I'm trying to understand what we can and can't access at Changi airport if we have a limited stopover ie 3-5 hours. I have never flown long haul so I don't know what happens between flights. I guess you don't have to go through immigration but if you don't what do you have access to - can you eat, use the swimming pool etc? We are expecting to fly BA/ Qantas and think our hold luggage will be transferred between flights for us - is that right?

If you were travelling with an 8 and 10 year old would you do a short or longer stopover?
Any tips?

We stopped for a few days so can't help ref short stopovers I'm afraid. It's a very popular route, so someone will be along very soon.

Ref how long to stay, personally, I loved it and would like to have stayed longer. If you do, then visit Sentosa, which is an island that is reached by a monorail and on it is fab and has a bus that goes around it from taking you to the different beaches. The bird flight display is a must as is the luge (sp) down a large hill and chair lift back up. All in all Singapore is a cracking place; so clean and lots of people speak English. Our kids were 6 and 9 and still talk about it 2 years later. Long haul is knackering, and a pain, but you just have to accept that you have to go through it to get where you want. The entertainment on flights (certainly Emirates) is really good, as Ibelieve Singapore and you can see on their websites the films and programmes you will be seeing. Enjoy.

If you only have a 3-5 hour transit stop that really isn't long enough to go out of the airport. However there are a lot of bars and restaurants, its a really good spacious airport, loads of space for kids to let off steam.

Your bags will go all the way through, you only need to look after your hand luggage, and you will almost certainly get your boarding pass for the Singapore-Aus leg when you check in first in the UK - don't lose them!

You will need to go through the security screening again to reboard the plane, be warned its slow cos they are VERY thorough in Singapore. I'd be at the gate an hour before boarding. Many airlines will tell you on arrival which gate connecting flights depart from, if not there are loads of boards and the staff are very helpful.

You can pay for everything with plastic, or with Aus or UK notes, but if you do that the change will be in Singapore dollars.

Have a look at the website here - http://www.changiairport.com/

Hope that helps - I remember the first time being daunting, but its easier than you think!

If you have to be in transit, Changi Airport is the place to be. It is THE nicest airport in my opinion for transiting and I'm sure others will agree. Yes your bags will be checked right through to Sydney. For transit times of 5 hours or more, you can do a free sightseeing tour. You said you have 3-5 hours, so you probably wouldnt have enough time to do this. The airport itself is fantastic, you will have access to a huge selection of shops, duty free, places to eat, etc, etc, free internet access, some lovely gardens to strol around, massage places, and I think you have access to the pool, although i haven't used this facility while transiting so not too sure. The first thing I would do when you arrive is familiarise yourself and find out where your next departure gate as is as the airport is huge and sometimes quite a long walk between gates. Have a good trip

We did this when we came out- about 3 hours, so we had a meal, freshened up, and went into the butterfly house- fantastic!

I sat in a massage chair for an hour on one of my transits there.

The pool is attached to the transit hotel. We had kids aged 3,5,7 yrs on our first trip over and they loved the pool. Costs a few sing. dollars to get in but well worth it for us all and refreshing, think there was even a drink included as well as towels. A shower after and change of clothes and ready to carry on.

We did a long transit at Singapore with a 3 year old, we usually stop for a few days but wanted to get to Sydney asap this time due to starting a new job very quickly indeed, little time to waste!!

We had around 6 hours and used the transit hotel, we booked this hotel as part of the flight booking whilst still in the UK.

We found the transit hotel VERY basic indeed but basically is all you need to have a bit of a rest and get your head down on a bed for a few hours (have a few good alarm clocks with you and book a reception call!), these transit hotels are not made for long stays obviously. My son sat and watched the kid TV programmes and played with his toys whilst my wife got some sleep and I had a wander around the airport and got some sleep also. Nice to have a good shower and change of clothes also.

Got on the flight to Sydney feeling refreshed and ready to go again.

Our first preference would always be to have a proper stop over in an Asian city for a few days. But if you are pushed for time as we were and you are travelling with kids then the transit hotels are worth a go.

But don't just turn up at the transit hotel reception without a booking. A few came to reception whilst we were checking in that were turned away as they were full and were told to come back in 2 or 3 hours on the 'possibility' that there might be space.

I like the stopover at Changi, as others have said there are loads of restaurants and shops to help pass the time and it has never seemed crowded any time I have stopped there.

Again, I would agree about the security staff at the gates being very thorough. My daughter who was I think about 6 at the time had some metal embellishments on her top which set off the security thingo and she got hauled to one side and searched without allowing me through to stand with her while it happened, they were very aggressive. YoungSOB was very distressed and is still wary of going through security. So make sure your kids are metal free!

Funny you say this. I have been through Singapore many times and have never felt this about the security staff, the opposite in fact! Never been pulled to one side and nether have any member of my family.

Last time my 3 year old son had a melt down just as we were going though the most important bit, we were struggling with him and the push chair and all the other things we had and they fast tracked us through to the waiting lounge. The security guy even cracked a few jokes with my son and stopped him crying I seem to remember.

I think arrival in Australia (Sydney airport) is MUCH more stressful than going through Singapore at any point.

I agree Sydney is hell compared to Singapore, but in a different way.
Singapore are very "official" about everything, and can be very intimidating. I came through once with what looked like a skimpy top on underneath a long sleeved shirt and they insisted I took off the shirt, it was only as I started (eventually) to remove it that they agreed with what I'd said all along - it was all one piece of clothing and removing it would leave me in my underwear. It really is the only bit of the airport I don't like. On a good day you can sail through easily, but if they pick on something its not pleasant.

Its also the only airport where I've been groped fairly comprehensively by a female security guard who knew exactly what she was up to, dirty sow! Only the fact I was heading north and no way was I going to miss that plane stopped me complaining.

As I said before, I really like Changi, so I'm more than happy to believe that it was a one off I/my daughter was unlucky situation Although it does probably still make sense to keep metal off your kids

I found the security staff at both Brisbane and Cairns to be the nicest I have met. At both airports they had to scan my daughters large cuddly dog but they invited her round to their side of the machine so she could watch him go through and pointed out other things they could see in our suitcases, it made her feel really special.

Changi is a great place to be in transit as others have said. If I were you I'd give myself a longer transit - say 6-8 hours between planes and check into the transit hotel. Doing London to Sydney in one go is a killer whatever your age and it makes a MASSIVE difference to go and have a shower and 5 hours sleep in between planes (unless you're business class of course !) I find security a lot less anal than UK /Aus airports. Just watch the clock though as it is massive!

Transit times are very much dependant on flight connections!!

If you can't get into or aren't there long enough to really justify the transit hotel, you can pay to go into one of the lounges and have a nap in a little cubicle.

Same place you can go shower for about a tenner (S$), which I always do if I'm not stopping over.

Details will be on the link Poll posted.