Residents in Tengah and Woodlands are getting more bus options, with three new services being rolled out under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme.
Services 873/873M and 874 will start operating from Tengah on Sunday, 25 October 2026, while a new Service 968 will eventually serve Woodlands and support the upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link.
There is also an update for commuters waiting for the Jurong Region Line (JRL): interim shuttle buses that broadly follow the MRT line’s route will start from the second half of 2027, before Stage 1 of the delayed rail line opens around mid-2028.
Services 873 and 873M Will Link Tengah to Bukit Gombak, Hume and Hillview
Services 873 and 873M will operate on alternate trips from Tengah Bus Interchange.
Service 873 will run through Bukit Gombak before continuing to Hume and Hillview MRT stations. Service 873M will take a shorter route, linking Tengah with Bukit Gombak MRT and Bukit Batok Street 52.
During weekday peak periods, each service will run every 20 minutes, giving commuters leaving Tengah a combined frequency of about 10 minutes.
During off-peak periods and weekends, each service will run every 30 minutes, for a combined frequency of around 15 minutes.
Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said Service 873 will also provide a direct connection to St Anthony’s Primary School.
Service 874 Gives Tengah a Direct Link to Choa Chu Kang
Service 874 will also begin on 25 October, running in a loop between Tengah Bus Interchange and Choa Chu Kang MRT.
The route will pass through areas including Brickland, Sunshine Place and Choa Chu Kang town centre, as well as near Concord Primary School, Chua Chu Kang Primary School and Bukit Panjang Government High School.
According to Mr Siow, residents travelling between Tengah and Choa Chu Kang may currently need to change buses two or three times. Service 874 will give them a direct option instead.
The service will operate from Tengah Bus Interchange from 5.15am until midnight daily. From the stop opposite Choa Chu Kang MRT station, buses will run from 5.15am until 1am.
New Service 968 Will Connect Several Woodlands MRT Stations
Woodlands will get Service 968, which will operate from Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange.
It will connect residents to Woodlands North, Woodlands South and Admiralty MRT stations, and is intended to support the opening of the RTS Link at Woodlands North.
LTA has not announced the launch date or full operating details for Service 968 yet. These will be released closer to its introduction.
JRL Shuttle Buses Coming Before Trains Start Running
The JRL’s first stage was originally expected to open at the end of 2027, but LTA announced in March that it would be delayed by about six months to around mid-2028.
LTA cited the time needed for complex construction works and testing, including viaduct works over the PIE and additional ground reinforcement for a viaduct crossing a canal.
Interim buses were previously expected to begin at the end of 2027. The latest plan brings them forward to the second half of the year.
The buses will broadly follow the JRL alignment, stop at key station locations and make fewer stops to shorten journeys. Exact routes, frequencies and other operating details have yet to be announced.
Stage 1 of the JRL comprises 10 stations connecting Choa Chu Kang with Boon Lay and Tawas.
