Cycling Singapore

Why should cyclists visit Singapore?

Cycling in Singapore is a popular pursuit.

From an outsider’s perspective, this may seem initially surprising. The roads tend to be big and busy. It’s also hot and incredibly humid. However, armed with a good cycling route and riding early in the morning, you’ll find a lot to like.

Singapore is not somewhere you’d necessarily choose for a cycling specific holiday, but look closely and you’ll find some decent routes and a vibrant cycling scene. You may only be planning to visit Singapore for a couple of days, but that’s still plenty of time to get on a bike and explore this diverse urban metropolis. And as ever, cycling is an excellent way to get to know the city.

Overview of cycling in Singapore

Where is Singapore?

Map of Singapore

Singapore lies in the tropics, in Southeast Asia. It is a city-state and island nation situated between Malaysia to the north and Indonesia to the south.

It is located just 137 kilometres north of the Equator.

Singapore consists of Singapore Island and around 60 small islets. When we talk about Singapore in this article, we’re talking about the main island. Most of the islets are uninhabited or inaccessible.

Layout of Singapore from a cyclist’s perspective

Singapore is 31 kilometres from east to west and 17 kilometres from north to south; roughly twice the size of the Isle of Wight in the UK.

Singapore offers cyclists relatively flat terrain throughout the island; nearly two-thirds of Singapore is less than 15 metres above sea level.

Look at a map of Singapore and you’ll spot a few things: lots of roads and built-up areas dotted with green patches.

Parks

There is a big green area towards the centre of Singapore which is the MacRitchie Reservoir and there aren’t any roads through it. The trails are walking trails.

The smaller areas of green are parks. Cycling in Singapore parks is allowed in a couple of the larger parks (for example cycling in East Coast Park is one of the most popular cycling routes in Singapore). But you can’t cycle in the smaller ones. Bikes are also prohibited in the popular Botanic Gardens.

Hills

The highest point in Singapore is Bukit Timah Hill, at an altitude of 164 metres. Cyclists often head to Mt Faber for hill reps, which is one of the few road climbs with enough uphill to give you some training benefit.

Cycling paths in Singapore

Singapore’s cycling infrastructure is built around the country’s Park Connector Network (PCN), an interlinking network of 380 kilometres of paved recreational bike trails in Singapore.

The Rail Corridor is a continuous 24 kilometre long green passage that allows wildlife movement between major green spaces, while providing a route for recreation, including cycling. Put “park connectors” or “rail corridor” into google maps and helpfully, it will superimpose these on your map.

These facilities are fine for commuting or a family leisure ride. The Rail Corridor also works for road riding early in the morning, before the rest of the world is on it.

But be aware, Singapore’s PCN cycling routes often aren’t very joined up and don’t necessarily take you where you need to go. Some of Singapore’s Park Connectors have a habit of starting and stopping without any clear direction as to where the next one is, while some have curbs to negotiate.

The PCNs are also shared use, so you often find families and groups of walkers on them, especially at the weekends when riding without stopping during “normal hours” is tricky.

In future years, this might change. The government has a Green Plan 2030 which plans to develop the national agenda on sustainable lines. As part of this, there are plans to triple the number of cycle paths.

Cycling on pavements

You see a lot of people cycling on pavements in Singapore to avoid particularly wide or busy roads.

This is permitted for considerate cyclists who are happy to cycle slowly and give way to pedestrians. But be aware that many of the pavements are narrow, so slow speeds, courtesy and safe passing distances are required on pavements and park connectors.

For more detail, take a look at these cycling rules in Singapore, provided by Singapore’s Land Transport Authority.

Roads

For quicker progress, you will need to venture off the PCNs and pavements and onto the roads.

Care is required; cyclists that are not used to riding in busy traffic in major cities are unlikely to enjoy riding on Singapore’s roads.

As you would expect for one of the world’s most densely populated countries, Singapore’s major roads tend to be large, multi-lane highways.

Even the smaller ones are not exactly country lanes. On these you can quickly find a long queue of cars builds up behind you because there’s no room for them to overtake and no bike lane or pavement for you to escape onto.

Road furniture

Beware of the road furniture! The roads here are not built with cyclists in mind and while the surfaces tend to be smooth and well-maintained, there are no shortage of drain covers which obviously get very slippery when it rains.

Singapore is known as the “Garden City” and for good reason. The roads are tree-lined, there are incredibly beautiful parks and flowers throughout.

The downside of this is that when it rains, you often find debris on the road. This is typically cleared very quickly and the city’s water drainage is excellent, but if you’re riding early in the morning after a rainstorm, be warned.

Heat

The heat and traffic in Singapore mean that Singapore night cycling is popular and serious cyclists tend to ride at an absurdly late time of night or early time of the morning. Local groups often start at 4 or 5am and we’ve even spotted groups night cycling in Singapore on the road at 1 or 2am…

The impressive Marina Bay Sands Complex

Bike share schemes

Bike sharing in Singapore is relatively inexpensive compared to other major cities.

Currently it only costs $1 for a 30-minute ride. Additionally, you have the option to sign up for unlimited weekly or monthly programs at a really good rate. Once you have the app, you can easily unlock a bike and ride it anywhere in the Central Business District (CBD).

When you’re finished, you return the bike to specific parking areas. The app ensures this by requiring you to take a photo of a designated QR code when you park. Fortunately, there are numerous bike share areas in Singapore, so finding a parking spot should not be a problem.

Bike size

It’s worth mentioning that the bikes used for ride sharing are quite small. In fact, they resemble children’s bikes! If you’re taller than 178 centimetres, you might find these bikes too small and uncomfortable.

I personally stand at 180 centimetres, and I find that these bikes aren’t large enough as the seat doesn’t extend high enough to accommodate my legs..

Schemes

Here are a few examples of bike sharing schemes:

• Anywheel – bike-sharing service model. Rates are budget-friendly.
• SGBike – also in the micromobility vein, you download an app, set a payment method, find a bike and ride. There are two tiers – the premium level includes bikes with child seats.
• Hello Ride – like Anywheel, this is a Chinese startup.

Hello Ride hire bikes in Singapore

Is there a cycling culture in Singapore?

If you spend some time on Google researching cycling in Singapore, you’ll find information telling you that Singapore is very cycling-friendly. Singaporeans are proud of their PCNs and Singapore probably has more cycling infrastructure than most countries in southeast Asia. There’s also a strong green agenda at a political level.

However, for anyone that would class themselves as a more “serious” cyclist, used to cycling on road and riding more than a handful of kilometres at a time, take the references to Singapore being cycling-friendly with some caution.

By way of example, one of the “moderate-challenging” routes on Visit Singapore’s website is 11 kilometres long. Another website tells you how to complete a 165 kilometre loop of Singapore – but read a little closer and you’ll find that 95% of the suggested route is on pavements.

At East Coast Park in Singapore

Cycling to work

Cycling to work is not an established part of Singaporean culture.

Visit the CBD and you’ll start to understand.

Commuting by bike is not very tempting; there aren’t bike lanes because this is not a city built for bikes, it’s built for cars, buses and the MRT (tube/subway).

The weather is probably also a big part in why cycling is not a big part of Singapore’s culture. As mentioned, it’s very humid and it also rains a lot (and when it rains, it really rains – think someone turning on a tap rather than a mizzle).

Cycling to school

Before we moved to Singapore, having never visited Singapore previously, I remember asking in a Singapore cycling forum whether we could feasibly cycle the kids to school. Some people laughed, others said (doubtfully) “well, maybe”.

I was skeptical of their skepticism, but on arrival in Singapore I began to understand.

Disappointingly, we never cycled the kids to school, mainly because of the weather situation: you’d need to change the kids into new clothes on arrival at school, otherwise they’d start the day caked in sweat (which is particularly unpleasant when you then go inside an air-conditioned building and then freeze).

Also, the route between where we lived and the school was out of the question with kids as it was all main road (and, to provide context, we moved to Singapore from southeast London).

Street life in Singapore

Folding bikes

When you do see bikes in Singapore, it’s usually Bromptons and other folding bikes. When we’ve asked locals, we were told the reason for this is the fact they’re practical to store in small apartments.

Pelotons of folding bike riders are frequently seen, particularly at weekends.

Road cycling in Singapore

Having said all this, there are some quality road cycling opportunities if you choose carefully – and there are some Singapore cycling groups you can get in touch with.

A list of the cycling clubs in Singapore that we are aware of include:

• ANZA Cycling Club
• CCK Sportive Cycling Team
• BPR Cycling Club
• Fat Boys Cycling
• Joyriders
• Singapore Barbarians
• Singapore Biking Vikings
• Rapha Cycling Club
• 4T2
• West Coast Riders
• Specialised Mavericks
• Matador Racing

Exploring another beautiful park in Singapore

Cycling routes in Singapore

So if you’ve got this far, you’re probably keen to know where to cycling in Singapore. Below you’ll find three Singapore cycling routes which we’ve honed and consider to be some of the best cycling routes in Singapore.

They include a diverse range of cycling options and cycling places in Singapore, with something for both experienced riders and those looking for a more leisurely bike route.

Choose from scenic routes along coastal trails, to the natural beauty of the island’s jungle interior; or for a little more elevation don’t miss the stunning views from the hilly Mount Faber Park. We’ve even included some Singapore city cycling to give you a full taste of what this destination has to offer cyclists.

We’ve included notes for each ride within the write-ups below, but it’s worth highlighting that in Singapore the vast majority of people ride very early in the morning. We used to start around 5am. Many cyclists wanting to cover some distances on the roads start even earlier to avoid the morning build up towards rush hour.

Rides

Cycling in East Coast Park + Changi Beach cycling

72km 344m

Cycling Sentosa, Singapore Rail Corridor + Mount Faber

53km 633m

Marina Bay cycling loop + Singapore city highlights

25km 226m

Cycling events in Singapore

Round Island Bike Adventure (RIBA)

This annual event takes places each August, riding a 120 kilometre anticlockwise route on a mixture of PCNs and roads, with checkpoints along the way. There are various age categories and finishers medals are on offer.

OCBC Cycle

Typically held annually, the OCBC Cycle is one of Singapore’s most inclusive mass participation cycling events.

It features various categories from competitive races to community rides, allowing participants to ride on roads usually reserved for motor vehicles.

In 2024, the routes were the Sportive Ride (40 kilometres), the Foldie Ride by Brompton (40 kilometres) and the Sraits Times Ride (20 kilometres). There were also Virtual 100 kilometre and 500 kilometre rides.

Tour de France Singapore Criterium

In recent years, Singapore has hosted this event, bringing professional cyclists from around the globe to the Singapore city circuit. In 2024, it is set to include several pro riders, in previous years this has included Pogacar, Froome, and Cavendish. The event usually takes place towards the end of the year (in 2024, it’s in October). It also includes events for amateur cyclists.

Triathlons in Singapore

Triathlon, duathlon and aquathlon are pretty popular in Singapore and there are amateur events throughout the year.

A triathlon in Singapore

Bike rental in Singapore

It’s relatively easy to find leisure bicycle rentals in Singapore; more specialised bikes like road bikes will require some more delving.

We lived in Singapore and so had road bikes with us, but there are lots of bike rental shops in Singapore. Here are a few:

• CityScoot – located on the Singapore River, it’s well placed for those wanting to ride the CBD or Chinatown areas. They even organise Singapore cycling tours.
• The Bicycle Hut – offer road bikes, fixies, fat bikes, leisure bikes and tandems too.
• Biking Singapore – offers folding and vintage bikes. They will deliver.
• Coastline Leisure – offer everything from leisure bikes to mountain bikes and kids bikes too. They’re located in areas B and E of East Coast Park.
• GoCycling – offer a variety of bikes including leisure bikes and kids bikes. They have 12 locations and allow you to drop your bike back to a different location which can be convenient.
• 12Cycle – in a very convenient location if you want to try riding the East Coast Park cycling route.

Bike hire in East Coast Park

Where to stay in Singapore (for cyclists)

Singapore isn’t a big place; it takes about an hour to drive across it in a car. Whichever location you choose, you won’t be far from one of our cycling routes.

Marina Bay

Location

Where you choose to base yourself will likely depend on the purpose of your trip, rather than cycling specifics, as it’s unlikely you’re in Singapore just to ride your bike. Here are some pointers for the most popular areas of Singapore for visitors:

CBD

A hotel anywhere around Marina Bay will offer excellent transport links as well as easy access to attractions such as Garden by the Bay. This is the heart of downtown, so expect high rise buildings and wide, busy roads. East Coast Park is not far from here and is accessible on a PCN. Likewise, you can easily access the River Valley trail.

Orchard Road

Another popular location, particularly for those who love shopping as Orchard Road is lined with shopping malls. The buildings might be slightly less high rise and glitzy than in the CBD, but not by much. Like the CBD, the roads are busy and there are excellent public transport links. Don’t expect to see any orchards.

Sentosa

This is for you if you are looking for a luxe, chilled out vibe, want to be near a beach and aren’t too bothered about being able to use pubic transport. The roads on Sentosa are some of the quietest in Singapore (but still, be conscious you might get the odd close pass).

Park Royal Collection Hotel, Singapore

Bike friendly hotels in Singapore

As Singapore isn’t really a cycling destination in and of itself, we aren’t aware of any bike specific hotels in Singapore. However, there are some hotels that offer bike hire to cyclists and are therefore perhaps more likely to let you store your pride and joy somewhere sensible while you stay with them (still best to check with them before you book).

Capella Singapore

This sprawling 5 star hotel on Sentosa Island has beautiful pool villas. It’s also well located for visiting nearby Palawan Beach and Universal Studios. The Capella has collaborated with Brompton to offer guests bicycles.

More information

Check availability and prices here.

Ibis Singapore on Bencoolen

This more central, three-star option is just a bamboo bike ride away from Orchard Road, which is the heart of Singapore’s retail and dining options.

More information

Check availability and prices here.

Intercontinental Singapore

The 5-star Intercontinental Singapore is located at Robertson Quay. This is a great location in Singapore as it’s so central. From here you’re close to the CBD and lots of restaurants along the Singapore River. You can borrow Tokyo Bikes from the hotel and there’s also a swimming pool and fitness studio.

More information

Check availability and prices here.

Other places to stay in Singapore

Singapore has tons of hotel and serviced apartment options; just don’t go looking for AirBnB as it isn’t permitted here. Check out more options, here.

When to visit Singapore

Singapore is in the equatorial monsoon region of Southeast Asia and so it’s hot and humid throughout the year.

It’s a bit more rainy and a bit cooler in December, January and February (temperatures vary from about 27° C in June and 180 milimetres of rain in July to 35° C in January and 250 milimetres of rainfall in December).

Another factor to consider is that it’s the Singapore Formula 1 race in September and accommodation gets pretty booked out at this time of year.

But as you’re likely to only be in Singapore for a couple of days on the way somewhere else, or for business, hitting the perfect time of year to visit Singapore probably isn’t a huge issue.

Just be aware that at any time of year, as soon as you get on a bike in Singapore you will start to sweat. 20 minutes later and your jersey will soaked.

A beautiful sunset in Singapore

Practical tips for cycling trips in Singapore

If you’re from the UK, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that Singapore’s history (it was part of the British Empire until 1963) has led to a number of practical benefits for you.

Language

English speakers are in luck; Mandarin and English are Singapore’s two main languages and almost everyone here speaks English.

Singlish is a colloquial form of English spoken in Singapore. It’s a vibrant mix of English, Malay, Hokkien, Cantonese, and Tamil. This unique blend arises from Singapore’s multicultural population.

Words and phrases from various languages intermingle, creating expressions and sentence structures that are distinct to Singapore. For example, the particle “lah” is often added for emphasis, as in “Don’t worry, lah.”

Singlish is informal and primarily spoken, not written. It can be puzzling for visitors due to its unique phrases and slang.

Family travel in Singapore

Singapore is an excellent destination for a family holiday, thanks to its combination of safety, convenience, and fun-filled attractions. We’ve already mentioned the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit), buses, and taxis, which are all clean and easy to navigate.

Theme parks like Universal Studios Singapore, Adventure Cove Waterpark and the Wild Wild Wet Waterpark are popular with kids.

Singapore is also renowned for its high safety standards, low crime rates and strict laws, which make it feel safe.

For more tips to help you plan a family cycling holiday check out this article.

Striking, colourful architecture in Singapore

Money

Singapore is not a cheap place for a cycling holiday. Pretty much the only areas you’ll end up spending less than you would in the UK/Europe are eating out (if you eat at a food centre/hawker centre) and public transport.

Money wise, you might be able to get by with just a card if you only buy things in hotels, supermarkets and shopping malls. However, it’s a good idea to have some cash because small restaurants and hawker centres often don’t accept Visa/MasterCard. They accept cash and a local payment system called PayNow which involves a phone app and QR code (very useful and equivalent to having cash, but you can only get it if you have a local bank account).

Food and drink

If you want to get your coffee fix while out, but don’t want to pay for a “western” coffee shop, head to a hawker centre and ask for a kopi. Here’s a basic guide to the main different styles of kopi:

• Kopi: Black Coffee with condensed milk and sugar
• Kopi Kosong: Black Coffee with condensed milk (no sugar)
• Kopi-O: Black coffee with sugar
• Kopi-O Kosong: Black coffee (no sugar, no milk)
• Kopi-C: Black coffee with unsweetened evaporated milk (the C is for Carnation) and sugar
• Kop-C Kosong: Black coffee with evaporated milk (no sugar)

While on the subject of hawker centres, the variety and range on offer can be a little overwhelming.

Top tip! Most places usually have a Thai food place. Stick to that and you’ll likely find something you feel safe with.

Singapore’s tap water is drinkable. One unusual thing about Singapore is that you usually have to pay for water in restaurants and cafes. There’s no obligation for restaurants to provide water for free. For those of us used to water being free in restaurants and given how hot it is here, this takes a bit of getting used to!

A food stall in Singapore

Safety

Singapore is an incredibly safe city from a crime perspective. A little example – our friend left her kids scooters at the entrance to Botanic Gardens for three hours and came back to find them all there in one piece! That said, it is of course prudent to lock your pride and joy should you leave it.

Take the country’s laws and Singapore cycling rules seriously. Part of the reason Singapore is so safe is that its rules are vigorously upheld. Some of them may come as a surprise. It’s beyond the scope of this article to go into them all here, but read this for more information.

Weather

We’ve already mentioned that Singapore’s tropical climate can experience a fair bit of rain and for those unfamiliar, this isn’t your typical European rain!

Singapore experiences the kind of rain that makes a mockery of a rain jacket.

Imagine you’re under your kitchen tap turned on full and you’ll get the idea. It typically rains almost every day for a short spell – though during rainy season (usually December to February) it’s not unusual for it to rain most of the day.

Singapore is also the country with the highest density of lightning strikes per square kilometre. So, when you see those dark clouds looming, take them seriously and find shelter. Also, if you are going to need to get in a taxi, find one as soon as possible. When it rains, it becomes very tricky to find a taxi!

Although it rains a lot, it’s never cold outside. It took some getting used to the fact you never need a sweater or coat when going out for an evening!

More of a problem is the intense heat.

Top tip! Take two bottles with you and refill if you’re running low. Public water fountains are common, as are supermarkets. 7-11 convenience stores are everywhere, Cold Storage, FairPrice and other chains too. If you’re getting desperate, heading for an MRT station is a good bet as there are usually shops there.

Be prepared for a few tropical downpours!

Getting to Singapore

Singapore is a major hub for air travel in Southeast Asia, with direct flights to and from many international destinations. Lots of visitors go for a multi-destination break, staying for a few days in Singapore before heading off to other destinations in Asia, such as Borneo.

Changi Airport is itself a destination. It’s recognised as one of the best airports in the world, complete with indoor gardens, a waterfall, play areas, and numerous family-friendly facilities.

Getting to and from the airport

Public transport is generally cheap in Singapore and this includes taxis.

The best thing to do is to buy a local SIM card from the airport and then download Singapore’s taxis apps (you’ll need a Singapore number to be able to download the app). You can take your pick from Zig, Tada and Grab (there’s no Uber here!). On these you can order a taxi and can also specify which size vehicle you want. Assuming your bike is in a box you will be fine.

Getting around Singapore with your bike

The only bikes allowed on Singapore’s MRT and buses are folding bikes (that’s perhaps one of the reasons folding bikes are so popular here).

For tourists in Singapore without a folding bike, this means you’ll either need to cycle to the start of your ride or use taxis.

Make sure you select a big taxi. We never had a problem with a driver accepting our bikes in a large taxi, even where we had four to fit in, plus four passengers and we had to take off the front and back wheels.

Top tip! Make sure your bikes (and you) are as clean as possible.

Exploring by folding bike is popular in Singapore

Highway code and travel information

As ever, it’s a good idea to check current travel information before you book and travel. For UK visitors, the UK government travel information pages for Singapore are here.

You should also read and follow Singapore’s highway code and there is information on rules for cyclists here and here. As a result of it having been part of the British Empire, Singapore is a left-hand drive country.

Near Clarke Quay by the Singapore River

Looking for more long-haul cycling adventures?

We hope this guide has got you excited to go cycling in Singapore if you visit here in future!

Whether you’re planning on cycling in Asia, or simply looking for ideas in far flung, tropical destinations, here are a few more articles we think you might like:

• Cycling in Borneo
• Cycling in Japan
• Cycling in Sydney
• Cycling Taiwan
• Cycling Dubai
• Cycling in Uruguay

Have you cycled in Singapore?

We’d love to hear from you. Let us know your thoughts!

Clare Dewey is a cyclist with a passion for travel. She set up epicroadrides.com in 2018 to help make it easy for cyclists to explore the world by bike. Today her mission is still inspiring cyclists to discover new places on two wheels - and doing what she can to make sure they have the best possible time while they're there. Clare has visited 50+ destinations around the world, many of them by bike.