me. Whatever the case, I had set my mind on exploring, and here’s an entry on everything I found.
Changi Recommends
In the previous post on Changi Airport, I had mentioned Changi Recommends, from which I purchased my Hong Kong tourist SIM card. If anyone is interested to know, it worked a treat! Setting up was as simple as slotting the SIM card into the phone, and switching it on. There was no set up needed and I could use it as soon as I had landed. The call quality was clear, based on the one phone call I had made. More importantly, the internet connection was great, regardless of where I was. I had brought an extra phone for the Hong Kong SIM card, and even though I had tethered onto it for data connectivity, I had no problems loading Facebook, Instagram, and my Web Browser. All for SGD$15!
Overseas WiFi routers and overseas SIM cards are just Changi Recommends’ value-added features though. It’s focus is on travellers flying in to Singapore. Located in all three arrival halls, Changi Recommends offers a wide variety of services.
Hotel Booking
Especially for travellers flying at the last minute, or who find themselves unexpectedly in Singapore, Changi Recommends helps travellers to make hotel bookings on the spot. The best part: whilst most last minute bookings tend to cost more, bookings with Changi Recommends do not, and sometimes would even cost less. Check out this review by a traveller who found herself stranded in Singapore when her flight was cancelled. The hotel booked for her had a walk-in rate of $445/night. With Changi Recommends, she got her last minute accommodation at $210/night.
Sale of Local SIM Cards
If you want to purchase a local SIM card before leaving the airport, you can. With at least four different types of prepaid SIM cards available, there are many options to suit your needs. Unsure as to which to get? Fret not! The counter staff will be more than happy to figure out what your needs are and which SIM card to purchase.
Rental of Local WiFi Router
If you do not need to make local calls or SMS, the other cost effective option available is to rental a WiFi router for just $10 a day.
What makes this better than purchasing a SIM card is that you needn’t bring along an extra phone, and there is no tethering involved so you needn’t worry about keeping your phone sufficiently charged.
All you’ll have to do is to make a reservation online, 3 days in advance, and then collect it at the Arrival Hall most convenient for you.
Purchase Attraction Tickets
A commonly-asked question on Trabble is where can one purchase attraction tickets at a discounted price. Whilst there are many retailers selling attraction tickets and packages, there is concern about the legitimacy of these tickets.
With Changi Recommends, you can breathe easy. From singular tickets to packages, you can purchase all the tickets you’ll need at a discounted rate, with a peace of mind. Attractions available includes Universal Studios Singapore, S.E.A. Aquarium, Gardens by the Bay, ALIVE! Museum, the Singapore Zoological Gardens, and more!
Talk about a one-stop shop! At Changi Recommends, you can get everything you’ll need for your trip before you even leave the airport.
Taxi Stands
Every arrival hall has two taxi stands, one on each end. That way, regardless of where you collect your bag, you’ll never have to walk the entire length of the hall just to grab a taxi.
Even though it was about 2:45am by the time I had decided to leave, I had no difficulties catching a taxi. There were many taxis available on hand and I didn’t have to wait, despite the queue. This was truly a relief as I had on my backpack full of souvenirs from Hong Kong, my carry-on bag, as well as a bag of alcohol from the Duty-free section (1 vodka, 1 red wine, and 3 beers — I maxed out my allowance, naturally).
So, here ends my mini-series on Changi Airport. There are a lot more facilities and services offered, especially during the day. One thing’s for certain, you’d never truly be lost in Changi Airport, because there’s always something for everyone’s needs.
How to find those facilities/services? There are a few ways.
1. Download the iChangi App
The iChangi App comes complete with maps and a list of all the facilities, F&B establishments, shops and services available, as well as real-time flight information. Have a quick browse and find something that catches your fancy or meets your needs.
It is available for download on iOS (iPhone and iPad), Android, Windows Phone 7 & 8, and Blackberry.
2. Ask at the Information/Customer Service Counter
3. Approach a Changi Experience Agent
Especially if you’re in the transit area where customer service desks have quite a few metres in between each, you could approach a Changi Experience Agent. They can be found walking around the airport, eager and willing to help anyone with any questions. Many of them are bilingual too, so you needn’t worry about language barriers.
Just look out for their brightly coloured uniforms and purple ties.
Have any more questions about travelling to Singapore? Ask Trabble! If you need help planning your itinerary, check out our Trabble Toolkit, an itinerary support trove.
