SMRT Bus Service 972

SMRT Bus Service 972 is a trunk service operating from Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange and looping at Orchard Road, passing through Jelapang, Segar, Fajar, Bangkit and Stevens Road. The route is a key link between Bukit Panjang estate and the City areas, plying express along the BKE and PIE between Bukit Panjang and Whitley Road. The route was launched on 17 November 2013 as the 15th bus service to be introduced under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP).

972
Bt Panjang Int
↺ Orchard Rd (Loop)
45009 Bt Panjang Int B2 DT1-BP6 Petir Rd
44641 Blk 602 BP13 Bt Panjang Ring Rd
44791 West View Pr Sch Senja Rd
44801 Opp Blk 628 Senja Rd
44861 Blk 636A Senja Rd
44811 Senja FC Senja Rd
44931 Blk 643 CP Senja Rd
44721 Opp Jelapang Stn BP12 Bt Panjang Ring Rd
44661 Blk 532 Jelapang Rd
44611 Blk 516 Jelapang Rd
44701 Blk 548B Segar Rd
44691 Blk 485 Segar Rd
44771 Fajar Stn BP10 Fajar Rd
44349 Bet Blks 443A/443B Fajar Rd
44339 Blk 442D Fajar Rd
44329 Bangkit Stn BP9 Bt Panjang Ring Rd
44261 Blk 270 Bt Panjang Rd
40239 Bef Stevens Stn Exit 4 DT10TE11 Whitley Rd
40229 Bef Stevens Stn Exit 2 DT10TE11 Stevens Rd
40219 Bef Met YMCA Stevens Rd
40209 Novotel Mercure @ Stevens Stevens Rd
40199 Aft Balmoral Rd Stevens Rd
09219 Far East Plaza Scotts Rd
09047 Orchard Stn/Tang Plaza NS22TE14 Orchard Rd
09037 Bef Cairnhill Rd NS22TE14 Orchard Rd
08138 Concorde Hotel S'pore Orchard Rd
08057 Dhoby Ghaut Stn NS24NE6CC1 Orchard Rd
08041 YMCA Orchard Rd
08031 Dhoby Ghaut Stn Exit B NS24NE6CC1 Penang Rd
08111 Winsland Hse Penang Rd
08121 Somerset Stn NS23 Somerset Rd
09011 Opp Ngee Ann City Orchard Turn
09023 Opp Orchard Stn/ION NS22TE14 Orchard Turn
09213 Thong Teck Bldg Scotts Rd
40191 Aft Draycott Pk Stevens Rd
40201 Chelsea Gdns Condo Stevens Rd
40211 Opp Met YMCA Stevens Rd
40221 Stevens Stn Exit 3 DT10TE11 Stevens Rd
40231 Raffles Town Club DT10TE11 Whitley Rd
44269 Blk 223 Bt Panjang Rd
44321 Opp Bangkit Stn BP9 Bt Panjang Ring Rd
44331 Blk 239 Fajar Rd
44341 Blk 401A CP Fajar Rd
44779 Opp Fajar Stn BP10 Fajar Rd
44699 Blk 457 Segar Rd
44709 Blk 547C Segar Rd
44619 Blk 506 Jelapang Rd
44669 Opp Blk 532 Jelapang Rd
44829 Opp Blk 650 Senja Link
44819 Opp West Spring Sec Sch Senja Rd
44869 Bef Blk 629A Cp Senja Rd
44809 Blk 628 Senja Rd
44799 Blk 610 Senja Rd
44649 Blk 541A CP BP13 Bt Panjang Ring Rd
44639 Bt Panjang Plaza DT1-BP6 Jelebu Rd
45009 Bt Panjang Int DT1-BP6 Petir Rd
Route Overview
Route WAB_logo_20px Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange ↺ Orchard Road (Loop)
Passes Through Senja Rd, Jelapang Rd, Segar Rd, Fajar Rd, BKE/PIE, Stevens Rd, Orchard, Dhoby Ghaut
Route Length 40.3 km
Travelling Time 125 mins
Operator Information
BCM Route Package Choa Chu Kang–Bukit Panjang Bus Package
Current Operator SMRT Buses Ltd
Current Depot Kranji Bus Depot (KJDEP)
Buses park at: Woodlands Bus Park
Current Fleet Single Deck Bus:
– Mercedes-Benz OC500LE
Double Deck Bus:
– Alexander Dennis Enviro500
– Volvo B9TL
Operating Hours
Departure Times from Bukit Panjang
Weekdays & Saturdays Sundays / Public Holidays
05:30 – 23:35 05:30 – 23:35
After 22:59 on Weekdays, 23:06 on Saturdays and 22:45 on Sundays and Public Holidays, buses departing from Bt Panjang Int operates as Service 972A
Operating Frequency
  6:30am–8.30am 8.31am–4.59pm 5.00pm–7.00pm After 7.00pm
Loop Service 4 – 11 mins 10 – 18 mins 4 – 12 mins 8 – 19 mins
Fare Information
Fare Charges regular distance fares

 

Service 972 is a popular trunk route for residents of Bukit Panjang, bringing about greater connectivity to the Stevens, Orchard and Dhoby Ghaut areas in the City. Launched on 17 November 2013 as the fifteenth bus service under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP), the route incorporates an express sector between Bukit Panjang Road and Whitley Road via the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) and the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE).

By offering a direct, full-day bus route between the northern parts of Bukit Panjang estate (Neighborhoods 4, 5 and 6) and the Orchard Road shopping belt, the route provides a travel alternative for commuters who previously relied on other bus routes to and from the City, such as Service 190, 960 & 700/700A (prior to its withdrawal). It also opened up new links within the Bukit Panjang estate, plying a combination of the route of both Feeders 920 and 922, and connecting the inner estates directly to the popular transfer hubs of Blk 183 / Blk 604 (prior to the opening of Bukit Panjang Int) and Blk 223 / Blk 270 along Bukit Panjang Road for convenient transfers to many other bus services.

As a result of its popularity with residents, demand for the route is very high throughout most of the day. SMRT’s very first double-decker buses were launched Bus Service 972 on 13 July 2014 with three Alexander Dennis Enviro500 buses, which grew to a full fleet of over 20 double-deck buses by January 2015, making it SMRT’s first ever full-double-deck bus service. On 14 June 2015, the route was amended into Senja Road and Senja Link to increase its catchment area within the estate.

Additional special departures were added on Weekday mornings from 03 Apr 2017, starting from Opp Bangkit Stn to Bukit Panjang. Previously, with no mid-route departures, the first bus towards Bukit Panjang would arrive past 7am after looping at the City.

Following the controversy over Bus 700 withdrawal and Bus 171 & 972 amendment in August 2020, route variant Service 972M was introduced to ply the originally planned amended route of Service 972 via Newton MRT.

MRT / LRT Stations Served:
Special Departures:
  • Bukit Panjang Ring Rd (Opp Bangkit Stn) → Bukit Panjang Int
    Weekdays: 06:35 & 06:50
Short Trip Service:
  • Service 972A: Bukit Panjang Int → Orchard Road (Dhoby Ghaut Stn)
    Weekdays: 23:18 – 23:35
    Saturdays: 23:20 – 23:35
    Sundays / Public Holidays: 23:01 – 23:35
Route Variant:
  • Service 972M: Bukit Panjang Int ↺ Orchard Road (Loop)
    Daily, via Petir Road & Newton MRT

Gallery (Buses):
Poster Gallery:

Operator History:
  • 2013 – Present: SMRT Buses Ltd

The Bus Service Operating License (BSOL) for this route will be renewed in 2026 under the Choa Chu Kang–Bukit Panjang Bus Package.

History:
  • 2013 (17 Nov): Introduced from Bukit Panjang to Bencoolen Street (Loop) under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP).
  • 2014 (02 Mar): Designated wheelchair-accessible bus route (WAB)
  • 2014 (13 Jul): Double-deck buses introduced
  • 2015 (End Jan): First SMRT bus service to have a full double-deck bus fleet.
  • 2015 (14 Jun): Amended to Senja Road / Link, skipping a pair of bus stops along Bt Panjang Ring Rd and calling at 4 pairs of bus stops along Senja Rd & Link
  • 2015 (12 Jul): First bus brought forward from 06:00 to 05:30 daily
  • 2015 (16 Aug): Serves 2 new bus stops between Blks 443A and 443B and outside Blk 442D along Fajar Rd
  • 2015 (06 Sep): Serves new pair of bus stops outside and opposite Blk 635C along Senja Rd; Serves new pair of bus stops outside Blk 548B and outside Blk 547C along Segar Rd
  • 2015 (27 Dec): Calls at Opp Blk 183 instead of Blk 604 along Bt Panjang Rd towards Bencoolen St as part of DTL2 Bukit Panjang Bus Service Enhancements
  • 2016 (11 Dec): Skips a bus stop along Bencoolen Street due to permanent bus stop closure
  • 2017 (03 Apr): Additional special departures from Opp Bangkit Stn to Bukit Panjang on Weekday Mornings.
  • 2017 (04 Sep): Amended to Bukit Panjang ITH
  • 2020 (03 Aug): Announced to be amended to ply Bt Timah Rd / Dunearn Rd and Scotts Rd, skipping Stevens Rd from 16 Aug 2020
  • 2020 (13 Aug): Planned route amendment on 16 Aug 2020 announced to be cancelled
  • 2022 (03 Apr): Amended to Bukit Panjang Ring Rd & skipping Senja Link towards Orchard Road due to the conversion of part of Senja Road and Senja Link to one-way traffic

Past Routings


Minor Events
Soft Launch:

The service debuted on Sunday, 17 November 2013, where a soft launch was carried out at Greenridge Shopping Center at 8:30am, hosted together with a community brisk walk. SMB3088M was the first bus deployed, departing Bukit Panjang at 6am. The service utilized a full fleet of MAN A22 buses.

SMRT Enviro500 MMC Launch:

SMRT’s Alexander Dennis Enviro500 made their debut on revenue service on Sunday, 13 Jul 2014 on Service 972. Three units, namely SMB3501L (972TQ01) , SMB3502J (972AP07) and SMB3503G (972TQ02) were put on service. SMB3502J was withdrawn in the morning following an electrical fault leading to bus breakdown, but returned in the afternoon.

SMB3502J is the first Enviro500 MMC in revenue service, departing Bukit Panjng Temporary Bus Park at around 7:00am in the morning.


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10 thoughts on “SMRT Bus Service 972

  • 6 April 2021 at 3:33 PM
    Permalink

    Bus service 972 might be amendment to serve the new BTO at senja close road which might be coming soon later this year.

    Reply
    • 8 May 2021 at 10:50 PM
      Permalink

      Yeah, should be this arrangement as what I had feedback to SMRT & LTA.

      Reply
      • 7 August 2021 at 11:43 PM
        Permalink

        It would be more appropriate for 920 to be amended to serve Senja Close instead.

        Reply
        • 3 April 2022 at 1:17 AM
          Permalink

          In the end, only 920 serves there

          Reply
  • 14 February 2021 at 6:09 PM
    Permalink

    The 3-door bus should be deployed on this bus as well as 190

    Reply
    • 3 October 2017 at 5:09 PM
      Permalink

      can 972 extend by looping at suntec city or loop at tominson rd

      Reply
      • 5 December 2018 at 5:13 PM
        Permalink

        Cannot Tomlinson Road. 972 should just terminate at Marina Ctr Terminal.

        Reply
        • 18 March 2019 at 9:16 PM
          Permalink

          Service 972 should terminate at Beach Station Terminal
          Express 971E will be integrated with New Express 972E, as for Existing Express Service 971E will be advisory to Service 971e at the same time introducing New Service 971 to start from Gali Batu to Bedok

          Reply
          • 7 December 2019 at 12:44 AM
            Permalink

            Service 972 is meant to relieve Service 190 though….. It will be better if Service 972 can terminate until Marina Centre in the future…….. Otherwise, Service 972 should terminate at Kampong Bahru together with 190……

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