Singapore on a Spanish Licence — Switch to the Left and Slow Right Down

Two things will reshape how a Spanish driver behaves in Singapore, and the first is the side of the road. Spain drives on the right, Singapore on the left, so your first hour involves rewiring instincts that have always served you — roundabouts now turn clockwise, junctions ask for the opposite glance, and overtaking sits on the other side. Pick a quiet stretch to start; the switch settles fast once you commit to being deliberate.

The second is pace. Spanish motorways run at 120 km/h; Singapore’s expressways cap at 90, and urban roads at 50. That is a real gear-down, and the enforcement backs it up. A speeding ticket is around SGD 150 (≈ EUR 100) plus 4 demerit points — and it is the points, attached to your driving record, that sting more than the cash. You can estimate a penalty with our Speeding Fine Calculator.

On alcohol, Singapore’s limit reads as 0.08 against Spain’s 0.05, which looks lenient. Don’t read it that way: penalties run to heavy fines and possible imprisonment, so the safe rule is no alcohol before driving.

The one purely mechanical surprise is Electronic Road Pricing. ERP gantries deduct a toll automatically as you pass during peak periods, drawing from a stored-value card fitted to the car. Confirm with the rental desk that it is in place and topped up, or an unpaid gantry returns later as an admin fee.

Your Spanish licence is valid for up to 12 months, and an IDP is recommended to carry alongside it — arrange it at home before you fly. Check what you need with the Driving Permit Checker and read the wider rules on our Singapore driving guide. Petrol sits around $1.98/litre and the emergency number is 999. Once the side and speed adjustments click, Singapore’s well-marked, orderly roads are an easy place to drive.