Singapore Driving Advice and Car Hire Info
Driving in Singapore-
Singapore drives on the left and you can drive on a photo licence from most countries plus an international driving permit. Singapore has a sophisticated and well maintained road system.The main urban areas are linked by 163 kilometres of modern, multi-lane expressways. The Singapore expressway networks are connected with Malaysia’s expressways via the Ayer Rajah Expressway (connects with the Second Link Expressway in Malaysia) and Bukit Timah Expressway (connects with the Johor Bahru Eastern Dispersal Link Expressway via Johor–Singapore Causeway).
Singapore is well sign posted and traffic rules are generally obeyed by car drivers though beware of motorcyclists who may weave in and out of lanes in traffic. Some roads are toll roads and if you intend to cross into Malaysia you will need to pay to cross the causeways/bridges. In general, you should enjoy driving abroad on Singapores modern and civilised road systems, which are very different to those in much of Asia.
Some additional information for ex-pats driving in Singapore using a non rental vehcile is provided by local insurance broker https://www.budgetdirect.com.sg/
Local Must-Knows about Driving in Singapore
Driving in Singapore can be a costly affair. With hefty ERP charges, peak time traffic congestion, and traffic police on standby with speed cameras, being a driver in Singapore can be quite a challenge. The little red dot is a fast moving island-city with over 500,000 cars on the road. As a foreigner, the road rules and regulations in Singapore can be unfamiliar especially since locals do not carry physical driving licences anymore.
- You’ll also notice the famous CashCards grey box mounted on dashboards used to pay for car parks through an automatic debit the exit barriers.
- The Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) is charged on expressways and central zones, with rates varying as per the location and time of day.
- Since 2010, red number plates represent the Off Peak Car Scheme (OPCS) that encourages drivers to be on the road out of rush hours.
- All car owners in Singapore need a Certificate of Entitlement (COE), valid for 10 years. The authorities use these certificates given out only in a limited number annually to regulate the number of cars on the road.
- Having car insurance is compulsory in Singapore. One can choose between the 3 main types of insurance: TPO (Third Party Only), Third Party, Fire and Theft and Comprehensive Coverage. Someone found driving a motor engine in Singapore without insurance cover is liable to a fine and imprisonment.
- Car inspections are also the order of the day with the local Land Transport Authority (LTA) issuing notices 3 months in advance.
Although I try and keep the information in the site updated as much as possible, in a rapidly moving world, situations can change daily. Therefore please use the site as an approximate guide, and in conjunction with other resources in order to form your view on driving conditions, roads, safety etc.
Singapore Car Rental –
Sixt, Hertz, Avis, National, all have outlets in Singapore. Also usually features on Car rental broker sites and Web discount sites such as LastMinute.com
We currently have no local car rental partners in Singapore. If you are a local car rental company who would like to feature on DriverAbroad.com please check details on our Partnering page or contact us on ADriverAbroad@Outlook.com.
Singapore Self Drive rules
Some of the rental companies seem to indicate that cars can be taken into mainland Malaysia but you should check this with them before booking.
1 comment