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 (1996-2016) 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 , 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.
Temporary and upgraded interchange (from 2016)
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 4 February 2016, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced that the interchange would be relocated to a temporary interchange beside Woodlands MRT station from 12 March to facilitate upgrading of the interchange and construction of a new link to the TEL station, with operations of all bus services serving the interchange shifted. The upgrading works would feature enhanced facilities for both commuters and bus captains, and were initially planned to be completed by 2019.
The upgraded bus interchange reopened on 13 June 2021, with many commuters saying that the new interchange brings greater comfort from better shelter from the rain or heat, air-conditioning, and lighting, allowing the interchange to feel more modern. To ease possible congestion in the interchange, four bus services remained at the temporary interchange.
On 24 November, the Prime Minister's Office announced that the temporary bus interchange would be used for a land vaccinated travel lane (VTL-Land) bus service operated by Transtar between Woodlands and Larkin Sentral, with 16 trips per direction, from 29 November. This service allowed many families to reunite with those who were stuck at the land border due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 12 December, roadworks on the east entrance of the ITH caused 15 bus services to be diverted to either the temporary bus interchange or to the west entrance of the ITH, resulting in longer journey times, and brought back the inconveniences getting to the temporary interchange had. Normal services reinstated on 26 December, with many commuters and businesses at the MRT station glad that the road works were over.
On 1 April 2022, the VTL service was renamed to Vaccinated Travel Bus Service (VTBS) when the borders were reopened to all vaccinated persons. The VTBS ceased operations on 1 May 2022 as cross-border public bus services resumed.
Bus contracting model
Under the bus contracting model, all bus services operating from Woodlands Bus Interchange are divided into four Bus Packages operated by three bus operators. Services from Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange are divided into two Bus Packages operated by two bus operators.
List of bus services
+Woodlands Bus InterchangeOperatorPackageServiceBerthDestinationSBS TransitBedok168B10Bedok168ATampines Avenue 4 (Opp Tampines Station/Tampines Interchange)Sengkang–Hougang161Hougang CentralSMRT BusesWoodlands178B13Boon Lay178AWoodlands Road (Kranji Station)187B9Boon Lay900B4↺ Woodlands Avenue 1901B5↺ Woodlands Avenue 6901M↺ Woodlands Avenue 7902B2Woodlands Avenue 9 (Republic Poly)903B4↺ Woodlands Centre Road903M↺ Marsiling Lane904B5↺ Woodlands Crescent911/911TB6↺ Woodlands Avenue 2B12↺ Woodlands Centre Road911AWoodlands Street 13 (Blk 146)912/912AB7↺ Woodlands Avenue 7912/912BB12↺ Woodlands Centre Road913/913TB3↺ Woodlands CircleB13↺ Woodlands Avenue 3913M↺ Woodlands Street 13960B14Marina Centre960e962B6↺ Admiralty Street964B3↺ Woodlands LinkTower Transit SingaporeSembawang–Yishun169B2Ang Mo Kio169AYishun Avenue 2 (Opp Yishun Station)169BWoodlands Avenue 8 (Bef W’lands Ind Pk E3)856B11Yishun856AWoodlands Centre Road (Woodlands Train Checkpoint)856BCanberra Road (Aft Admiral Hill)858B1↺ Changi Airport858AYishun Avenue 2 (Opp Yishun Station)963B9HarbourFront963e966B11↺ Marine Parade Road966AMarine Parade Road (Marine Parade Station Exit 2)969B2Tampines +Woodlands Temporary Bus InterchangeOperatorPackageServiceBerthDestinationSMRT BusesWoodlands925B1Choa Chu Kang925AKranji Way (Kranji Resvr Pk B)925M↺ Neo Tiew Crescent950B2↺ JB Sentral961B1Lorong 1 Geylang961M967B3↺ Woodlands Drive 17Tower Transit SingaporeSembawang–Yishun965Buangkok965AYishun Avenue 2 (Opp Yishun Station)
References
External links Interchanges and Terminals (SBS Transit) Interchange/Terminal (SMRT Buses) Woodlands Town Map & Services Guide