If you are driving, you will find several major expressways to links to most roads in Singapore. The two major expressways (no, we do not have freeways nor autobahn here, too small for those!) are Pan-Island Expressway (or what locals call 'PIE') and East-Coast Expressway (or 'ECP'). Both the major expressways are linked to the Changi International Airport (east of the country).

There are several other expressways, including Central Expressway (or 'CTE'), Seletar Expressway (or 'SLE'), Tampines Expressway (or 'TPE'), Kranji Expressway (or 'KJE'), Bukit Timah Expressway (or 'BKE') etc. etc.

Speed limits are clearly stated along the expressways (in fact on all roads). The maximum speed I have seen is 90kmH, but most expressways has 80kmH speed limit. Beware of speed cameras (which you will be clearly informed by the signs on the expressways) along the expressways, and speed cameras which are hidden (so behave yourself!!).

Oh yes, before I forget, we drive on the left side of the roads, and the driver seat is on the right, very unlike countries like USA and Taiwan.

If you wish to (or have to) drive around Singapore, remember to grab a copy of "Singapore Street Directory" (available in most bookstores, petrol kiosks etc. in Singapore). This street directory will tell you exactly on how to get around Singapore, however it is not recommended for first time visitors to Singapore as the names of the roads (especially when you are not locals) can be quite tough to pronounce/remember.

Also, you would need some experience in identifying the roads that leads to another around Singapore, so driving by yourself around Singapore for first time visitors are not recommended. However, I must say it is quite hard to find yourself lost on Singapore roads as most are linked to the expressways and you will find yourself heading towards the expressways one way or another. So for the adventurous, you may want to try out the roads in Singapore. I must stress that those maps you obtained from Changi International Airport is not enough to navigate roads in Singapore, so please remember that!

Having said all that, it must be added that Singapore is quite amply served by the several public transport system. This includes Public Buses, Train (Mass Rapid Transit or MRT, and the recently added LRTs) and Taxis/Cabs.

You can get around Singapore (and I mean ANY PART OF SINGAPORE) using one of the public transport system. Many locals use the train (MRT) to get to major spots in Singapore. Most important locations are well served (within walking distance, some right in the middle!) by the train (MRT).

For other locations which are not served directly by the train stations, you can easily alight from the train stations and take the public buses available. Please check with the train station officers on duty for more details on how to get to the places you wish to go.

Remember to get a copy of the "Transitlink Guide" which will tell you what (which train/bus) to take depending on where you wish to go. The guide is available at major book stores and train stations / bus depots around Singapore.

The MRT system are fully air-conditioned and are well-maintained and clean. A trip from the East (Pasir Ris Station) to the West (Boon Lay Station) should not take more than 60-70 mins, and fare ranges from $0.80 to $1.80 depending on the number of stations you will be passing. You can purchase the tickets to ride on the MRT from the train stations you are departing from.

The exact fares for each trip are clearly displayed on the walls of the train stations you take the train from. If ever in doubt, feel free to contact one of the station officers on duty.

You can take the train from the many train stations around Singapore. Go for signs that shows "Train Stations" or "MRT" or ask the locals around, you will find one which is near you. If you have a copy of the "Transitlink Guide", then you will never be lost!

Tourists may wish to purchase the "Tourists Sovenir" card which allows you multiple trips and retain the ticket when you have finished using the card. More information can be obtained from the train stations as well.

Public Buses in Singapore served most if not all roads in Singapore. You can get to anywhere in Singapore using the public buses. Buses come in both air-conditioned or non air-conditioned. Trips on air-conditioned buses are slightly more expensive than the non air-conditioned ones.

Prices for bus trips are from S$0.60 to S$1.50 (cheaper if you are using farecards). Trips can range from a few minutes to over 1 1/2 hours, depending on where you are heading.

It is strongly recommended that you use this mode of transport if you are in town visiting (pleasure), as it (the buses) brings you around Singapore and you can see the people, places and way of living of the country right in the comfort of the bus you are traveling in.

Buses are usually clean and comfortable, so if you can spare the time, hop on board one of the public buses to get around Singapore. The "Transitlink Guide" will tell you what bus service number to take depending on the location you wish to go.

Unlike many countries, Public Buses in Singapore usually comes in the space of 5 - 20 mins (more often during peak hours, and less often during non-peak hours), so if you miss one bus, have no worries, the next one will arrive in no time!

You will find bus-stops (places where you can flag down buses) along roads in Singapore. It is hard to find roads which do not have a bus-stop, so you do not need to worry about a thing!

If in doubt of the fare to pay, just ask the bus-driver! Tell him/her the destination you are going, and ask him/her how much would the fare be. If you are unsure of when to alight, ask the bus driver to tell you when he/she reaches the destination! Most bus-drivers are friendly, and would advise you exactly on how much to pay, when to alight, and even tell you if you need to take another service number instead. So just ask!

For those who do not wish to 'squeeze' with the public, you can always take the taxis/cabs. Unlike places like Hong Kong, there are no specific areas where you can flag down taxis. In fact, you can flag them down (as long as they are empty of course) practically anywhere along the road (except for toll-away zones). Of course, this "anywhere" should not be compared to places like New York (where it is practically - anywhere!) :-)

A normal trip by taxi generally costs from a few Singapore dollars to over ten Singapore dollars. Only on rare occasions (like trips to the airport) would you find yourself paying more than S$20. A trip which costs about S$20 - S$30 is enough to take you from one end of the island to the other.

All trips are 'metered', so you can be sure you will not be over-charged. Most Singapore taxi-drivers are honest and based trips on the metered fare, but of course there are some bad-hats around, and if you encounter them, just pay according to what they demand and make a complaint (refer to the telephone numbers below) to their respective companies (note the signs on the taxis, which clearly display the company owning the taxis). Remember to note the number of the taxi and the driver (note the name on the front of the taxi, it is a must to clearly display the driver's name) on duty.

Tips are not compulsory, but if you feel that the taxi driver is doing a good job, please be generous! (I tipped the taxi drivers quite often myself when I take taxis if I find them honest and my trip pleasant. So decide for yourself whether you want to tip the taxi drivers.)

For those die-hards, the rickshaws (or trishaws to some) which were used as one form of public transport back in the sixties, seventies and early eighties, are now available as a form of tourists attraction. You can now hire rickshaws to tour around the central part of Singapore, please check with your hotel operators for more details on how to hire one. Such trips, I was told, costs about S$35 where the rickshaw riders will bring you around some places of interests.

There are of course many other modes of transport in Singapore, private buses, chauffered limos etc. etc. But they are not really "public" to a certain extend. However, if anyone wishes to know more, I will write on them as well.