Low-cost flights now make Singapore easily accessible – here’s what travellers from Hungary should know
Representatives of Singapore’s tourism and aviation sectors arrived in Budapest on 20 November to present a major development to Hungarian travel agencies: from 2025, reaching the impressive Southeast Asian city-state will become significantly easier thanks to new low-cost options.
The business dinner, organised by Tensi Aviation and held at the Hilton Garden Inn Budapest City Centre, was the third stop of a three-city Central European roadshow following Prague and Vienna. Its key message for the Hungarian market was clear: Singapore has become one of Asia’s most conveniently accessible gateways.
The presentation was delivered by four speakers: Sue Lew, Sales Manager at Scoot; Kardien de Werker, European Regional Offline Manager for Singapore Airlines; Janice Yap, Senior Manager for Central, Southern and Eastern Europe at the Singapore Tourism Board; and Sean Loo, Market Development Manager at Changi Airport Group. Jacqueline Hia, Senior Manager at Changi Group, also attended the event.
Long-haul on a budget: Scoot launches Vienna–Singapore flights
If we ask which airlines operate direct flights between Budapest and Singapore, the answer is simple: none at the moment. However, frequent flyers know that Vienna often presents an attractive alternative for Hungarian travellers, offering far more direct routes — often at better prices and with shorter journey times than flying from Budapest Airport. For many people living in western Hungary, the Austrian capital is also considerably closer than Budapest, making Vienna Airport an even more convenient departure point.
This is precisely why the roadshow visited Budapest: to highlight a major new option for Hungarian passengers. Scoot, the low-cost carrier of the Singapore Airlines Group, now operates direct flights between Vienna and Singapore. The TR60 and TR61 flights run three times a week using Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Travellers depart at night and arrive in Singapore in the morning, while the return flight leaves before noon and lands back in Austria at dawn the following day.
Scoot in Vienna. Photo: Scoot
Sue Lew underlined that the Dreamliner is a modern, young aircraft type, and Scoot serves over 80 destinations across Asia — including popular holiday hotspots such as Phuket, Denpasar (Bali) and the Philippines’ best-known island resorts. The Vienna–Singapore route is therefore not only attractive as a final destination, but also as a gateway to Southeast Asia as a whole.
Scoot operates on a classic low-cost model, yet passengers on long-haul services can upgrade to the more comfortable ScootPlus cabin, offering extra legroom, priority boarding and 30 kg of checked baggage. For Hungarian travellers seeking an affordable solution for Singapore in 2026, a Vienna–Singapore return ticket may be particularly appealing — especially considering that Vienna Airport is only a two- to three-hour trip from Budapest by car or train.
Singapore Airlines: smooth onward connections to the region and beyond
Once Scoot brings passengers to Singapore, its “big sister”, Singapore Airlines, often takes them further. Kardien de Werker explained how the two carriers’ networks complement each other: together, they serve 133 destinations in 38 countries, providing seamless connections to major points in the region, including Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia’s most stunning beaches.
Although the Budapest–Singapore journey still requires a transfer — most easily in Vienna — the two airlines’ schedules are well coordinated, ensuring comfortable layovers and even time to explore Changi Airport. For some travellers, this is an added bonus: a half-day stopover gives a taste of why many consider Changi the world’s best airport.
Singapore: a tropical city-state among the world’s top destinations
Janice Yap introduced the city itself — a place many describe as:
“one of the world’s safest and most impeccably organised city-states.”
With a population of over six million and a tropical climate, Singapore is a year-round destination. Temperatures rarely drop below 25°C, and the weather alternates between wetter and drier periods rather than four distinct seasons.
The city’s iconic skyline is instantly recognisable: skyscrapers reflected in Marina Bay, the boat-shaped rooftop of Marina Bay Sands with its infinity pool, and the futuristic supertrees of Gardens by the Bay, which come alive with nightly light and sound shows.
Gardens by the Bay, Singapore. Photo: depositphotos.com
But Singapore is far more than glittering high-rises. Chinese, Malay, Indian and Peranakan cultures coexist in distinct neighbourhoods such as Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam. Its hawker centres — home to world-famous street food — are listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Dishes such as laksa, chilli crab and satay alone can justify a trip to Singapore in late 2025 or 2026.
Changi Airport: where waiting becomes part of the experience
If Singapore is one of the world’s best-organised cities, Changi Airport is the clearest proof of that philosophy. Sean Loo presented the four-terminal complex, which can handle up to 90 million passengers a year and regularly wins the title of “world’s best airport”.
The Jewel Changi Airport complex has become an attraction in its own right. Its spectacular central feature is the Rain Vortex — a 40-metre indoor waterfall cascading through a lush, rainforest-like garden beneath a glass dome. Surrounding it are shops, restaurants, a hotel and an adventure park. Travellers with longer layovers can explore Canopy Park’s suspended bridges, mazes and viewpoints — often forgetting they are in an airport at all.
The huge waterfall at Jewel Changi Airport, the HSBC Rain Vortex, and the beautiful green nature of Shiseido Forest Valley, which connects to the terminal of Singapore’s Changi International Airport. Photo: depositphotos.com
Changi also offers a wide range of practical services: early check-in, luggage storage, transit hotels, lounges, and even the free “Free Singapore Tour” for passengers with at least 5.5 hours between flights.
Why Singapore is the perfect base for exploring Southeast Asia
Singapore’s geography is ideal: half of Asia lies practically within arm’s reach. Indonesia lies just to the south, the Philippines to the east, and Malaysia and Thailand to the north — most within a few hours’ flight.
The combined networks of Scoot and Singapore Airlines make a Singapore ticket a gateway to the entire region. For travellers wishing to visit multiple countries, Singapore is a logical starting point: safe, efficient, English-speaking and perfectly connected.
Money, weather and practicalities for Hungarian travellers
The speakers dedicated a separate section to essential travel information. The local currency is the Singapore dollar (SGD). Card payments are widely accepted in shops and restaurants, but hawker centres may require some cash or local mobile payment solutions.
The weather is consistently hot and humid year-round, with frequent but brief showers. Hungarian travellers should pack lightweight, breathable clothing and prepare for high humidity — but the upside is simple: there is no “bad season” to visit.
When booking a return Singapore ticket, it is worth checking when fares for the Vienna–Singapore Scoot service are at their lowest.
2026: a promising year for travelling to Singapore
The presentation highlighted several major developments launched in 2025: the Mandai Rainforest Resort, new attractions on Sentosa, expansions at Marina Bay Sands, and even Disney Cruise Line voyages departing from a new Singapore base.
All this means that a trip to Singapore in 2026 promises far more than just city sightseeing. Combined with nearby islands, beaches, cruises and regional flights, the city-state can easily serve as the starting point for a multi-week holiday.
The message of the Budapest roadshow was straightforward: although there is still no direct Budapest–Singapore flight, the city has become one of the most accessible exotic destinations for Hungarian travellers — especially when taking advantage of the low-cost Vienna–Singapore route.
Photo: Daily News Hungary/Helló Magyar
Photo: Daily News Hungary/Helló Magyar
Photo: Daily News Hungary/Helló Magyar
Photo: Daily News Hungary/Helló Magyar
Photo: Daily News Hungary/Helló Magyar
And once you get a taste of Singapore’s unique atmosphere, chances are you will want to return again and again. Book your ticket now on the direct Singapore–Vienna service.
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