The North South Line (NSL) Rail Bridging Service (or NSL free shuttle bus service / NSL Bridging Bus) is an emergency bus service which is provided in the event of a Train Service Disruption involving the North South Line, which is operated by SMRT Trains.
When a section of the North South Line is suspended, this service may be activated to ferry affected commuters between affected stations, hence minimizing the impact of rail disruptions on commuters. This service may also be activated should there be a significant addition of expected travelling time along the NSL.
NSL
When the NSL free bridging bus service is activated along a specific stretch of the NSL, information will be disseminated through SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA)’s media platforms. The service will only stop at specific bus boarding points (either at bus stops or bus interchanges) which are marked out in the ticket concourse of every station.
This service is offered for free, in addition to free bus boarding of regular bus services during a disruption.
| Technical Information | ||
Route  |
Jurong Gateway Rd (Jurong East MRT) ↔ Marina Coastal Dr (Marina South Pier MRT) | |
| Passes Through | Specific North South Line MRT Stations (Disseminated at moment of activation) |
|
| Fare |
Free travel | |
| Operator Information | ||
| Current Operator | SMRT Buses Ltd Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd |
|
| Current Fleet | Any Public Bus | |
| Departure Times |
Only when activated | |
Routes are compiled based on observations during a rail disruption.
Operator Information
- NS1 Jurong East – NS17 Bishan
SMRT Buses Ltd
- NS9 Woodlands – NS28 Marina South Pier (Service 459)
Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd
As SMRT Trains is the rail operator for the North South Line, buses from SMRT Buses Ltd can also operate on the NSL Bridging Bus service between any stations in addition to its own allocated sector. (Service 477 Jurong East – Marina South Pier)
MRT Stations Served:
- NS1EW24 Jurong East
- NS2 Bukit Batok
- NS3 Bukit Gombak
- NS4BP1 Choa Chu Kang
- NS5 Yew Tee
- NS7 Kranji
- NS8 Marsiling
- NS9TE2 Woodlands
- NS10 Admiralty
- NS11 Sembawang
- NS12 Canberra
- NS13 Yishun
- NS14 Khatib
- NS15 Yio Chu Kang
- NS16 Ang Mo Kio
- NS17CC15 Bishan
- NS18 Braddell
- NS19 Toa Payoh
- NS20 Novena
- NS21DT11 Newton
- NS22 Orchard
- NS23 Somerset
- NS24NE6CC1 Dhoby Ghaut
- NS25EW13 City Hall
- NS26EW14 Raffles Place
- NS27CE2 Marina Bay
- NS28 Marina South Pier
History of Activation: (2017 & earlier)
This list is not exhaustive.
History of NSL Bridging Bus activations (2011–2017)| Date | Sector Served | Disruption Reason |
| 17 Jun 2011 | Yishun → Toa Payoh (1-way) | Passenger hit by train at Yio Chu Kang station |
| 15 Dec 2011 | Marina Bay ↔ Ang Mo Kio | Dislodged third rail, subsequent damage to trains’ current collector shoes, stalled trains |
| 17 Dec 2011 | Marina Bay ↔ Ang Mo Kio | |
| 18 Dec 2011 | Jurong East ↔ Marina Bay (entire line) | Postponed start of service for detailed inspections following the 15 & 17 Dec breakdowns |
| 13 Feb 2013 | Newton ↔ Toa Payoh | Electric cable short-circuited causing a fire in tunnel |
| 11 Jan 2014 | Woodlands ↔ Yew Tee | Traction Power Fault |
| 20 Jan 2014 | Woodlands ↔ Bishan | Signal Fault, causing stalled train near Ang Mo Kio |
| 2 May 2014 | Yio Chu Kang ↔ Yishun | Traction Power Fault |
| 12 Jun 2014 | Sembawang ↔ Yew Tee | Damage to trackside signalling equipment caused by a Road Rail Vehicle during sleeper replacement work |
| 23 Sep 2014 | Marina Bay ↔ Newton | Train Fault |
| 3 Feb 2015 | Marina Bay ↔ Marina South Pier | Train Fault |
| 23 Feb 2015 | Choa Chu Kang ↔ Kranji | Track Fault (Damaged 3rd rail; stalled train) |
| 27 Feb 2015 | Jurong East ↔ Yew Tee | Man walking on viaduct between CCK-BGB |
| 25 Nov 2015 | Yishun ↔ Bishan | Power Fault |
| 9 Jan 2016 | Sembawang ↔ Kranji | — |
| 2 Jun 2017 | Choa Chu Kang ↔ Yishun | Signalling Fault |
| 7 Oct 2017 | Ang Mo Kio ↔ Marina South Pier | Tunnel flooding between Bishan and Braddell |
| 8 Oct 2017 | Ang Mo Kio ↔ Newton | |
| 17 Aug 2017 | Yishun ↔ Marina South Pier | Signalling Fault |
| 25 Oct 2017 | Yishun → Toa Payoh (1-way) | Track Fault |
| 18 Aug 2017 | Sembawang ↔ Marina South Pier | Signalling Fault (Faulty automatic train supervision system) |
| 15 Nov 2017 | Bishan → Yishun (1-way) | Fewer trains deployed during evening peak (Precautionary measure following Joo Koon train collision) |
History of Activation: (since 2018)
| Date | Sector Served | Disruption Reason |
| 14 Nov 2018 | Yishun ↔ Woodlands | Signalling Fault |
| 26 May 2019 | Newton ↔ Marina South Pier | Power Fault |
| 16 Dec 2019 | Kranji ↔ Jurong East | Signalling Fault |
| 14 Oct 2020 | Jurong East ↔ Woodlands | Power Fault (NSL, EWL & CCL) |
| 29 Mar 2021 | Marina South Pier ↔ Toa Payoh | Signalling Fault |
| 19 Oct 2022 | Ang Mo Kio ↔ Woodlands | Track Fault |
| 6 Feb 2023 | Choa Chu Kang ↔ Yishun | Track Fault |
| 8 Feb 2023 | Yishun ↔ Woodlands | Track Point Fault |
| 27 Oct 2023 | Newton ↔ Toa Payoh | Novena station closed; white smoke & burning smell from Air Handling Unit (train services still running, but skipped Novena) |
| 3 Jun 2024 | Choa Chu Kang ↔ Woodlands | Traction Power Fault |
Gallery:
Gallery (Buses):
External Links & References
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