Woodlands Bus Interchange

Woodlands Bus Interchange
兀兰巴士转换站
Pertukaran Bas Woodlands
Woodlands Bus Interchange; 兀兰巴士转换站; Pertukaran Bas Woodlands
Public Bus Interchange
	Interior of Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub.
General information
Location	Integrated Transport Hub:; (Level B1) 30 Woodlands Avenue 2, Singapore 738343; Temporary:; 3A Woodlands Square, Singapore 737735
Coordinates	1°26′12.50″N 103°47′9.60″E / 1.4368056°N 103.7860000°E
Owned by	Land Transport Authority
Operated by	SMRT Buses Ltd (SMRT Corporation)
Bus routes	Integrated Transport Hub:; 14 (SMRT Buses); 7 (Tower Transit Singapore); 2 (SBS Transit); Temporary:; 4 (SMRT Buses); 1 (Tower Transit Singapore)
Bus stands	Integrated Transport Hub:; 14 Boarding Berths; 2 Alighting Berths; Temporary:; 3 Sawtooth Boarding Berths; 2 Sawtooth Alighting Berths
Bus operators	Integrated Transport Hub:; SMRT Buses Ltd; Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd; SBS Transit Ltd; Temporary:; SMRT Buses Ltd; Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd
Connections	NS9 TE2 Woodlands
Construction
Structure type	Underground (Integrated Transport Hub); At-grade (Temporary)
Accessible	Accessible alighting/boarding points; Accessible public toilets; Graduated kerb edges; Tactile guidance system
History
Opened	4 February 1996; 29 years ago (Old); 12 March 2016; 9 years ago (Temporary); 13 June 2021; 3 years ago (Integrated Transport Hub)
Closed	11 March 2016; 9 years ago (Old)
Key dates
4 February 1996	Commenced operations
12 March 2016	Operations transferred to Temporary bus interchange
13 June 2021	Most operations transferred to new and air-conditioned bus interchange as Integrated Transport Hub

Woodlands Bus Interchange (formerly Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange) is an air-conditioned bus interchange located at Woodlands Town Centre, serving the Woodlands, Marsiling, and Admiralty regions. Nearby amenities include the Causeway Point Shopping Mall, Woods Square, Woodlands Civic Centre, and Woodlands Regional Library. It is the eleventh Integrated Transport Hub (ITH) which is the largest and among the busiest bus interchange in Singapore; referring to air-conditioned bus interchanges integrated with MRT stations and commercial developments. Although the interchange first opened in 1996 as Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange, it was closed between 2016-2021 for extensive upgrading works, during which it was replaced by Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange. Rail connections are offered via Woodlands MRT station along the North South Line (NSL) and Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL). It opened on 13 June 2021. All bus services at Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange shifted over to the new interchange which is also known as Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub, except Bus Services 925, 950, 961 and 965 and their respective route variants, which remained at the old interchange.

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.^[5] 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.^[6]

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.^[7]

Integrated Transport Hub

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.^[8]^[9]

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.^[10]

The upgraded bus interchange reopened on 13 June 2021,^[11]^[12] and incorporated a heritage gallery showcasing SMRT and Trans-Island bus history over the years.^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]}

Bus Contracting Model

Integrated Transport Hub

Under the Bus Contracting Model, all the bus services operating from Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub Bus Interchange were divided into 4 Bus Packages, operated by three different bus operators.

List of Bus Services


Operator	Package	Routes
SBS Transit	Bedok	168
SBS Transit	Sengkang-Hougang	161^[13]
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^[14]^[15]

Temporary Bus Interchange

Under the Bus Contracting Model, all the bus services operating from Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange were divided into 2 Bus Packages, operated by two different bus operators.

List of Bus Services


Operator	Package	Routes
SMRT Buses	Woodlands	925/925M, 950, 961/961M, 967
Tower Transit Singapore	Sembawang-Yishun	965

References

^ "Bus Interchanges – SMRT". Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
^ "Bus Interchanges – SMRT". Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
^ "Bus Service 161". Transit Link. Archived from the original on 17 May 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
^ "Bus Service 168". Transit Link. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
^ Tan, Cephah (23 April 1991). "Govt acts to woo people to Woodlands". The Straits Times. Singapore. p. 1. Retrieved 14 August 2022 – via NewspaperSG.
^ 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.
^ "Woodlands interchange will be state-of-the-art". The Straits Times. Singapore. 27 January 1996. p. 32. Retrieved 14 August 2022 – via NewspaperSG.
^ "Contract PT247 – Upgrading of Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange". CCECC Singapore Pte Ltd. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
^ "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.
^ "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.
^ "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.
^ 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.
^
"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.
- "Details of the 11 Negotiated Packages" (PDF). Land Transport Authority (Singapore). Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
^ "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.
^ 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.

External links

[1] "Bus Interchanges – SMRT". Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2021.

[2] "Bus Interchanges – SMRT". Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2021.

[3] "Bus Service 161". Transit Link. Archived from the original on 17 May 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2021.

[4] "Bus Service 168". Transit Link. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2021.

[5] Tan, Cephah (23 April 1991). "Govt acts to woo people to Woodlands". The Straits Times. Singapore. p. 1. Retrieved 14 August 2022 – via NewspaperSG.

[6] 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.

[7] "Woodlands interchange will be state-of-the-art". The Straits Times. Singapore. 27 January 1996. p. 32. Retrieved 14 August 2022 – via NewspaperSG.

[8] "Contract PT247 – Upgrading of Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange". CCECC Singapore Pte Ltd. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.

[9] "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.

[10] "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.

[WITH-ps-11] "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.

[WITH-ss-12] 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.

[mixed-13] "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.
"Details of the 11 Negotiated Packages" (PDF). Land Transport Authority (Singapore). Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.

[14] "Details of the 11 Negotiated Packages" (PDF). Land Transport Authority (Singapore). Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.

[sembawang-yishun-ps-14] "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.

[sembawang-yishun-ss-15] 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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