Long Layover? These Airports Will Give You A Free City Tour

Say goodbye to crappy sandwiches, OTT priced Wi-Fi and sleeping on the floor and say hello to free awesome mini airport city tours. From Tokyo to Amsterdam, a nine-hour layover has never looked so appealing.

Taipei

If you’re stuck in Taipei for over eight hours, you can join one of two free city tours specially put together by the airport. Tour A whisks you off to the Zushi Temple, and Tour B takes you on a super quick round-up of the city’s most famous sites, including the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Taipei 101, the country’s tallest building.

How to do it: Register at the Tourist Service Centre in the main arrivals hall. All tours are on a first come, first serve basis and run twice a day (8.15 am and 1.45 pm).

We know you’re secretly screaming YES! One of the world’s busiest airports offers travellers who have more than a six-hour layover a free city tour. The ‘touristanbul’ program stops off at the likes of the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace, two of the city’s most iconic landmarks.

How to do it: Run straight to the Hotel Desk in the international arrivals hall (conveniently placed next to Starbucks) where you can sign up for one of the five daily tour departures. Make sure you are there at least 30 minutes before your tour commences.

Tokyo

Shopping or sightseeing? Two very tough choices for any traveller. If you opt for culture, you’ll explore the towns of Tako or Shibayama, go on a forest walk, or visit the Museum of Aeronautical Sciences. Shopaholics will be delivered to one of two shopping malls accessible via the airport train.

How to do it: There’s actually a dedicated desk called the Narita Transit Program Counter, and you’ll find it in Terminal 1F of the Central Building. They’ll take care of everything from there.

Doha

Got six spare hours and flying with Qatar Airways? Well, you’re in luck because the airline offers free tours of Doha, which hit major attractions like the Zaha Hadid-designed Museum of Islamic Art and the Katara Cultural Village. To avoid the hassle back at the airport, all tours come with a complimentary visa. You’ll also get a free bottle of water too.

How to do it: Head for theDoha City Tour desk, which is in Concourse B next to the Montblanc shop to book your free tour.

Amsterdam

Only those lucky few flying KLM and who have a layover of six hours or more can sign up for the airline’s ‘layover with a local’ program. How does it work? All you have to do is fill out a simple questionnaire that asks you all about your interests and KLM will pair you up with an English-speaking local who will show you the town – free bus tickets and the first round of drinks included too. Score.

How to do it: Once you’ve booked via KLM, check your email as there will be a link in it asking you if you’d like to sign up for the program.

Singapore

Anyone who’s been here will tell you that Singapore’s Changi airport is like a five-star hotel. A butterfly garden, games room, free massage chairs…who wouldn’t want a layover here?! If you can’t bear being stuck inside though, there’s good news. If your layover is more than six hours, you can on go one of the two free city tours the airport offers. The city sights tour hits all the usual hotspots (Gardens By the Bay, the Merlion) and the Heritage Tour goes a little deeper into the country’s ultra-cool, ultra-local cultural hotspots with pitstops in Little India and Kampong Glam.

How to do it: Skip immigration and head to Transfer Lounge F in Terminal 2 or Transfer Lounge A in Terminal 3. There are two City Sights and four Heritage tours per day. Both run on a first come, first serve basis.
Stuck in an airport that doesn’t offer a free tour? This awesome map shows you all the airport Wi-Fi codes around the world!

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.