Big Bus Tour Singapore
The Big Bus Tour Singapore is an easy and enjoyable way to see the city, especially if you are visiting Singapore for the first time or only have a short stay. We started the Big Bus Tour Singapore at Suntec City, which worked perfectly for us as we were staying nearby at the Fairmont Singapore.
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For us, the tour offered a relaxed way to get our bearings, see key landmarks and enjoy Singapore from a different perspective. Singapore is very easy to explore by MRT or taxi, but the open-top bus gives you a more visual introduction to the city. Instead of travelling underground or simply moving from one attraction to another, you see the streets, buildings, hotels, green spaces and heritage areas unfold around you.
Big Bus Tours describes its Singapore service as a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour using open-top buses, with pre-recorded commentary, a mobile app, multiple routes and access to major city landmarks. The main routes include the City Tour Yellow Line and the Heritage Tour Red Line.
In This Post
Starting the Tour at Suntec City
We started our Big Bus Tour Singapore at Suntec City, which was very convenient because we were staying nearby at the Fairmont Singapore. This made the tour feel easy from the beginning, as we did not need to travel across the city to join the bus.
Suntec City is listed as the main tourist hub for Big Bus Tours Singapore, so it felt like a natural place to begin. The buses were easy to spot with their red-and-gold Big Bus branding, and the boarding area was clear and straightforward.
In our photos, the buses looked bright and easy to identify, which helps when you are in a busy city. The stop area felt organised, and the tour had a proper sightseeing feel before we had even boarded.
Booking and Ticket Options
At the time checked, Big Bus Tours listed several Singapore ticket options. The Discover Ticket included a 1-day hop-on, hop-off ticket covering the Yellow Line and Red Line, while the Essential Ticket included 2 days of hop-on, hop-off travel.
Big Bus also lists options, including a Night Tour and DUCK tour combinations, depending on the ticket selected. Adult tickets were listed at US$53 on the main Singapore bus tour page, although prices may change, and online savings may apply.
It is worth checking the latest price, route information and inclusions before booking, especially if you want to use the tour for more than one day or combine it with another sightseeing experience.
Onboard Seating and Comfort
The Big Bus Tour Singapore buses had a mix of indoor lower-deck seating and open-top upper-deck seating. Inside, the lower deck was simple and functional, with red seats and large windows. It was not luxurious, but it offered shade and a cooler place to sit, which can be useful in Singapore’s heat and humidity.
The upper deck is where the tour feels more enjoyable. Our photos show both paired seats and single seats on the top deck, with open views across the city. The seating was basic, and some areas showed visible signs of wear, but it was comfortable enough for a sightseeing bus.
There was also free Wi-Fi advertised on board, which is useful if you want to check maps, look up route information, or share photos during the tour.
One thing to consider is the weather. Singapore can feel very warm, and the open-top deck gives the best views, but it may not always be the most comfortable place to sit for the full route. We would still choose the top deck for the best photos, then move downstairs if the weather became too hot or if rain arrived.
The Sightseeing Experience
The Big Bus Tour Singapore worked well because the city has such a striking mix of modern architecture, luxury hotels, green spaces and heritage districts. From the bus, we passed busy city streets, high-rise buildings, shopping areas and some of Singapore’s most recognisable landmarks.
Our photos show views from the bus, including the colourful windows of the Old Hill Street Police Station, the modern city skyline and the impressive Marina Bay Sands building. These are exactly the type of sights that make an open-top bus tour worthwhile, because you can see more of the city without constantly planning individual journeys.
The Yellow Line is described as covering major city highlights such as Gardens by the Bay, Orchard Road, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore Art Museum and Raffles Hotel. The Red Line focuses more on heritage areas, travelling through places such as Little India and Chinatown.
For first-time visitors, this gives a useful overview of Singapore. It also helps you decide which areas you may want to revisit later in more detail.
Commentary and App
The Big Bus Tour Singapore includes pre-recorded commentary that provides useful context as you travel around the city. This helps turn the journey into more than just a bus ride, as you learn more about the landmarks, neighbourhoods and history along the route.
Big Bus Tours also promotes its mobile app, which includes route information, service updates and live bus arrival times. This is helpful if you are planning to hop off and rejoin later, as timing can make a big difference to how much you manage to see in one day.
Routes and Frequency
Big Bus Tours lists two main Singapore sightseeing routes: the Yellow Line and the Red Line.
| Route | Main focus | Listed operating times | Listed frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Line | City highlights | 09:30–17:20 | 25–40 minutes |
| Red Line | Heritage areas | 09:40–17:10 | 25–35 minutes |
The Big Bus Tour Singapore is best used as a sightseeing experience rather than simply a way to get from one point to another. Singapore’s MRT will usually be quicker for direct journeys, but the bus gives you a better sense of the city above ground.
If you plan to hop off at several stops, it is worth checking the timings carefully. With buses running around every 25 to 40 minutes, depending on the route, poor planning could mean spending more time waiting than expected.
What We Liked
We liked how easy the Big Bus Tour Singapore was to use from Suntec City. Starting close to the Fairmont Singapore made the whole experience feel convenient, and it was a simple way to begin sightseeing without needing to plan a detailed route ourselves.
The top deck was the highlight. It gave us open views of Singapore’s skyline, architecture and streets, and it was a good place for photos. The tour also suited a short stay, as it allowed us to see several areas of the city at a relaxed pace.
What Could Be Better
The buses felt practical rather than premium, and some of the seating areas looked a little worn. The open-top deck can also get hot, particularly during the middle of the day, so water, sun protection, and a hat are worth bringing.
The other point to watch is the frequency. The service is convenient, but if you want to hop off at multiple stops, you need to plan your day carefully so you are not waiting too long between buses.
Big Bus Tour Singapore: Final Verdict
The Big Bus Tour Singapore is a good option if you want an easy and relaxed introduction to the city. It works particularly well for first-time visitors, cruise passengers, families or anyone staying in Singapore for a short time.
It is not the cheapest way to get around, and the MRT will usually be faster for direct travel. However, as a sightseeing experience, the open-top views, route coverage and commentary make the tour useful and enjoyable.
For us, starting at Suntec City while staying at the Fairmont Singapore made the experience even easier. The Big Bus Tour Singapore gave us a comfortable overview of the city and helped us enjoy Singapore without overplanning the day.
Verdict: A convenient and enjoyable open-top city tour that gives a great first impression of Singapore.
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