You’ve Booked Your Ferry to Singapore. Here’s What to Do the Moment You Arrive

In 2025, Singapore welcomed 16.9 million international visitors — a 2.3% increase year-on-year, according to the Singapore Tourism Board. Indonesia was the second-largest source market at 2.4 million arrivals, the vast majority of whom arrived not by air but by sea — stepping off high-speed ferries at HarbourFront Centre or Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal after crossings of under 75 minutes.

Most of them arrived at HarbourFront or Tanah Merah with one question: what now?

This article answers that — and explains how to handle both parts of the trip, from the moment you book a ferry ticket to the moment you walk through the gates of your first Singapore attraction.

Singapore by Ferry — What the Numbers Look Like

Step 1: Book a Ferry Ticket to Singapore

Five major operators run regular high-speed services into Singapore’s two main ferry terminals. Here is everything you need to make your booking:

Ferry Operators, Routes and Prices (2026)

All five operators are bookable through platforms like redBus— compare schedules, select seats, and receive an instant e-ticket in a single session. Flexible cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure on most routes.

What to Know Before You Book

• HarbourFront is connected directly to HarbourFront MRT (Circle and North-East lines) — ideal for travelers heading to Sentosa, Orchard, or the city centre
• Tanah Merah is on Singapore’s east coast, 20 minutes from Changi Airport by MRT — ideal for travelers arriving late or connecting onward
• Bring your passport with a minimum of 6 months validity — no IC or other ID accepted at immigration
• Complete the Indonesian Digital Arrival Card (DAC) before departing Batam or Bintan — mandatory since October 2025 for outbound Indonesian ferry passengers
• Arrive at least 60 minutes before departure — ferry terminals close boarding 15–20 minutes before sailing

Which Terminal Should You Choose?

Step 2: You’ve Arrived — Here’s What Singapore Has Waiting

Singapore’s tourism receipts from Sightseeing, Entertainment and Gaming grew 15% in 2025 compared to the prior year — the fastest-growing segment of the visitor economy. The city is not running out of things to offer. If anything, it added more in 2026 than in any year since the pandemic.

Here are the top things to do in Singapore  with estimated prices:

Why Booking Both on One Platform Makes Sense

Travelers visiting Singapore increasingly plan transport and experiences together. Instead of booking a ferry ticket on one website and attraction tickets on another, platforms such as redBus allow travelers to compare ferry schedules and book popular Singapore attractions in a single journey-planning session.

Nearly 40%  percent of redBus users across Singapore and Malaysia are aged 21–30 — the demographic that consistently refuses to manage four separate apps for a single trip. The logic behind combining ferry and activity booking is simple: one checkout, one confirmation email, one payment entry.

A traveler arriving from Batam on Sunday morning can book their BatamFast ferry and their Gardens by the Bay tickets in the same five-minute session the night before. No switching platforms. No re-entering card details. No separate confirmation to screenshot and save.

This is not a minor convenience. For anyone coordinating a group trip across a ferry crossing and a full Singapore day, having everything confirmed before departure removes the single biggest friction point of regional island travel.

The Time It Saves — In Real Numbers

Practical Arrival Guide — Ferry Terminal to First Experience

Once you clear Singapore immigration, you are already connected to the city. Both main ferry terminals have direct MRT access:

From HarbourFront Centre

• HarbourFront MRT (Circle Line / North-East Line) — inside VivoCity mall, a 3-minute walk from the ferry terminal
• Gardens by the Bay: Take Circle Line to Bayfront (3 stops) — 15 minutes
• Universal Studios / Adventure Cove: Take Sentosa Express from VivoCity Level 3 — 20 minutes door to gate
• Orchard Road: Take North-East Line to Dhoby Ghaut, transfer to North-South Line — 25 minutes

From Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal

• Bus 35 from the terminal to Tanah Merah MRT (East-West Line) — approximately 15 minutes
• City Hall / Marina Bay: East-West Line direct — 25 minutes
• Changi Airport onward connection: East-West Line 3 stops east — 10 minutes
• Gardens by the Bay: East-West Line to City Hall, transfer to Circle Line to Bayfront — 30 minutes

Luggage, Currency, and First Steps

• Left luggage: Available at HarbourFront VivoCity (Level 1) and most major MRT stations via e-locker services — rates from SGD 3–6 per hour
• Currency: Both terminals have currency exchange counters. Competitive rates also available at money changers inside VivoCity (HarbourFront)
• First meal: Level 3 food court in VivoCity has over 30 hawker-style stalls — satay, chicken rice, laksa — from SGD 5 per dish. A better first Singapore meal than most airport food and far cheaper

Singapore’s Most Visited Attractions — Key Facts and Ongoing Events

The Trip, Start to Finish

The ferry crossing takes 45 to 75 minutes. Singapore immigration at the ferry terminal is typically cleared in under 20 minutes. HarbourFront MRT is a 3-minute walk from the gate.

By the time most travelers have their first Singapore meal in hand, less than 90 minutes have passed since they stepped off the boat.

What they do with the rest of the day — and how much they spend doing it — depends entirely on how much they planned before leaving. Booking the ferry ticket is step one. Everything else is one platform away.