Big Bus Singapore: routes, stops and tickets

Route and stops

Big Bus tickets in Singapore

• 

  Kostenlose Stornierung

  Big Bus Singapur Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

  60–90 Min.3,9(897)·Big Bus Singapore

  ab54 $

• 

  Kostenlose Stornierung

  Big Bus Singapur Nachttour mit Gärten durch die Bay Light Show

  3 Std., 30 Min.4,3(351)·Big Bus Singapore

  ab52 $

Want to see every hop-on hop-off bus in Singapore, not just this one? Compare hop-on hop-off tours in Singapore.

What riders say

Across these tickets travellers rate Big Bus Singapore 4.0 out of 5 from 1,248 reviews.

Like most hop on hop off buses, the experience was positive. It gave a good idea of the key tourist sites that were only accessible through the bus. Relaxing way to get a feel for the city. It doesn't cover all the hot spots but it is a start.

GREAT WAY TO SEE THE CITY IF YOU HAVE A BIT OF TIME. We were not sure if this was a good use of our time. But we got to see the whole city and it was wonderful.

A great way to see all of the city and easy pick up stops to allow you to explore areas some more. The staff at the starting point are fabulous and helpful especially Mr Winston Goh who was so lpvely and engaging and provided excellent suggestions of places to visit and eat. He was truly a lovely gentleman.

Best time to ride

Singapore is warm year-round with daily highs around 30 to 32 C. December and November are the wettest months and February is the driest, so February to April tends to suit open-top riding. Morning departures avoid afternoon storms.

Who it suits

Families

Gardens by the Bay and the Flyer are easy child-friendly stops, with air-conditioned malls near several hop-off points.

Couples

The Marina Bay waterfront and Kampong Glam cafes suit a slow day with frequent hop-offs.

Seniors

Hop-on hop-off cuts down walking in humid weather. Accessibility specifics were not confirmed.

First-time visitors

Yellow covers the postcard sights and Red adds the ethnic quarters; both start from Suntec City.

Tips before you go

• Both lines start and finish at the Suntec City Tourist Hub on Temasek Boulevard.
• Big Bus advertises over 40 hop-on stops across the network, while resellers quote lower counts.
• The operator reports buses every 25 to 40 minutes and a live bus-tracking app.
• Bring a rain layer; showers are frequent in Singapore.

Sights along the way

Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore Flyer, Merlion, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Raffles Hotel, Little India, Kampong Glam, Chinatown.

Top-ranked in Singapore: ArtScience Museum. All things to do in Singapore.

Why take the bus in Singapore

The case for a sightseeing bus here is mostly about climate and orientation. Daily highs sit around 30 to 32 C, and walking between sights at midday is tiring even for fit travellers. A bus lets you cover the big landmarks in a first loop, then decide where to spend real time. That suits a first visit, a short stay, or a day with children or older relatives when you want to limit the walking.

The bus is not always the best tool. The metro is fast and air-conditioned, and for single destinations such as Orchard Road shopping, the zoo or Sentosa it will usually get you there more directly than a loop designed for sightseeing. A guided walking tour, typically a couple of hours with a local guide, is better when you want stories and food stops in one compact area, for example the shophouse lanes of Chinatown or the cafes of Kampong Glam. The bus wins when you want breadth, a view from above street level and the freedom to hop off where something catches your eye.

A sensible rule: use the bus for the spread-out postcard sights and the transitions between districts, and switch to your own feet for the final few streets of an area you want to savour.

How the routes work together

There are two lines, and they are designed to be complementary rather than competing. Both begin from the Suntec City Tourist Hub, so that is the natural place to start whichever you choose.

The Yellow Line, the City Tour, is the postcard loop. It runs through the Marina Bay waterfront and calls at the Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay before heading on to Clarke Quay, the Singapore Botanic Gardens and the Raffles Hotel. If you have only one line in mind, this is the one that delivers the skyline and gardens.

The Red Line is the Heritage Tour. It links Little India Arcade, the Sultan Mosque in Kampong Glam, Boat Quay and Chinatown. These are places where you will want to get off and wander, because the appeal is in the streets, the temples and the food rather than in a single monument.

Which line a particular ticket covers is described on the ticket page, so compare tickets before assuming both are included.

Marina Bay Sands is a stop on the Yellow Line, and the museum sits in the same waterfront area, so treat it as an extra short leg of the visit rather than a bus stop.

A sample day on the bus

Start in the morning. Mornings are generally the more comfortable and drier part of the day, and the afternoon is when storms tend to arrive. Board at Suntec City and take the Yellow Line first, while the open-top deck is pleasant and the light is good over the bay.

Hop off at Gardens by the Bay and give it unhurried time. The supertrees and glass domes are the reason many people come, and they reward a slow wander. This is also an easy stop for families because the pace is relaxed. Rejoin the bus and continue to Marina Bay Sands and the waterfront, where a short stroll toward the Merlion statue makes a good photo break.

By midday, aim for lunch somewhere air-conditioned or at a hawker centre. Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown is a good fit if you are heading to the Red Line side of the day. Lau Pa Sat and Newton are other well-known options if your route takes you near them.

For the afternoon, use the Red Line for the cultural neighbourhoods; City Hall is a stop on both lines. If rain arrives, shelter in a cafe or shop and carry on, since a rain layer in your bag handles most showers.

If you have a second day, use the Yellow Line again for the places you skipped: the Singapore Botanic Gardens with its orchid garden, Clarke Quay for riverside evenings and the Raffles Hotel area near the colonial museums. Gardens by the Bay is also worth returning to in the evening, when the supertrees glow in their light shows.

Booking advice

Look at the languages offered for commentary and any accessibility details if someone in your group needs them, since these vary by product and are best confirmed on the ticket page itself.

Plan your travel dates around the weather as well. February to April is usually the most comfortable window for open-top riding, while November and December are the wettest months. Whatever the season, a morning start gives you the best chance of dry weather.

Finally, compare several tickets side by side rather than going with the first one you see.

Sights worth the stop

Gardens by the Bay is the top priority for most visitors, and it works well in either the morning or after dark. Marina Bay Sands and the Merlion are the classic skyline pairing, best enjoyed on foot along the waterfront for a few minutes. The Singapore Flyer is a straightforward stop for views over the bay.

The Singapore Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the calmest stop on the Yellow Line and a good place to cool down under the trees. The Raffles Hotel is a quick look at colonial Singapore, and it sits near the National Gallery and the Asian Civilisations Museum.

On the Red Line side, Little India, Kampong Glam and Chinatown each deserve an hour or more on foot. The ArtScience Museum is worth adding if exhibitions interest you, though it needs a short walk from the waterfront rather than a direct bus stop.

More on Singapore sightseeing

• Big Bus Singapore FAQ

Questions about Big Bus Singapore