SBS Transit Bus Service 974 is a trunk service plying between Joo Koon and looping at Bukit Panjang, passing through Pioneer, Bon Lay, Jln Bahar, KJE and Choa Chu Kang. Service 974 was launched on Sunday, 8th April 2018. It was the fifth new route to be introduced under the Bus Contracting Model (BCM) after Service 68.
↺ Bukit Panjang (Loop)
| Route Overview | ||||||||||||
Route  |
Joo Koon Bus Interchange ↺ Upper Bukit Timah Road (Loop) | |||||||||||
| Passes Through | Upp Jurong Rd, Jurong West St 63, Jln Boon Lay, Choa Chu Kang Ave 4, Choa Chu Kang Way | |||||||||||
| Route Length | 35.1 km | |||||||||||
| Travelling Time | 80 – 110 mins | |||||||||||
| Operator Information | ||||||||||||
| BCM Route Package | Jurong West Bus Package | |||||||||||
| Current Operator | SBS Transit Ltd |
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| Current Depot | Soon Lee Bus Park (SLBP) | |||||||||||
| Current Fleet | Double Deck Bus – Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (3-Door) – MAN A95 – Volvo B9TL |
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| Operating Hours | ||||||||||||
| Departure Times from Joo Koon |
Daily | |||||||||||
| 05:45 – 22:45 | ||||||||||||
| After 22:45 till 23:30, buses departing Joo Koon operate as Service 974A, terminating at Choa Chu Kang Ave 4 (Lot 1/Choa Chu Kang Stn) | ||||||||||||
| Operating Frequency | ||||||||||||
| Loop Service | 6:30am–8.30am | 8.31am–4.59pm | 5.00pm–7.00pm | After 7.00pm | ||||||||
| Weekdays | 12 – 14 mins | 12 – 16 mins | 13 mins | 14 – 16 mins | ||||||||
| Saturdays | 14 – 15 mins | 14 – 16 mins | 15 – 16 mins | 14 – 16 mins | ||||||||
| Sundays / Public Holidays | 14 – 16 mins | 15 – 16 mins | 15 – 16 mins | 13 – 16 mins | ||||||||
| Fare Information |
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| Fare | Charges regular distance fares |
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Bus Service 974 is a trunk service from Joo Koon, looping at Bukit Panjang MRT. The route enhances inter-town connectivity and provides Bukit Panjang and Choa Chu Kang residents with access to existing bus services plying Nanyang Technological University and Jurong Industrial Estate. It will also enhance connectivity in the west by linking Bukit Panjang Station (Downtown Line) and Choa Chu Kang Station (North-South Line) to Boon Lay, Pioneer and Joo Koon Stations (East-West Line).
The route relieves end-to-end demand on Service 172 by providing an express bus corridor along the Kranji Expressway (KJE), offering faster journeys between Choa Chu Kang and Boon Lay, as well as complementing existing bus connections between Boon Lay and Joo Koon. Connecting directly to Joo Koon, the route will also benefit commuters travelling between the north of Singapore and industries at Joo Koon via train, reducing the need to transfer between the North South Line and East West Line at Jurong East.
MRT/LRT Stations Served:
- EW29 Joo Koon
- EW28 Pioneer
- EW27 Boon Lay
- NS4BP1 Choa Chu Kang
- BP2 South View
- BP3 Keat Hong
- BP4 Teck Whye
- BP5 Phoenix
- BP6–DT1 Bukit Panjang
Special Departures
- Upp Bt Timah Rd (Bt Panjang Stn Exit A/LRT) → Joo Koon Int
Daily: Between 05:45 – 06:30
Short Trip Service
- Service 974A: Joo Koon Bus Interchange → Choa Chu Kang Ave 4 (Lot 1/Choa Chu Kang Stn)
Daily: 23:00 – 23:30 - Service 974A (Special Departures): Choa Chu Kang Ave 4 (Opp Choa Chu Kang Stn) → Choa Chu Kang Ave 4 (Lot 1/Choa Chu Kang Stn)
Weekdays: 00:19 – 01:05
Saturdays & Sundays / Public Holidays: 00:18 – 01:05
Early Announcement
Early Announcement (Click to expand)This route was revealed on 28 January 2018 on mobile applications displaying bus arrival timings using LTA Datamall.
The service was also displayed on the departure timings board of Joo Koon Bus Interchange.
Gallery (SBS Transit)
Gallery (Tower Transit) at Page 2.
Poster Gallery
Operator History:
- 08 Apr 2018 – 28 May 2021: Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd
- 29 May 2021 – Present: SBS Transit Ltd
The Bus Service Operating License (BSOL) for this route will be renewed in 2024 under the Jurong West Bus Package.
SMRT Buses will operate this service as the awarded operator for the Jurong West Bus Package in September 2024.
Route History:
- 2018 (08 Apr): Introduced between Upp Bt Timah Rd (Bukit Panjang MRT) and Joo Koon Int. Operated by Tower Transit under the Bulim Bus Package. Wheelchair accessible at launch.
- 2019 (05 Oct): Last bus timing from Choa Chu Kang Ave 4 (Opp Choa Chu Kang Stn) extended from 01:00 to 01:05
- 2021 (23 Jan): Amended to start from Joo Koon Int and loop at Upp Bt Timah Rd (Bukit Panjang MRT) with the closure of Bt Panjang Temp Bus Pk
- 2021 (29 May): Operations transferred to SBS Transit Ltd under the Jurong West Bus Package
- 2022 (13 Feb): Serves a new pair of bus stops Aft Blk 503 and Opp Blk 502 along Kranji Expressway
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The service will be launch on 8 april 2018
i heard that from channel news asia today that LTA has announced the new bus service 974 but the official routed has hot been post yet.
It’s more likely 974 will go to SMRT instead of TTS, I presume it will be launched together with GAS service 68 next month.
SMRT received a number of A95s and Citaros since last December (of which most of the A95s and the Citaros have yet to enter service other than ECLO shuttle)
The issue now is how to put them on service, there will almost be no service to give them to other than 974.
It is further supported by my friend seeing off-service A95s at Pioneer back in January and also some new SMRT Citaros (both rojak and LG) spotted as TRG buses at CCK Int by some ppl since last month (yep 974 serves CCK MRT).
So yeah it’s highly likely 974 will go SMRT, besides as you know 97x is for Bukit Panjang trunk services and all of them are controlled by SMRT as of today… Moreover, no TTS training/off service buses spotted in Pioneer/CCK/BPJ so far.
TTS has not received any additional buses on top of their starting fleet of 367 buses and they will not be able to receive anymore new buses because LTA has run out of buses in storage.
interesting viewpoint
you work in the industry?
No, it’s just my insights.
Update: 974 will be launched on 8 April, operated by TTS, not SMRT.
You have been prove sooooooo wrong.
Land Transport Authority did not run out of buses in storage. They ran out of Volvo B9TLs in storage, but the Mercedes Benz Citaro O530s and MAN A95s are still available, however, Tower Transit Singapore may not take in the MAN A95s into their fleet, instead, they might deploy only Mercedes Benz Citaros as only Mercedes Benz Citaros were spotted on training.
I think the off service MAN A95s your friend saw at Pioneer back in January were training for the ELCO (Early Closure, Late Opening). Also, the SMRT Citaros spotted at Bukit Panjang ITH does not support your assumption that SMRT will operate Service 974 as Service 974 does NOT serve BPITH.
Since bus service 180 extend to bukit panjang int, so either construct more queue area in bukit panjang int (1st plan) or wait till gali batu ter to complete and then introduce 974 (2nd plan) from gali batu ter to joo koon int. It will be too early if using 2nd plan, in my opinion 1st plan is better. Actually lta need not need to construct gali batu ter, just add more queue area in bukit panjang int.
Problem is spacing,974 cannot start from Joo Koon either
Remember last year in 2017, Service 256 was integrated with Service 258 and was withdrawn? The berth is still not occupied, where got spacing problem at Joo Koon ITH?
Mid February
How you know is mid Febuary to be launch for service 974?
Cannot be the month of Feb as they are still review the New Service 972 Routes liaise with LTA.
February has already passed and 974 isn’t even officially announced yet…
974 will probably launch with GAS service 68 next month.