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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange
Woodlands Bus Interchange (formerly Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange) is a bus interchange in Singapore. Located in Woodlands, the interchange is linked to Woodlands MRT station and adjacent to Causeway Point shopping mall. It is the largest and among the busiest bus interchange in Singapore. The interchange is also known as Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub.

History

Original interchange

In 1991, as part of efforts to improve connectivity in the area, the Singapore government announced plans to build a new bus interchange in Woodlands. Built by the Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (known today as SMRT Corporation) at a cost of S$34 million, the interchange was built under Woodlands MRT station, to facilitate connections between the station and the bus interchange, and leave more land available for other uses.

The bus interchange commenced operations in February 1996, replacing the previous Woodlands interchange near Woodlands Checkpoint, and the Marsiling bus terminal. Covering an area the size of three and a half football pitches and with 11 bus bays, Woodlands interchange featured an integrated taxi stand, and a bus parking area located away from the passenger concourse.

Integrated Transport Hub

The Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange in June 2021

Contract PT247 to carry out alteration works to upgrade the Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange to an air-conditioned one and constructing a link to the new Thomson–East Coast line (TEL) was awarded to CCECC Singapore Pte Ltd.

On 12 March 2016, to facilitate upgrading of the interchange and construction of a new link to the MRT station, operations of all bus services serving Woodlands interchange were shifted to a temporary interchange beside Woodlands MRT station.

The upgraded bus interchange reopened on 13 June 2021, and incorporated a heritage gallery showcasing SMRT and Trans-Island bus history over the years. Due to insufficient parking spaces in the interchange, service 925/925M, 950, 961/961M & 965 remained at the temporary interchange.

When a land Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL-Land) between Singapore and Malaysia was announced, Berth B5 of the temporary bus interchange was used for the VTL-Land bus service operated by Transtar from 29 November 2021. The service was renamed to Vaccinated Travel Bus Service (VTBS) when the Singapore government scrapped all of her VTL schemes for the reopening of borders to all Vaccinated persons on 1 April 2022. VTBS ceased on 1 May 2022 as cross-border public bus services resumed.

Bus contracting model

See also: Bus contracting model of Singapore

Integrated Transport Hub

Under the new bus contracting model, all the bus routes were split into 4 route packages operating from Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub Bus Interchange. Bus Services 169, 856, 858, 963, 963e, 966, 969 are under Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package (Tower Transit Singapore), Bus Service 161 and Bus Service 168 are under Sengkang-Hougang and Bedok Bus Package respectively (SBS Transit). The rest of the bus services are under Woodlands Bus Package (SMRT Buses).

List of routes

Operator Package Routes
SBS Transit Bedok 168
Sengkang-Hougang 161
SMRT Buses Woodlands 178, 187, 900, 901/901M, 902, 903/903M, 904, 911, 912/912M, 913/913M, 960, 960e, 962, 964
Tower Transit Singapore Sembawang-Yishun 169, 856, 858, 963, 963e, 966, 969

Temporary Bus Interchange

Under the new bus contracting model, all the bus routes were split into 2 route packages operating from Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange. Bus Service 965 is under Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package (Tower Transit Singapore) and the rest of the bus services are under Woodlands Bus Package (SMRT Buses).

List of routes

Operator Package Routes
SMRT Buses Woodlands 925/925M, 950, 961/961M
Tower Transit Singapore Sembawang-Yishun 965

References

  1. ^ "Bus Interchanges – SMRT". Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Bus Service 161". Transit Link. Archived from the original on 17 May 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Bus Service 168". Transit Link. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  4. ^ Tan, Cephah (23 April 1991). "Govt acts to woo people to Woodlands". The Straits Times. Singapore. p. 1. Retrieved 14 August 2022 – via NewspaperSG.
  5. ^ Goh, Julia (14 February 1992). "Underground bus station to be built in Woodlands". The Straits Times. Singapore. p. 3. Retrieved 14 August 2022 – via NewspaperSG.
  6. ^ "Woodlands interchange will be state-of-the-art". The Straits Times. Singapore. 27 January 1996. p. 32. Retrieved 14 August 2022 – via NewspaperSG.
  7. ^ "Contract PT247 – Upgrading of Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange". CCECC Singapore Pte Ltd. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Land Transport Authority Annual Report 2017/18" (PDF). Land Transport Authority (Singapore). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange to be Upgraded Temporary Relocation from 12 March 2016". Land Transport Authority (Singapore). 4 February 2016. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub to Open on 13 June 2021". Land Transport Authority (Singapore). 17 May 2021. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  11. ^ Fang Yiyang (13 June 2021). "Largest integrated transport hub in Singapore opens in Woodlands". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Bus Industry to Complete Transition to Bus Contracting Model on 1 September 2016". Land Transport Authority (Singapore). 11 August 2016. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  13. ^ "LTA Awards Bulim and Sembawang-Yishun Bus Packages to Tower Transit". Land Transport Authority (Singapore). 30 September 2020. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  14. ^ Clement Yong (2 October 2020). "Tower Transit edges out SMRT to win $1.03b Bulim and Sembawang-Yishun bus packages". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
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