Esplanade Visitor Guide: Getting There Dry, Which Hall, and the House Rules

Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay is open 8am to 11.30pm daily, or until 30 minutes after the last show. Here’s the practical half of a night there, from Esplanade’s own visitor pages.

Getting there without getting wet

• From Esplanade MRT (Circle Line): Exit D, take the lift from B2 to B1, turn right to the escalators and walk through the Esplanade Tunnel to Esplanade B1. About 7–10 minutes, sheltered.
• From City Hall MRT (North-South and East-West lines): Exit C, escalator down into CityLink Mall, walk to the far end, go down again and follow the Esplanade Tunnel. About 10–15 minutes, sheltered and air-conditioned.
• Both indoor routes have stairs as well as escalators, with stair lifts for wheelchairs at each set.
• The CityLink tunnel is open 6am to 10pm. After a late show, the indoor route back may be shut — the outdoor way is via Raffles City or along Nicoll Highway.

Which hall is which

• Concert Hall — 1,628 seats plus the Gallery. Orchestras, choirs and big amplified shows.
• Theatre — about 1,950 seats on four horseshoe levels. Musicals, opera, dance and drama.
• Annexe Studio — 420 standing across two floors. Gigs, club nights, comedy.
• Singtel Waterfront Theatre — 700 standing or about 600 seated. Mid-size theatre and dance.
• Recital Studio — 245 seats. Chamber music and recitals.
• DBS Foundation Outdoor Theatre — on the waterfront, with free shows every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and public holiday.

The house rules

• Latecomers wait outside until a suitable break in the show, if there is one. Re-entry depends on the show — check the poster at the door or ask an usher.
• Children under 6 aren’t admitted unless the show says so, and everyone needs a ticket, babies in arms included.
• No food or drink inside unless the show carries a “food-friendly” icon. The Concert Hall and Theatre have foyer bars for before the show and the interval.
• No photos or recording during indoor shows unless the show allows it. Casual photos without flash are fine on the Concourse and at the Outdoor Theatre.
• Bags are checked. Bulky items and plastic bags go to the baggage carts outside each venue, open 30–60 minutes before the show, and there are free lockers.

Before and after

The Box Office and Visitor Centre is on the Mezzanine Level, open 12pm to 8pm daily — it also handles lost and found. Free Wi-Fi is “FreeWiFi@Esplanade”, and there are nursing rooms on the Mezzanine and on Level 4. Esplanade Mall has places to eat before the show, including Harry’s, Red House Seafood and Foreword Coffee.

Getting home

• Taxi stand C24 is at Esplanade Mall, 8 Raffles Avenue. Car pick-up for the car park is at the Mezzanine Level.
• The basement car park is open 24 hours: $2.30 an hour, every day, no grace period.
• Every September or October, around the Singapore Grand Prix, access to the centre is restricted for a few days and the car park closes — check Esplanade’s advisory that week.

Accessibility: all public lifts are wheelchair-friendly, wheelchairs can be borrowed free (6828 8377), there is assistive listening for telecoil hearing aids, and guide dogs are welcome — mention it when booking.