Changi Airport to Batam: Ferry Terminals, Steps and Baggage

Quick answer: Tanah Merah or HarbourFront?

Changi Airport is close to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, and the airport promotes this route for smooth transfers to Batam, Bintan and Desaru within 45–90 minutes. Singapore Cruise Centre also has a terminal at HarbourFront, with Level 1 ticketing, while Tanah Merah has ticketing at the Terminal Concourse. The practical rule is to confirm which Batam terminal your ferry company serves, then choose the Singapore departure point that matches your booking. For terminal-by-terminal details, including Batam Centre, Nongsapura, Sekupang, Harbour Bay, Gold Coast and Waterfront City, use our Singapore to Batam ferry guide and confirm with the ferry company. (Changi Airport, Singapore Cruise Centre)

From Changi Airport to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal

The Changi Airport site says its proximity to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal enables smooth transfers to Batam, Bintan and Desaru, with air-sea connections within 45–90 minutes. There is a shuttle service between Changi Airport and Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. At Changi, board at Terminal 1, Basement 1, Ground Transport Concierge (accessible by Lobby B lifts); Terminal 2, Arrival Hall, Door 6; or Terminal 4, Arrival Hall, Door 8. At Tanah Merah, the pick-up point is the arrival concourse waiting area. The shuttle allows one standard carry-on bag (L 26in x W 20in x H 16in); oversized, odd-shaped or bulky items are not permitted, and surfboards and golf bags are not allowed. If you arrive by flight, choose a shuttle time based on your flight’s estimated arrival plus 45 minutes for immigration and security clearance; if you arrive by ferry, do the same with your ferry’s estimated arrival. (Changi Airport)

Other ways from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal

If you are already at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and need to get to Changi Airport, the Singapore Cruise Centre lists public bus, train, taxi, private hire car and car options. For public bus, take the shuttle bus and alight at Changi Airport T1, T2 or T4, or take bus service number 35 and alight at Tanah Merah or Bedok MRT Station. You can pay with contactless Mastercard/Visa/NETS bank cards, mobile wallets, stored-value EZ-Link/NETS FlashPay cards, or Singapore Tourist Pass; admin fees apply for foreign-issued bank cards. Cash is also accepted, but prepare the exact fare because no change is given. For train, take SBS service number 35 to Tanah Merah or Bedok MRT Station, then continue via the East West Line to Changi Airport MRT station. Taxis are metered, peak-hour surcharge may apply, and there is a location surcharge of S$3.00 at any time of day for Prime, Premier, SMRT and Trans Cab taxis. Private hire cars are booked via mobile apps, with pick-up after the Arrival Hall, exit the terminal, turn left, opposite the taxi stand; for cars, after the Arrival Hall, exit the terminal and turn left. (Singapore Cruise Centre)

Check-in and boarding at the ferry terminal

Singapore Cruise Centre’s departure procedure has five steps: ticketing, check-in, baggage check-in, security screening and boarding. You can buy tickets online via ferry company websites or walk in at any ferry counter at Singapore Cruise Centre (HarbourFront) Level 1 and Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal – Terminal Concourse. You may print a physical boarding pass online if available, or check in at the counters. Baggage check-in counters, if any, open 60 minutes before departure and close 20 minutes before the ferry departs. Security screening opens 45 minutes before departure and closes 15 minutes before departure; have your passport and boarding pass ready and remove items from your pockets in advance. For boarding, hand your boarding pass to the ferry crew for verification. (Singapore Cruise Centre)

The baggage trap: 20 kg free, S$1 per kg, 30 kg per item

One of our editors learned this the hard way: the free ferry baggage allowance is per boarding pass, not per group. Singapore Cruise Centre states that hand-carry is allowed through the Departure Gate up to a maximum of 10 kg per person and maximum dimensions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm. For check-in baggage, each boarding pass has 20 kg free baggage allowance. Any more than that is excess baggage, with a limit of 30 kg per item. The 20 kg free allowance is not transferable and cannot be used together with other boarding passes. Excess baggage costs S$1 per kg or part thereof for all check-in items above the 20 kg allowance, up to a maximum of 40 kg per passenger. A 25 kg airline suitcase therefore costs S$5 extra on the ferry; a 32 kg suitcase must be repacked before check-in because no single item may exceed 30 kg. Odd-sized items have different rules: effective 2 June 2025, the handling fee for odd-size items on Horizon Ferry is S$10 per item up to 30 kg, or S$14 per item up to 30 kg for Horizon Fast Ferry. Odd-sized items include surfboards, wakeboards, bicycles, long items exceeding 1.5m, large items exceeding 100cm x 60cm x 30cm, and items that pose a safety hazard if hand-carried. The note says this fee adjustment applies only to Horizon Ferry; all other ferry companies’ rates remain unchanged. For further information, contact Horizon Ferry. Improperly packed items that are not properly or adequately packed for safe handling will be refused check-in, as will all cargo and commercial items. For items not listed, refer to your ferry company; for Singapore’s prohibited items, check the Singapore Immigration website. (Singapore Cruise Centre)

Step by step: landing at Changi to boarding the ferry

1. Clear arrival formalities; Changi Airport advises choosing a shuttle time based on your flight’s estimated arrival plus 45 minutes for immigration and security clearance.
2. Go to the shuttle pick-up point at Changi: Terminal 1, Basement 1, Ground Transport Concierge (accessible by Lobby B lifts); Terminal 2, Arrival Hall, Door 6; or Terminal 4, Arrival Hall, Door 8.
3. Travel to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. The Changi Airport site promotes this as the air-sea connection to Batam; if you are not using the shuttle, the Singapore Cruise Centre lists public bus, train, taxi, private hire car and car options from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.
4. At the ferry terminal, buy or collect tickets. Ticketing can be online via ferry company websites or walk-in at counters at Singapore Cruise Centre (HarbourFront) Level 1 and Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal – Terminal Concourse.
5. Check in and drop baggage. Baggage check-in counters, if any, open 60 minutes before departure and close 20 minutes before.
6. Clear security. The gate opens 45 minutes before departure and closes 15 minutes before; have your passport and boarding pass ready and remove items from your pockets.
7. Board. Hand your boarding pass to the ferry crew for verification. (Changi Airport, Singapore Cruise Centre, Singapore Cruise Centre)

Ferry services and schedules

Singapore Cruise Centre lists ferry services for BatamFast Ferry, Bintan Resort Ferries, Horizon Fast Ferry, Indo Falcon Shipping & Travel, Majestic Fast Ferry and Sindo Ferry, with contact details on its site. BatamFast publishes ferry schedules with effect from 17 September 2026, and Majestic Fast Ferry notes that its schedule may differ during weekends and public holidays. Check the official ferry company website before booking because routes and times can change; BatamFast has also posted a notice about HarbourFront Centre–Sekupang trips not operating until further notice, with refunds, rebooking or transfer to Batam Center. (Singapore Cruise Centre, BatamFast, Majestic Fast Ferry)

Which terminal is best for where you stay in Batam?

If you want the shortest airport transfer, start with Tanah Merah: Changi Airport’s own guidance highlights its proximity to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal for Batam connections. If your ferry booking departs from HarbourFront, you will use Singapore Cruise Centre’s HarbourFront terminal instead, where ticketing is on Level 1. The best terminal is therefore the one your ferry company uses for the Batam terminal closest to your hotel or final address. Confirm the exact Batam terminal on your ticket, then check the ferry company’s current schedule; do not rely on old notices, because BatamFast has shown that a route such as HarbourFront Centre–Sekupang can be suspended and bookings moved to Batam Center. For terminal-by-terminal comparisons, use our Singapore to Batam ferry guide. (Changi Airport, Singapore Cruise Centre, BatamFast)

Useful next steps for Batam

Before you travel, sort out your Indonesian arrival paperwork. Our guides cover the All Indonesia Arrival Card for Batam and the Batam Visa on Arrival and e-VOA. If you are staying in Batam, browse property listings and the Batam business directory for restaurants, cafes and clinics by area. Check the Batam weather forecast and the SGD to IDR rate before you change money. For the return leg, see Batam to Singapore transit via Changi.