Singapore has become a chaotic battleground for Taylor Swift’s upcoming concert in Singapore as part of her internet-breaking The Eras Tour. It will be a relentless bloodbath, a fight for our lives. But fear not. We bring you the ultimate survival guide, meticulously crafted to arm you with all the knowledge, tips, and insider information you need to navigate the treacherous terrain as you secure your coveted ticket and land the perfect seat.
This guide will be your gateway to triumph, offering a lifeline amidst the frenzy. So, brace yourselves, Swifties. It’s time for The Great War.
The Details
Taylor Swift will be bringing The Eras Tour to the National Stadium in Singapore for a total of six nights – 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 and 9 March 2024 – making Singapore the only stop in Asia after Japan. While she’d initially just announced three shows, the sheer volume of people registering for ticketing (which crashed Ticketmaster, by the way) led to three more shows being added. She will be bringing along up-and-coming pop icon Sabrina Carpenter, who will be opening the show.
There will be one presale on Wednesday, 5 July 2023 and then the General On-Sale on Friday, 7 July 2023. The presale will be the UOB Cardmembers Presale, meaning that you need to be a UOB cardholder to participate in this presale, as payment for the tickets can only be made using a UOB card. On top of that, there are also tickets reserved for UOB card members during the General On-Sale itself. That’s precisely why there was a massive surge in UOB card applications! But nothing they weren’t prepared for!
Now, let’s delve a little deeper. I’ll take you through every step of this ticketing process, from the presale and general on-sale steps to our tips and tricks for the battle of the tickets and the best seating. Here we go!
First Things First
Ticketmaster Singapore is the official ticketing website for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour. So, of course, you must create a Ticketmaster account before you do anything. If you haven’t already, create your account before any sales so you don’t waste precious minutes in battle.
Next, it’s too late for this step, but in order to participate in the General On-Sale, you would have had to register as a fan first. But this small (maybe slightly troublesome) step actually helps your competition. Registration ended on 28 June 2023, meaning anyone who did not register by then is already out of the race. Do note that registration is only for the General On-Sale and is not required for the UOB Cardmembers Presale.
On 5 July 2023 (which is two days before the General On-Sale), all registered fans will be receiving an email (check your spam and junk as well!) which will let you know of one of two outcomes – you’ll either get an access code, or you’ve been waitlisted. Receiving an access code means you’ve been chosen by the concert gods, as a limited number of fans will get the access codes, and you’ll be able to join the ticketing war.
However, if you’re waitlisted, do not be disheartened! Turn on your email notifications and keep checking your inbox and junk even during the General On-Sale on 7 July, as you might still get an access code which allows you to join the sale. But more on that later.
UOB Cardmembers Presale
This presale will be between Wednesday, 5 July 2023, 12pm SGT, to Friday, 7 July 2023, 9am SGT. As mentioned above, this presale is only for those possessing a UOB card. Apparently, only limited tickets are available during the presale, so it’s all about the fastest fingers first! For this presale, do note that there will be no sales at any Singpost outlets. So this battle is truly between you and your device.
Now, listen up! There is a limit of four tickets per Ticketmaster account, but it might be possible to buy more than four tickets per UOB card transaction. This means that you might be able to purchase more than four tickets on an eligible UOB card across multiple Ticketmaster accounts. Are you picking up what we’re dropping? Sharing is caring, isn’t it? But beware, as a mobile OTP may be requested upon payment, so whoever the card belongs to, keep them and their mobile phone on standby!
Here are the UOB cards that are eligible for this presale:
- UOB Credit Cards issued in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia or Vietnam (including TMRW credit cards issued in Thailand or Indonesia)
- UOB Debit Cards issued in Singapore, Malaysia or Thailand
- Citi-branded Credit and Debit Cards issued in Malaysia, Thailand or Vietnam
Head to the UOB Cardmembers Presale on 5 July 2023, at 12pm SGT or go to the link in UOB’s Instagram bio. May the odds be ever in your favour.
General On-Sale
The General On-Sale is open to the rest of the registered fans and some UOB Cardmembers, as there are still some tickets reserved for them as well.
For registered fans, remember the access codes that you would have (hopefully) received by 5 July? Here’s what’s next. The email should also contain a link, which will direct you to Ticketmaster upon clicking. Log into your Ticketmaster account (or pre-save your login details to save valuable seconds). Then, enter your access code and boom! You’re in! Let the battle begin. Once you choose your tickets, you will have 10 minutes to choose your tickets and another 10 to make your payment. So move swiftly (pun very much intended)!
Payment methods for the General On-Sale include (but are not limited to) Visa, MasterCard, NETS, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Grab Pay and Paypal. Ensure you’re familiar with whichever payment method you opt for and have all the necessary details ready.
You can also choose to purchase your tickets through any SingPost outlets or via the Ticketmaster hotline at +65 3158 8588.
Tickets
Ticket prices range from S$108 to S$348, excluding booking fee, which ranges between S$6 to S$20, depending on your ticket price. When you check out your tickets during payment during the stressful 10 minutes, you will also be asked how you’d like to receive your tickets, and in your frazzled state, you may panic and not know what to choose. Some options may come at an additional price, so here’s a low-down for you to make an informed decision about this before the stress consumes you:
- Print-At-Home: Free! When you hover your mouse over ‘My Account’ on the top right corner of Ticketmaster, click on ‘My Tickets’. You will receive your e-ticket there almost immediately after purchase, which you can print or save as PDF. Make sure to print it out and bring it along on the big day.
- Mail: S$2 per order to Singapore addresses only. This will get you that beautiful, card-like ticket to frame up on your wall like a medallion from battle.
- Venue Collection: S$5 per order. Tickets can be collected from the venue box office on the event day. But this might be an additional stressor on the big day, considering there might be a queue, so do think about it.
- Courier: S$15 per order. Courier is known to be a faster mode of delivery than regular mail. As tickets will be delivered during office hours, ensure that you provide a daytime address where someone is available to sign for the delivery.
The above details could change, so make sure you read carefully when checking out. Six VIP packages, including merchandise and reserved tickets, are also available for the best viewing experience. If you’re a hardcore fan, go for it!
Our Tips and Tricks
Behold our carefully curated tips and tricks to help your ticketing and concert experience based on (painful) personal experience and hours of intensive scrolling on TikTok. You’re welcome.
Ticketing
First of all, gather as many devices as you can – every laptop and phone you can find! Gather your troops, form your army and fight hard. But remember to log in to a registered Ticketmaster account and use the access code you would have received on 5 July. Some people shared from personal experience that mobile phones give them a better queue number. I second this. But at the same time, it’s all about luck.
Connect all your devices to the strongest wifi network you have access to. But also ensure there isn’t an overload of devices connected to that one network. If you can, enable mobile data on your mobile phone, so that’s one less device tapping into your wifi.
Clear your cache. This simple hack has been said to have significantly helped other ticket warriors around the globe. If you’re unsure how to do so, Google Support has your back. Also, make sure to clear all other tabs on your browser to eliminate any factors that can slow you down. Remember, this is all about speed!
Some people say it doesn’t really matter how early you get into the holding room before the sale begins because the system randomly allocates you a queue number. So it all depends on luck. Just be sure to join the holding room at least 10 to 15 minutes before the sale begins. But joining after the sale starts is digging your own grave.
When you get your queue number, do not lose hope! Never give up! Take into consideration that many of the people ahead of you are probably also using multiple devices for better chances, so take that queue number with a pinch of salt. When I queued for the Coldplay tickets, I was in the queue for nearly two hours, yet I got the tickets I wanted on the day I wanted. So remember, it’s not over till it’s over. But no matter what, never refresh. Never. Once you do, you’ll likely get kicked out of the queue and start from scratch.
When it’s finally your time, know exactly what seats you want, including your backups. If possible, have your friends on call since you only get 10 minutes to choose your seats.
Also, be smart about picking the dates. If you know your queue number isn’t fantastic, immediately go for the dates that are likely to be less popular – the weekday shows. Of Taylor’s six shows, three are on weekdays, and three are on weekends. The weekends will likely be more popular for obvious reasons, so check the weekday shows first on March 4, 7 and 8.
When it’s time for payment, make sure you save your card details onto your device for a faster transaction. A personal tip – if you’re a Mac or iPhone user, have your Apple Pay set up and ready to go. It makes payment a breeze.
Online ticketing is a war in its true right. It’s intimidating, time-consuming, and nerve-wracking. Hence, this is our biggest tip – get your tickets from SingPost instead for the General On-Sale. It’s a little more inconvenient, and you will have to camp out there for quite a while, but it will likely be faster, and you might get the seats you want without fighting too hard. If more than one of you is going to the show, some can go to a SingPost outlet, and some can do it online via Ticketmaster for a better shot.
Scope out the list of SingPost outlets and go for the ones likely to have fewer people queuing. Once it’s your turn, you will get a slip of paper to fill in some details, like the seats you would like and such. But remember to have the access code ready! No access code = no tickets.
Seating
Taylor will be performing at the National Stadium, one of the largest domed structures in the world. The seating capacity is 55,000 pax. It’s a huge venue with many seats, many angles, and many views. So what are the best and worst seats? We got you the dirt.
First, let’s start with the striking revelation that there is likely no standing pen for Taylor’s show. But that’s great because that means a safer concert experience, which is fantabulous. Do keep an eye out for the delay towers; otherwise, virtually any Cat 1 floor section looks excellent if you want to be as close to Mother Swift as possible.
Floor right and floor left seats are a well-kept secret as the best concert seats. Now classified as Cat 1 seats, sections 112 to 117 and 134 to 139 give you a great view of the main stage, with the side screen being giant and very visible. The only trade-offs are that the extended stage would give you a side view, and the delay towers could block you. So be wise in your choices. Study that seating map.
However, if you’re just there for the vibes, get the cheapest tickets and buy yourself a pair of binoculars. Done deal. In this case, it would be Cat 6. They aren’t too far off to the side, so you get a bird’s eye view of the main and extended stages, decent acoustics, you’ll likely be able to see the screens and stage work pretty well, and you’re not exposed to weather elements. But you might be blocked by the delay towers. For the price, what you’re getting is actually pretty worth it.
Now let’s talk about the worst seats. We probably should gatekeep this, but not in this house!
Let’s talk about Cat 3, sections 101 to 106 and 145 to 150. These sections directly face the stage, which means they have slightly better acoustics, but they are very, very far from the stage (speaking from personal experience). They might have visual obstructions, like the delay towers. On top of that, they are also exposed to weather elements. Yet, they come with a hefty price tag of S$288, excluding booking fees. I don’t know if it’s just me, but that’s cray-cray, even if it is for Tay-Tay.
On that note, the difference in price between Cat 1 and Cat 2 is just S$20, but the difference in distance is insane. So be careful in your choice (wink wink!). Also, the seats right at the side and the top are also a notorious no-go. This would be Cat 5, sections 615 to 617 and 634 to 636. It will give you a bad view, bad acoustics, and you can barely see the screen.
You’ve been warned.
There you have it. If Coldplay’s cold-blooded ticketing taught us anything, it’s that we have to move fast, and we have to be prepared.
As you embark on this harrowing journey to secure your golden ticket and find the perfect spot in Taylor Swift’s long-awaited concert in Singapore, remember that you are armed with a guide that has left no stone unturned. You may be entering a ticketing bloodbath, but fear not, for you are now equipped with the ultimate arsenal of knowledge.
This guide has laid bare all the secrets, tips, and insider wisdom you could need to emerge victorious in this epic pursuit. So, let the war cry of determination resound as you step into battle, secure that ticket, and take your seat among the legions of Swifties.
Baby, let the games begin.
Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour in Singapore
Dates: 2, 3, 4 and 7, 8, 9 March 2024
Location: Singapore National Stadium
Price:
- CAT 1: S$348
- CAT 2: S$328
- CAT 3: S$288
- CAT 4: S$248
- CAT 5: S$168
- CAT 6: S$108
Booking Fees:
- S$20 booking fee per ticket for tickets priced above $500
- S$10 booking fee per ticket for tickets between $301 and $500
- S$6 booking fee per ticket for tickets between $1 and $300
Ticketing Dates:
- UOB Cardmembers Presale:
- Start – 5 July 2023, 12pm
- End – 7 July 2023, 9am
- General On-Sale:
- 7 July 2023, 12pm onwards
Ways to buy tickets:
- Online via Ticketmaster SG
- Via Ticketmaster SG Hotline at +65 3158 8588 (Operating hours are between 10am to 6pm from Monday to Saturday only, and closed on Sundays and public holidays)
- Physical sales at any SingPost Outlet
For more details on the UOB Cardmembers Presale, stay tuned to UOB’s Instagram and Facebook pages and check out these FAQs answered by UOB.
For more information on the sale of Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour tickets, stay updated on the official ticketing website, Ticketmaster SG, Singapore Sports Hub’s official website and Taylor Swift’s official website.
Visuals courtesy of Singapore Sports Hub and Ticketmaster Singapore.
* Article updated for clarity
