Airport Boulevard leading to and from Changi airport has roadworks and lane closures scheduled 13-25 Feb 2019, a good time to consider taking the MRT train instead.
Singapore Flag.
Singapore is a great stopover on your way to Asia or Australia and a great destination in its own right. Take the train from or to the airport and learn to recognize English, Chinese and Malay names.
Arriving at Changi airport you can catch a train into town. When I visit Singapore I look at the names on the train map and try to find out what they mean which makes them easier to remember and recognize. I also listen to the announcements and ask people sitting alongside me or passers-by for translations. The station names tell you about the terrain, the geography, as well as Singapore's history.
Airport On The Train Line
Singapore's Changi airport is on the Singapore MRT, the last stop on east end of the green line, the East-West line, which forks to go to either Changi or Pasir Ris. Pasir Ris means white sand.
A One-Wheelie Bag Hop
I recently travelled to Singapore, and for the first time travelled longhaul for about 13 hours from Heathrow, with only a carry-on bag. I had less weight to carry and less clutter than usual so I considered taking the train all the way west across the island.
Taxi or Train?
Instead I gook a taxi, which cost a lot more. When my taxi got stuck in a traffic jam caused by a road accident, I thought: next time I should seriously consider taking the efficient train service. The trains run about every 5 minutes or even quicker. From Singapore's major MRT stations you can switch to the bus, hire a taxi, or a bicycle, and find fast food and a free toilet.
Swap from train to bus or bike and watch others at work. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
A couple of days later I took the wonderful MRT in the opposite direction and travelled east on the blue Downtown line towards Changi. I changed at busy Bugis onto the green East-West line (which posters tell you is being extended even further), ending at Pasir Ris.
More people will have Changi Airport as their destination.
Changi Airport. Photo by David in Wikipedia under Changi Airport.
CHANGI AIRPORT and MRT train station
Changi is known for its award-winning modern airport, a great shopping centre which has green walls and palm trees, giant sculptures, seasonal displays and a free Butterfly Garden on two levels with giant butterflies which you can admire and photograph. Changi Prison and Museum also attract those interested in history.
Free Tour Bus
If you are on Singapore Airlines and have a long stopover of, say, five hours in the daytime, you can book a free bus tour of the city which takes about two hours and gets you back in time for the hour or so you need to check in for the next flight. (The airport also has a hotel with a pool, and a cinema.)
Changi's Tree Name
The name Changi is probably botanical. The Malay version of the name stands for one of two possible plants, perhaps the hardwood tree which grew in the area and was used in building.
When you take the blue Downtown line from Changi Airport, the train map has two stations using the word Changi. The next stop is Upper Changi,
Green East-West Line Destinations
The Green line takes you from Changi Airport or Pasir Ris into town to City Hall, a big interchange. Next stop is equally busy Raffles Place, named after the man whose statue stands on the seafront and in renowned Raffles Hotel.
Raffles Place MRT station exterior. From Wikipedia.
Shopping On Orchard Road
You could go to Newton, for the nearby Sheraton Hotel. Or swap to the red line, going one stop to Orchard, the centre of Singapore. Orchard Road is a hive of hotels such as the Hilton and shopping malls plus all the seasonal lights delightfully illuminating the streets and skyscrapers at night.
The green line passes through some easy and self-explanatory station placenames; Redhill, Queenstown, Commonwealth, Dover, Chinese Garden and Lakeside.
Tampines Trees On the Green Line
The next stop is Tampines East, and the Tampines is another tree. Singapore is full of trees, bordering every road, my favourites being the rain trees like umbrellas, with orchids crowing in the fork of the branches, which you will see if you take a taxi instead of the train.
On the train, on the blue Downtown line, after Upper Changi, you reach Tampines East MRT, Tampines MRT, a big hub and bus exchange, then Tampines West.
Pasir Ris - Eend of The Green East-West Line
Pasir means sand. According to Wikipedia Pasir Ris means white sand in Malay. Most people will tell you white sand, although Infopedia gives an alternative version. Malay is written in the English alphabet, which makes it easier to pick up than the Chinese pictograms.
The Blue Downtown Line
Instead you could take the blue line. Only one stop away from Changi is Expo, with vast exhibition halls. So exhibitors and visitors to exhibitions keep this station busy. I have visited wine fairs, food fairs and other events.
The Busy Blue Line
The Blue Line eventually takes you to: Chinatown, Bayfront, Promenade, Little India and Botanic Gardens, all major visitor attractions. If you are blessed with beautiful weather, go to the Botanic Gardens, which has wonderful walks, numerous photo opportunities, as well as big shopping areas and gourmet restaurants if it rains.
The end of the blue line in the north is Bukit Panjang. Bukit is Malay for hill. Panjang means long in Malay. The Malay words often have two syllables.The adjective usually comes after the noun, unlike English. (Pasir Ris - sand white. Bukit Panjang, hill long.)
Chinese Names
Stations with single syllable names, and three single syllable names are Chinese. Remember the VIP, the late Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. I have many more posts on Singapore, the MRT, the Botanic Gardens and cities and stations around the world and learning languages. Please share links to your favourite posts.
To learn Malay and Chinese (Mandarin) for free online, use Duolingo, Memrise. Chineasy is on YouTube or buy their products from Amazon or Ebay.
Chineasy
On your MRT (train station) map you can recognize the Chinese signs for king (centre top in the Chineasy signs in King Albert Park MRT (DT6 Downtown station 6). The sign for mountain (lower left) is in Hillview MRT station (DT3) Downtown station three.
Useful Websites
MRT Train
https://www.transitlink.com.sg/images/eguide/mrt_sys_map.htm
Changi Airport
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changi
Pasir Ris Station
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasir_Ris
Learn Languages
duolingo.com
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=chineasy
Botanic Gardens:
https://www.nparks.gov.sg/SBG
Butterfly Garden at Changi Airport
http://www.changiairport.com/en/airport-experience/attractions-and-services/butterfly-garden.html
Travel to Singapore
Singapore Airlines
shttps://www.transitlink.com.sg/images/eguide/mrt_sys_map.html
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.
Singapore Flag.
Singapore is a great stopover on your way to Asia or Australia and a great destination in its own right. Take the train from or to the airport and learn to recognize English, Chinese and Malay names.
Arriving at Changi airport you can catch a train into town. When I visit Singapore I look at the names on the train map and try to find out what they mean which makes them easier to remember and recognize. I also listen to the announcements and ask people sitting alongside me or passers-by for translations. The station names tell you about the terrain, the geography, as well as Singapore's history.
Airport On The Train Line
Singapore's Changi airport is on the Singapore MRT, the last stop on east end of the green line, the East-West line, which forks to go to either Changi or Pasir Ris. Pasir Ris means white sand.
Small carry on bags to carry onto the train.
A One-Wheelie Bag Hop
I recently travelled to Singapore, and for the first time travelled longhaul for about 13 hours from Heathrow, with only a carry-on bag. I had less weight to carry and less clutter than usual so I considered taking the train all the way west across the island.
Seasonal lights. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
Taxi or Train?
Instead I gook a taxi, which cost a lot more. When my taxi got stuck in a traffic jam caused by a road accident, I thought: next time I should seriously consider taking the efficient train service. The trains run about every 5 minutes or even quicker. From Singapore's major MRT stations you can switch to the bus, hire a taxi, or a bicycle, and find fast food and a free toilet.
Swap from train to bus or bike and watch others at work. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
A couple of days later I took the wonderful MRT in the opposite direction and travelled east on the blue Downtown line towards Changi. I changed at busy Bugis onto the green East-West line (which posters tell you is being extended even further), ending at Pasir Ris.
More people will have Changi Airport as their destination.
Changi Airport. Photo by David in Wikipedia under Changi Airport.
CHANGI AIRPORT and MRT train station
Changi is known for its award-winning modern airport, a great shopping centre which has green walls and palm trees, giant sculptures, seasonal displays and a free Butterfly Garden on two levels with giant butterflies which you can admire and photograph. Changi Prison and Museum also attract those interested in history.
Free Tour Bus
If you are on Singapore Airlines and have a long stopover of, say, five hours in the daytime, you can book a free bus tour of the city which takes about two hours and gets you back in time for the hour or so you need to check in for the next flight. (The airport also has a hotel with a pool, and a cinema.)
Changi's Tree Name
The name Changi is probably botanical. The Malay version of the name stands for one of two possible plants, perhaps the hardwood tree which grew in the area and was used in building.
When you take the blue Downtown line from Changi Airport, the train map has two stations using the word Changi. The next stop is Upper Changi,
Green East-West Line Destinations
The Green line takes you from Changi Airport or Pasir Ris into town to City Hall, a big interchange. Next stop is equally busy Raffles Place, named after the man whose statue stands on the seafront and in renowned Raffles Hotel.
Raffles Place MRT station exterior. From Wikipedia.
Shopping On Orchard Road
You could go to Newton, for the nearby Sheraton Hotel. Or swap to the red line, going one stop to Orchard, the centre of Singapore. Orchard Road is a hive of hotels such as the Hilton and shopping malls plus all the seasonal lights delightfully illuminating the streets and skyscrapers at night.
The green line passes through some easy and self-explanatory station placenames; Redhill, Queenstown, Commonwealth, Dover, Chinese Garden and Lakeside.
Tampines Trees On the Green Line
The next stop is Tampines East, and the Tampines is another tree. Singapore is full of trees, bordering every road, my favourites being the rain trees like umbrellas, with orchids crowing in the fork of the branches, which you will see if you take a taxi instead of the train.
On the train, on the blue Downtown line, after Upper Changi, you reach Tampines East MRT, Tampines MRT, a big hub and bus exchange, then Tampines West.
Changi Airport seasonal display for Easter. Full of Photo Opportunities. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
Pasir Ris - Eend of The Green East-West Line
Pasir means sand. According to Wikipedia Pasir Ris means white sand in Malay. Most people will tell you white sand, although Infopedia gives an alternative version. Malay is written in the English alphabet, which makes it easier to pick up than the Chinese pictograms.
The Blue Downtown Line
Instead you could take the blue line. Only one stop away from Changi is Expo, with vast exhibition halls. So exhibitors and visitors to exhibitions keep this station busy. I have visited wine fairs, food fairs and other events.
The Busy Blue Line
The Blue Line eventually takes you to: Chinatown, Bayfront, Promenade, Little India and Botanic Gardens, all major visitor attractions. If you are blessed with beautiful weather, go to the Botanic Gardens, which has wonderful walks, numerous photo opportunities, as well as big shopping areas and gourmet restaurants if it rains.
The end of the blue line in the north is Bukit Panjang. Bukit is Malay for hill. Panjang means long in Malay. The Malay words often have two syllables.The adjective usually comes after the noun, unlike English. (Pasir Ris - sand white. Bukit Panjang, hill long.)
Chinese Names
Stations with single syllable names, and three single syllable names are Chinese. Remember the VIP, the late Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. I have many more posts on Singapore, the MRT, the Botanic Gardens and cities and stations around the world and learning languages. Please share links to your favourite posts.
To learn Malay and Chinese (Mandarin) for free online, use Duolingo, Memrise. Chineasy is on YouTube or buy their products from Amazon or Ebay.
Chineasy
Useful Websites
MRT Train
https://www.transitlink.com.sg/images/eguide/mrt_sys_map.htm
Changi Airport
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changi
Pasir Ris Station
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasir_Ris
Learn Languages
duolingo.com
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=chineasy
Botanic Gardens:
https://www.nparks.gov.sg/SBG
Butterfly Garden at Changi Airport
http://www.changiairport.com/en/airport-experience/attractions-and-services/butterfly-garden.html
Travel to Singapore
Singapore Airlines
shttps://www.transitlink.com.sg/images/eguide/mrt_sys_map.html
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.
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