Is it rude to be late for meetings in Singapore?

Yes. Punctuality is highly valued in the Singaporean business culture. Aim to arrive 5-10 minutes early.

Almost nowhere. Singapore is highly digitized; you can pay for everything from taxis to hawker center meals using a contactless credit card or phone pay.

How to plan a 3-day business trip to Singapore

Focus your meetings in the CBD and Marina Bay to minimize travel time. Use the MRT and Grab for transit, and keep your schedule to two major appointments per day to account for the humidity and travel logistics.

Choose your base. Stay at a hotel in the Downtown Core or Raffles Place. Being within walking distance of the major office towers saves you 2 hours of transit time daily.
Master the transit. Download the Grab app for point-to-point transit. For public transit, just tap your contactless credit card at MRT gantries; you don't need a local EZ-Link card.
Set your meeting rhythm. Schedule meetings between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Avoid trying to cross the city during the 8:00 AM or 6:00 PM rush hours, as traffic near the CBD becomes gridlocked.

Is it rude to be late for meetings in Singapore?: Yes. Punctuality is highly valued in the Singaporean business culture. Aim to arrive 5-10 minutes early.
Do I need cash?: Almost nowhere. Singapore is highly digitized; you can pay for everything from taxis to hawker center meals using a contactless credit card or phone pay.