Singapore Quick-go
Key facts
Name£ºThe Republic of Singapore 13713902652Íò
Capital City: Singapore
Population: 4,492,150(July, 2006 est.)
Area : 647.5sq km
Currency: Singapore Dollar
Languages: English, Malay, Mandarin Chinese, Tamil
Religions: Buddhism, Taoism
Climate£ºWarm and humid, with only slight variations between the average maximum of 31¡æand minimum of 23¡æ.
Transportation
Road£º
Singapore pioneered the modern use of toll roads to enter the most congested city area with the Singapore Area Licensing Scheme, which has since been replaced with the Electronic Road Pricing, a form of electronic toll collection.
* Total length of expressways: 150 km
* Total length of major arterial roads: 604 km
* Total length of collector roads: 468 km
* Total length of local access roads: 2040 km
* Total road length: 3262 km[1]
Traffic drives on the left which is typical in Asian countries.
Car Rental£º
With a valid International driver's permit, one can hire a car and drive around the island. Driving across the causeway is only permitted if the petrol tank is three-quarters full.
To park, coupons have to be bought and displayed at the vehicle. Coupons can be bought from post offices or petrol stations.
Buses£ºPrices are low for this mode of transportation and it runs on most routes from 6 a.m. to midnight. For maximum freedom, buy an ez-link card and hop onto a bus! The ez-link card can also be used on the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT). SBS bus 36 runs between Orchard Road and Singapore 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.
Taxi: There are taxis available everywhere in Singapore. Taxis entering designated restricted zones will pass through the Electronic Road Pricing gantry posts and passengers are required to pay the amount indicated on the In-Vehicle Unit.
There is also an addition 50% surcharge to the original fare from midnight to 6 a.m. During peak hours and advance bookings, surcharge applies too.
All taxis are fitted with meters; all are air conditioned; the majority of the taxis are 5-seaters; about 90% of taxis have radiophones; call booking is done via GPS or digital voice dispatch. All passengers must fasten their seat belts by law. Most taxis run on diesel fuel.
Rail£º
The Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) is the fastest mode of transport to get around Singapore. The fares are relatively cheap and it stops over 48 stations.
The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) in Singapore is a modern, air-conditioned passenger train service with stations all over the island. There are three main lines ¨C the North-South line from Marina Bay to Jurong East, the East-West line from Changi Airport/Pasir Ris to Boon Lay, and the North-East line from Harbour Front to Punggol.
Air£º
The air transport industry is a driving force in the development of civil aviation and airport operations in Singapore. The Air Travel Industry sees four million passengers per year. Changi Airport is served by more than 70 airlines flying to more than 160 cities in 53 countries, putting Singapore's aviation needs well into the future.
Facilities available at Singapore Changi Airport (www.changiairport.com) include:
•73 transit hotel rooms in Terminal 1 and 73 in Terminal 2. Rental in six-hourly blocks range between SGD 56 and SGD 64 for single or double occupancy. Showers, gym and sauna facilities are also available at extra cost for non-transit hotel occupants.
There are currently 5 local scheduled service airlines, all of them operating out of Singapore Changi Airport, offering scheduled flights to over 70 cities on 5 continents. The national flag carrier, Singapore Airlines currently operates out of Changi Airport Terminal 2 and 3. Its subsidiary, SilkAir, operate out of Changi Airport Terminal 2. Singapore's two budget airlines, Jetstar Asia and Valuair, currently operate out of Changi Airport Terminal 1. Only one budget airline, Tiger Airways, has chosen to operate at the Budget Terminal; other budget airlines have cited various reasons for not shifting operations to the Budget terminal, including accessibility and ease of transfers to connecting flights.
* Jetstar Asia- founded 2004
* SilkAir- founded 1976
* Singapore Airlines- founded 1947 (as Malayan Airways)
* Tiger Airways- founded 2003
* Valuair- founded 2004 (has since merged with Jetstar Asia to form OrangeStar)
Airports: Singapore Changi Airport, with its four terminals (including one budget terminal), is one of the most important air hubs in the region. The international airport is situated at the eastern most tip of the main island, and serves 185 cities in 58 countries[18]. With the recent opening of the third terminal, Changi is now capable of handling 64 million passengers every year.
Seletar Airport is Singapore's first civil aviation airport and is primarily used for private aviation today. The airport also serves limited scheduled commercial flights by Berjaya Air to the Malaysian islands of Pulau Tioman and Pulau Redang
Sea£º
There are boats and ferry services to nearby islands of Malaysia and Indonesia. These services can be found at Changi Ferry Terminal, Changi Point Ferry Terminal, Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and Singapore Cruise Centre.
The Port of Singapore, run by the port operators PSA International (formerly the Port of Singapore Authority) and Jurong Port, is the world's busiest in terms of shipping tonnage handled. 1.04 billion gross tons were handled in the year 2004, crossing the one billion mark for the first time in Singapore¡¯s maritime history. Singapore also emerged as the top port in terms of cargo tonnage handled with 393 million tonnes of cargo in the same year, beating the Port of Rotterdam for the first time in the process. In 2006, it handled a total of 448 million tonnes of cargo[13].
Singapore is ranked second globally in terms of containerised traffic, with 21.3 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) handled in 2004[14], and is also the world's busiest hub for transshipment traffic. Additionally, Singapore is the world's largest bunkering hub, with 23.6 million tonnes sold in 2004[15].
In 2007, The Port of Singapore is ranked the world's busiest port once again, surpassing Hong Kong and Shanghai.[16] The Port of Singapore is also ranked the Best Seaport in Asia.
Singapore Visa
Who requires a visa?
Required only by the following:
(a)* nationals of Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China (PR), CIS, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Myanmar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Vietnam, Yemen and holders of Palestinian Authority passports;
(b) those holding Refugee Travel Documents issued by Middle Eastern countries;
(c) those holding Hong Kong Document of Identity cards and holders of a Macau SAR Travel Permit.
* All countries mentioned in (a), except China (PR), Cambodia, CIS, India, Laos, Macau (SAR), Myanmar and Vietnam require a letter from a local sponsor (Singapore registered company, citizen or permanent resident) bearing responsibility for the visitor’s stay.
1. All other nationals require a Social Visit Pass, which is issued on arrival (at the discretion of the Immigration Officer) provided the traveller holds a passport valid for 6 months beyond date of departure, confirmed onward or return travel documentation, and sufficient funds to cover expenses for the duration of stay. For nationals holding British and Irish passports, the maximum length of stay is 30 days, for other nationals the maximum length of stay is 14 days. Visitors on a Social Visit Pass are not permitted to work in Singapore. For stays over 3 months, applications must be made for a Long Term Social Visit Pass, for which a local sponsor (such as a Singapore national or organization) is required. The maximum extension is 90 days per 12 months. To acquire an extension, the immigration authorities in Singapore should be contacted.
What documents will be required?
Passport valid for at least 6 months beyond date of departure required by all.
Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at High Commission or Embassy); see Contact Addresses section.
Application requirements: For Social Visit Pass: (a) Valid passport and photocopies of data pages. (b) Valid travel documents including an onward or return ticket. (c) Sufficient funds. (d) Two passport-size photos. (e) Two completed application forms. (f) Yellow fever vaccination certificate if passing through or coming from an endemic zone within 6 days of arriving in Singapore. (g) Local sponsor’s ID card. For Student Pass: (a) Valid passport. (b) Valid travel documents including an onward or return ticket. (c) Sufficient funds. (d) Two passport-size photos. (e) Form or letter from college/university in Singapore. (f) Three completed application forms. (g) Yellow fever vaccination certificate if passing through or coming from an endemic zone within 6 days of arriving in Singapore. (h) Local sponsor’s ID card, with photocopy, except for those in Institutes of Higher Learning. (i) Birth certificate. (j) Certified copies of highest educational certificates and results. For Professional Visit Pass: (a) Valid travel documents (photocopy of passport will suffice). (b) One passport-size photo. (c) A letter from sponsoring company. (d) Two completed application forms. (f) Yellow fever vaccination certificate if passing through or coming from an endemic zone within 6 days of arriving in Singapore. For Visa: (a) Valid passport. (b) Two completed application forms. (c) Two passport-size photos. (d) Two copies of letter stating purpose for visit. (e) Two copies of a letter from local sponsor in Singapore. (f) Yellow fever vaccination certificate if passing through or coming from an endemic zone within 6 days of arriving in Singapore.
Note: (a) For requirements for nationals that require visas for business etc contact Consulate (or Consular section of High Commission or Embassy). (b) Requirements may vary, expecially
Time required to issue visa:
From 4 days to 4 weeks. It is advisable to allow plenty of time.
How long is the visa valid for?
Social Visit Pass/Student Pass: Maximum of 3 months. Professional Visit Pass: Up to 6 months (at the discretion of the Singapore Immigration Department). Visa: Enquire at High Commission or Embassy.
Other information:
Temporary residence: Apply to Consulate (or Consular section of High Commission or Embassy), who will forward application to the authorities in Singapore.
Note: (a) Women more than 24 weeks pregnant must obtain a letter from a doctor confirming that it is safe for them to travel and a Social Visit Pass for Expectant Mothers prior to arrival; apply at the High Commission or Embassy. (b) Severe penalties are imposed on those found in possession of narcotics; the death penalty is in force for those convicted of trafficking in heroin or morphine. (c) Regulations are subject to change at short notice and all visitors are therefore advised to check with the High Commission or Embassy before leaving.
Unless you specify how long you intend staying, you'll normally be stamped in for fourteen days .
Entering from anywhere other than Malaysia (with which there are no duty-free restrictions), you can bring in 1 litre each of spirits, wine and beer duty-free; duty is payable on all tobacco. Other duty-free goods in Singapore include electronic and electrical items, cosmetics, cameras, clocks, watches, jewellery, and precious stones and metals.
Extending your visa for up to three months is possible, at the discretion of the Singapore Immigration and Registration Department (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; tel 3916100). Extensions beyond three months are less common, but there's always the option of taking a bus up to Johor Bahru, across the border in Malaysia, and then coming back in again.
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