How to get to Jewel (walking directions, bus, MRT, and more)
This guide is for visitors to Singapore who are looking to visit Jewel from the city. I usually highly recommend visitors staying in Singapore visit Jewel on their way out of the city and I’ve prepared this guide to help visitors in that situation figure out the best ways for them.
Fares you can expect to pay to get to Jewel when coming from popular hotel regions in the city are listed in the table below:
| Region | MRT | Taxi |
|---|---|---|
| Bugis | S$2.00 | S$20 |
| Orchard | S$2.10 | S$26 |
| Chinatown | S$2.10 | S$26 |
| Katong | NA | S$17 |
| Sentosa | S$2.18 | S$31 |
I’ve also included details on how to get to Jewel if you are in transit at Changi Airport.
1. MRT
MRT is the easiest way to get to Jewel from downtown Singapore. The MRT is fast, frequent, and the nearest station is a short walk from Jewel itself.
Jewel is served by Changi Airport station on the airport branch of the green East West Line. This is connected to the main East West Line at Tanah Merah station, or the blue Downtown Line at Expo station.
| Region | Train Fare |
|---|---|
| Bugis | S$2.00 |
| Orchard | S$2.10 |
| Chinatown | S$2.10 |
| Sentosa | $2.18 |
The fare from Sentosa doesn’t include the journey from your hotel to Harbourfront MRT.
Trains to Changi Airport station operate generally between 6am and 11:30pm every day of the week. The service operates on a frequency basis without a real timetable. You shouldn’t have to wait more than 5 minutes for a train.
Fares can be paid using a Visa or Mastercard credit/debit card. Even foreign cards will work (though a 60 cent per day charge will be added if you use a foreign card). A prepaid EZ Link card can also be purchased at the MRT station.
The Singapore Tourist Pass unlimited rides include Jewel and Changi Airport station. I find that the Singapore Tourist Pass is not worth it for most visitors to Singapore, if you’re interested in the maths (and when your circumstance might make it worth it), check out my guide here.
Luggage racks are not available on Singapore MRT trains, you will have to hold your bag with you when you travel. There is space without seating in the first and last carriage offering greater space for bags.
Journey time is roughly 45-60 minutes depending which part of Singapore you are coming from.
Check out the What Next section at the end of this guide for how to find out more detail about MRT fares and the Singapore Tourist Pass.
2. Bus
Bus can be a good alternative to the MRT if you are coming from Bras Basah, Suntec, or Katong areas and you don’t feel like walking a lot to and from MRT stations.
The bus that serves Jewel from most tourist areas is route 36. Route 36T also serves Jewel, however please note that 36A and 36B do not.
An outline of the route 36 service areas and the associated fare for getting to Jewel is included in the table below:
| Region | Bus Fare |
|---|---|
| Bras Basah | S$2.13 |
| Suntec | S$2.10 |
| Katong | S$1.83 |
While route 36 also serves Orchard Rd, I do not recommend it. For journeys to Jewel and the airport, it is usually faster to take the MRT and the MRT is generally less crowded as well.
Other areas of Singapore where visitors typically stay are not served by a public bus service to Jewel.
Alight at the Terminal 1 stop for Jewel and follow the signs to go up the escalator and along the path to get to Jewel.
Journey time is nearly an hour as the bus spends a long time winding through Suntec and Marine Parade. This is why I only recommend it if you’re coming from certain areas.
Payment accepted by bus is the same as the MRT - Visa and MasterCard credit or debit card, as well as the prepaid EZ link card and the Singapore Tourist Pass.
Buses in Singapore accept cash but the fare is higher and you must give the correct change (I once paid for a tourist’s ticket on the bus because he only had an SGD 5 note and the fare was S$2 - change is not given).
3. Taxi and ride hailing
Taxis and ride hailing are a convenient way to get to Jewel, and the way I recommend most visitors get there.
Taking a taxi to Jewel costs between S$15 and S$40 depending on where you are coming from and the time of day you are travelling. Some examples of off-peak and peak fares from various popular hotel regions around Singapore are included in the table below:
| Region | Taxi Fare |
|---|---|
| Bugis | S$17 to S$23 |
| Orchard | S$22 to S$30 |
| Chinatown | S$21 to S$30 |
| Katong | S$15 to S$20 |
| Sentosa | S$25 to S$36 |
If you are checking in at Terminal 1, your taxi might drop you off across the road from Jewel. You can check in and drop a bag in Terminal 1 and then proceed to use the underpass to get to Jewel.
Journey time is roughly 30-45 minutes depending on which part of Singapore you are coming from. Compared to other cities, even heavy traffic by Singapore standards will not significantly add time to a journey to Jewel.
Ride hailing apps to use include Grab, Gojek, TADA, and Ryde. With promos and discounts, they are occasionally cheaper than booking a regular taxi.
Singapore taxis have a complicated series of surcharges and additional fees for catching them. While pricing is transparent when using an app, if you need to know what all the different fees and surcharges are for, check out my guide here: reachingsingapore.com/taxi-cost-singapore
My preferred taxi app is CDG Zig. I’ve found taxi and car bookings here to be the most reliable. There’s also a phone number to call if something goes wrong (unlike some of the other apps).
4. Private transfer
As Jewel is within the Changi airport complex, many private transfer operators will be happy to take you there for the regular airport charges.
This includes private transfers you book yourself, or transfers booked through your hotel.
Private transfers typically cost between S$60 and S$100 to get to Jewel, depending on how many seats you need and how much luggage you have.
If you need help booking transfers for your journey to Singapore, please get in touch with me and I can help.
5. While in transit
Jewel is designed to be very accessible from all parts of Changi Airport. If you are transiting in Singapore then you should check out Jewel.
The minimum amount of time needed between flights is roughly 6 hours. When I asked the Singapore immigration authority (called ICA), they said 4 hours, however I recommend adding on a couple of hours to actually spend time in Jewel and not be stressed about getting back to your flight.
Jewel is located within Singapore, so you will need to enter Singapore via passport control to be able to visit Jewel. This means you will need permission to enter Singapore (most people can enter Singapore without a visa), and you will also need to fill out the Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC - details here).
Specific directions on how to get to Jewel from each terminal are below:
From Terminal 1:
- Jewel entrance is connected directly to the arrivals baggage collection area of Terminal 1. Simply walk forward.
From Terminal 2 and Terminal 3:
- After exiting the bag collection area, travel up the escalator following the signs for Jewel
- There will be a long walkway with travelators, follow these to get to Jewel
From Terminal 4:
- After collecting your bag, proceed to take the shuttle bus towards Jewel and Terminal 1. The shuttle bus is free and operates 24 hours a day.
What’s next
Not sure what to even do at Jewel? There’s more to it than the waterfall and to help visitors discover what else there is, I prepared a whole guide on all the things you can do at Jewel here: reachingsingapore.com/jewel-fun
I’ve prepared a lot of detailed guides on how to get around Singapore:
