Singapore Hop-On Hop-Off Buses

Visiting Singapore aboard a tour bus guarantees you comfort and peace of mind at all times, while getting to know the city at your own pace. It's a vibrant, modern city full of entertainment options, so it's hard to know where to start. These types of experiences are popular because they take you through colourful neighbourhoods, gastronomic offerings and cultural activities. Tickets are easy to activate by either scanning or redeeming the digital ticket and you have 24 or 48-hour options.

The most prominent buses are the Big Bus and the Big Bus Night Bus, whose routes range from the fantasies of Chinatown to the sobriety of the Financial District. However, there are other alternatives such as the FunVee route or Singapore's amphibious vehicle. Without a doubt, it is an activity to consider during your holiday because it allows you to tour the city from a unique experience through its rich history and culture.

A sightseeing bus tour of Singapore covers all the major sights in a short time and on a reasonable budget. By day it takes you through the sunny streets and to the best local activities. By night, it passes close to the illuminated skyscrapers and explores the night skyline. In general, the public transport system is quite comprehensive, but you can also join the best local tours to discover fascinating stops, gastronomic offerings and ethnically diverse corners of the city.

Here are the best options and what each has to offer:

Big Bus sightseeing bus

Tickets for the Big Bus sightseeing bus in Singapore have the following advantages:

• It is a daytime route that runs on an open-top double-decker bus. It is generally open from 5.30am to midnight.
• It has two routes to choose from, known as the Yellow City Route and the Red Heritage Route, you can take just one or combine them.
• You have the option of buying a 24 or 48 hour ticket.
• Most of the tour is self-guided, but you will have an audio guide with commentary on board. Plus, you can hop on and off at free stops to explore the city at your own pace.
• You can take a guided tour at the Chinatown and Little India stops.

Big Bus Night Sightseeing Bus

Tickets for the night tourist bus are very popular as they offer many facilities, among the most prominent ones:

• It is a night route aboard an open-top double-decker bus, ideal if you plan to visit Singapore at night. It usually operates from 23:00 to 2:00, but you may be called at around 18:00 to start the tour.
• It has a single route that lasts approximately three and a half hours.
• You can only use the service once, if you want to go up another night, you must buy another ticket.
• It is usually a guided tour with a set itinerary, where you can expect commentary from your guide and gastronomic stops or breaks to watch the sound and light show at Supertree Grove in the Bay Gardens.

FunVee Tour Bus

• This is a daytime route operating from 9am to 4pm.
• It is a hop on hop off model, so you can hop on and off wherever you want.
• It has two routes known as City Sightseeing or the Green Route and Marina Sightseeing or the Yellow Route which cover the best activities in Singapore and the Marina Bay area.
• You can buy a 24-hour or 48-hour ticket. Note that the two-day ticket usually includes a traditional Singapore breakfast with kaya butter toast, coffee and tea.
• This is a self-drive tour with informative commentary on board.

Amphibious vehicle

• This is a daytime tour from 10:00 to 18:00.
• There are no free stops, the whole tour takes one hour.
• The ticket can only be used once, if you want to go up again you must buy another one.
• It merges the commentary of a guide with the information of an audio guide.

The Big Bug's daytime option is the most authentic option in the city, offering a comprehensive and flexible itinerary that you can customise and take at your own pace. You'll have access to all the attractions you want on over 30 free stops on 2 different lines. The red line takes you through the local heritage, through the best local museums and ethnic neighbourhoods, while the yellow line concentrates on the most popular sights.

If you are one of those restless and dynamic people who can't stay in one place, don't worry! This experience will save you from depending on a guide or group, as you are the one who decides where and when to get off or on. On board you will have an audio guide with informative commentary, so you won't feel lost at any time. The tour lasts approximately one hour and you have 24 or 48 hour passes and different route options:

• Classic option: 24-hour access to the red line and yellow line of the bus.
• Premium option: 48 hours flexible access to the red line and yellow line bus.
• Deluxe option: 48 hours flexible access to red line and yellow line bus, flexible ticket and night tour included.

Some of the stops you can enjoy:

Details of interest

• Price: from 41 euros.
• Duration: approximately one and a half hours.
• Advantages of this option: you can complete the tour at your own pace.
• Disadvantages of this option: babies must sit on an adult's lap.

When night falls, the Big Bus tour continues but from a different facet, as you have the option to join a night tour for approximately three and a half hours. This option is quite relaxed and has at least 33 stops, so if at any point you feel tired you can leave it halfway through, although I don't recommend it as the last stop is very special.

Generally, you can enjoy the company of a local expert guide who will take you through the local history and culture. Not for nothing is this one of the best activities in Singapore at night, as it has a set itinerary that can take you to the Lau Pau Sat market and a scenic stroll along Orchard Road. Along the way you can see the oldest Victorian structures in Southeast Asia, sample traditional food or catch the Garden Rhapsody sound and light show at the SuperTree Grove.

Details of interest

• Price: from 42 euros.
• Duration: about three and a half hours.
• Advantages of this option: Generally offers a food stop and access to the Garden Rhapsody sound and light show in the SuperTree Grove.
• Disadvantages of this option: Does not include meals and drinks.

If you want to enjoy the sights of the skyline, you should definitely hop on the FunVee Hopper bus. It is a customisable route along the Singapore River and Marina Bay, which also takes you to discover places of interest such asSingapore Flyer, Esplanade Theatre, Merlion Park, Chinatown, Clarke Quay, among others. It has about 37 free stops and two routes (the orange and the green), which can be explored in 24 or 48 hours. If you choose to spend 2 days in Singapore, the 48-hour pass will probably give you a traditional Singaporean breakfast.

It's definitely a timeless tour of the city, where you can't miss the opportunity to take some of the best photographs of the trip.

Details of interest

• Price: from 30 euros.
• Duration: between one hour and one day, depending on the package chosen.
• Advantages of this option: children under the age of 2 get in free.
• Disadvantages of this option: not usually available during F1 races.

Nothing compares to the diversity of the amphibious vehicle, which has a land and water route. Specifically, you can do a full non-stop tour aboard a former military vehicle that was used in World War II. You'll see the Singapore Ferris Wheel, the Fortress of Wealth and the Marine Bay. It covers around 30 points of interest that you can spot along the route, the best part is that it usually offers pick-up from selected hotels to the starting point of the experience.

On board you can discover fascinating stories revealed by your guide and supported by an audio guide system. The tour is so interesting, it's even rated as one of the best tours in Singapore.

Interesting details

• Price: from 30 euros.
• Duration: approximately one hour, it is a unique tour with no stops.
• Advantages of this option: includes a land tour and a tour of the Singapore River.
• Disadvantages of this option: not suitable for wheelchair users.

Singapore is a very large city with a hot climate most of the year, so it's a good idea to find a way to see the city without sweltering. It's ideal for those who are short on time and want a quick look at the sights, or for those visiting the city for the first time.

It's not for nothing that it's one of the best things to do in Singapore with many advantages, including:

• Comfort: avoid drifting around the city and relax on board a bus with everything you need to enjoy Singapore. They are usually open-top double-deckers, where you can ride on the top decker enjoying the gentle breeze or stay on the air-conditioned lower decker when it's too hot.
• Flexibility: You can hop on and off wherever you like, so you can explore the city at your own pace.
• Wide coverage: Singapore's tour buses cover the most important areas you can't miss on your trip, with a range of useful options and professionally planned routes.
• Recorded commentary: you don't always need to rely on a guide to uncover the city's most fascinating stories - buses usually include audio guides with helpful information.

Each tour is unique, but ideally you should spend at least three hours to absorb panoramic views of the city. There are also 24-hour and 48-hour passes, ideal if you plan to spend at least 2 days in Singapore Remember that most of these are self-guided experiences, so you can combine the tour with some of Singapore's other best activities.

It all depends on which option you choose, but in general you can enjoy the panoramic views of the city. For example, you might soak up the ethnic diversity of Little India or Chinatown, the beauty of Marina Bay and explore quirky landmarks such as the Merlion Statue. Each route has something special and alternates between iconic sites and lesser-known locations that will take your breath away.

Most buses have their own timetable, you'll usually find them in the city from very early in the morning and the first one usually comes out at 5:30am, while the last one operates until 2am. If you're looking for things to do in Singapore at night, you can take advantage of routes from 18:00 onwards.

This may vary depending on operator conditions, season or public holidays, so it's important to check before you travel. Here are the approximate times for each:

• Big Bus: every day from 5.30am to midnight.
• Big Bus at night: from 23:00 to 2:00.
• FunVee: daily from 9:00 to 16:00.
• Amphibious vehicle: daily from 10:00 to 18:00.

The sightseeing bus experience in Singapore is very varied, with self-guided and professionally guided tours available. You can also choose from daytime routes which often have different itinerary options, and usually offer 24 or 48 hour passes so that you have enough time to cover all the stops. Night bus tours, on the other hand, usually have a full itinerary with no free stops.

Most are automatically activated when you show up and you can use your digital ticket, but some companies will have you exchange your reservation for a physical ticket. Some of these tours are included in Singapore's best sightseeing cards, which saves you money. Here's how to activate your ticket for each type of bus:

• Big Bus: digital tickets are accepted and the ticket is activated from the first use, from then on the time starts to run and you will have 24 or 48 hours, depending on the chosen ticket.
• Big Bus at night: you have to exchange your digital ticket for a physical ticket to activate it, then you will have 3.5 hours to enjoy the experience. You can get off early, but I recommend staying until the final stop, which is usually Clarke Quay, where there is usually a food tasting.
• FunVee: it has different modes according to the number of days, it is activated automatically when you get on.
• Amphibious vehicle: you have to exchange your digital reservation for a physical ticket.