SBS Transit Bus Service 39

SBS Transit Bus Service 39 is a trunk service from Tampines Concourse to Yishun, passing through Pasir Ris, Punggol, Jalan Kayu, and Khatib.

Service 39 is a trunk route linking the residential estates of Tampines, Pasir Ris, Punggol, and Yishun. From Tampines, it serves Avenues 5, 3, and 7 before entering Pasir Ris via Loyang Avenue. It then traverses Pasir Ris Drive 1 and Pasir Ris Industrial Drive 1, continuing straight through Punggol Central before entering the Tampines Expressway (TPE) via Punggol Way. It makes an intermediate stop at Jalan Kayu along its express sector before reaching Lentor Avenue and terminating in Yishun.

This route is one of three services, alongside Services 53 and 81, that fully serve the length of Pasir Ris Drive 1, the main east-west arterial road within Pasir Ris estate.

Historical Background

Service 39 was introduced on 17 August 2003 to connect Pasir Ris, Tampines, and Yishun via the TPE and SLE. Intermediate stops were later added at Jalan Kayu in 2004, and TPE (Punggol Road) in 2014, to enhance connectivity.

High-capacity double-deck buses were introduced on 2 June 2015 to meet growing demand. The Tampines terminus was relocated to Tampines Concourse Bus Interchange on 18 December 2016.

A significant amendment on 24 October 2021 saw the route amended to serve Punggol Central and Punggol Way, forming a Pasir Ris–Punggol sector parallel to the upcoming Cross Island Line Punggol Extension. While this change briefly caused controversy and increased travel time between Pasir Ris and Yishun, it introduced new connections for Punggol residents and became a popular commuting option.

To manage high demand along the Pasir Ris–Punggol–Jalan Kayu corridor, Short Trip Services 39A and 39B were introduced on 27 May 2024.

Demand Patterns

Despite featuring an express sector along the TPE, Service 39 primarily serves commuters travelling between Yishun and Punggol, where it offers a faster alternative to Service 117. It also provides a key connection between Pasir Ris and Punggol, taking a more direct route via Pasir Ris Industrial Drive 1 compared to Service 3.

For commuters between Yishun and Tampines or Pasir Ris, faster options exist, such as Service 969, which connects Yishun and Tampines directly, while Pasir Ris can be accessed via a transfer at TPE (Punggol Road).

By passing through the town centres of Tampines, Pasir Ris, Punggol, and Yishun, Service 39 also complements intra-town bus options within these estates and allows for transfers to the MRT network.

MRT / LRT Stations Served

• EW2–DT32 Tampines
• DT33 Tampines East
• EW1 Pasir Ris
• NE17PTC Punggol
• PW7 Soo Teck
• NS14 Khatib
• NS13 Yishun

Special Departures

• Pasir Ris Drive 1 (Blk 156) → Yishun Int
  Saturdays: 05:50 & 06:04
• Pasir Ris Central (Opp Pasir Ris Stn Exit B) → Yishun Int
  Weekdays: 06:49, 07:12, 08:07 & 08:14
• Jalan Kayu (Bef Seletar Camp G) → Tampines Concourse Int
  Weekdays: 18:30, 18:47 & 19:09
• Punggol Way (Blk 220C) → Tampines Concourse Int
  Weekdays: 06:15, 07:08 & 07:58
• Punggol Central (Blk 649) → Tampines Concourse Int
  Weekdays: 06:15

Short Trip Service:

• Service 39A: Pasir Ris Central (Opp Pasir Ris Stn Exit B) → Jalan Kayu (Aft Seletar Camp G)
  Weekdays (Except Public Holidays): 06:18 – 07:03 & 17:35 – 18:15
• Service 39B: Punggol Way (Blk 220C) → Pasir Ris Central (Pasir Ris Stn Exit B)
  Weekdays (Except Public Holidays): 06:08 – 07:28

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Gallery (Buses):

Poster Gallery:

 

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Operator History:

• 17 Aug 2003 – Present: SBS Transit Ltd

This service will be operated by Go-Ahead Singapore as the awarded operator of the Tampines Bus Package from July 2026.

Route History:

• 2003 (17 Aug): Introduced between Tampines Int and Yishun Int (Tampines ↔ Yishun)
• 2004 (25 Jul): Amended to ply Jln Kayu in both directions
• 2004: First bus from Tampines Int brought forward to 0545 hrs on weekdays
• 2006: First bus from Tampines Int brought forward to 0530 hrs on weekdays
• 2011 (27 Jun): Designated wheelchair-accessible bus service (WAB)
• 2012 (29 Apr): Serves new bus stop outside Blk 612 along Pasir Ris Dr 1
• 2014 (05 Oct): Serves a pair of new bus stops at Tampines Expressway (Punggol Road) Bus Interchange
• 2015 (14 Mar): Amended to Yishun Temp Int
• 2016 (18 Dec): Extended to Tampines Concourse Int (Tampines Concourse ↔ Yishun)
• 2017 (21 Oct): Serves new pair of bus stops outside Tampines East Stn along Tampines Ave 2
• 2019 (08 Sep): Amended to Yishun Integrated Transport Hub
• 2021 (24 Oct): Amended to Pasir Ris Ind Dr 1, Punggol Ctrl and Punggol Way, skipping Pasir Ris Dr 12 and a portion of TPE
• 2022 (30 Oct): Amended to ply Pasir Ris St 12 and Pasir Ris St 11 with the partial closure of Pasir Ris Dr 1 to facilitate the construction of Pasir Ris East MRT station on the Cross Island MRT Line
• 2023 (16 Jan): First bus timing at Bus Stop 65261 – Blk 649, Punggol Central towards Tampines Concourse Int brought forward to 6:15 am on weekdays
• 2023 (27 Mar): First bus timing at Bus Stop 65439 – Blk 220C, Punggol Way towards Tampines Concourse Int brought forward to 6:15 am on weekdays
• 2023 (08 Oct): Amended to ply Pasir Ris Ctrl and Pasir Ris Dr 8 with the partial closure of Pasir Ris Dr 1 to facilitate the construction of Pasir Ris MRT station on the Cross Island MRT Line
• 2024 (27 May): First bus timing from Tampines Concourse Int brought forward from 5:30 am to 5:25 am on weekdays
• 2024 (24 Nov): Serves a new pair of bus stops outside and opp UMC along Pasir Ris Ind Dr 1

Past Routings

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