Marina South Bus Interchange is a future Integrated Transport Hub (ITH) located at Marina South, currently under planning. It will offer transport connections with Marina South MRT Station along the Thomson-East Coast Line.
Plans for the interchange were first mooted as part of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)’s 2013 Draft Masterplan. However, the ITH is no longer reflected in the URA 2019 Draft Master Plan, raising the possibility that plans were shelved. The future ITH was mentioned yet again as part of the Land Transport Masterplan 2040 released in May 2019.
Jus my thoughts:
Looking at the URA 2019 Master Plan (As the 2025 version isn’t available for now), it appears that the current Marina Centre (Zoned as pure commercial), Shenton Way (Zoned as Reserve Site) and Kampong Bahru (Zoned as Residential – subject to further development to plans) Terminals will largely be consolidated into the new Marina South Bus Interchange.
So if we assume that 5 Sawbooth Boarding Berths & 3 Alighting Berths are used, that gives 15 services:
Shenton Way – 9 Services
Marina Centre – 4 Services w/ 2 Express variants
Kampong Bahru – 7 Services w/ 2 Express variants
All Shenton Way & Marina Centre services (w/ the exception of 106 & 133, more details below) can be moved to Marina South, via MCE & Central/Marina Boulevards (for SW Services), and Bayfront Avenue (for MC Services).
For Kampong Bahru, if Tiong Bahru ITH goes ahead, all but 2 services (120, 122) are viable to be shifted over there), with 120 & 122 being more optimal to move to Marina South.
And we get: 13
Also if MS ITH doesnt have enough parking lots for express buses, they can just terminate near their former terminals:
97e terminate at Marina Boulevard (same as 982E and several CDS)
960e terminate outside Promenade MRT
174e can terminate at Outram Park MRT
12e can terminate at New Bridge Road (Same location as 851e’s terminating point)
1. Buses looping at Suntec City (111, 857, 70M, 107M):
– For this, 70M & 107M can keep looping at Suntec City, while 111 & 857 can extend to Marina South via Bayfront Avenue
2. 97, 106, 133
– These 3 services are special as they serve Bayfront Avenue en-route to their terminis, so amending to Marina South would pose a challenge.
– As such, I would say 97 should be amended to Marina South, while 106 & 133 would need to loop somewhere else (Shenton Way MRT Exit 3 would be a good spot)
3. F1 Diversions:
This is an absolute nightmare to deal with, basically SW, MC & KB routes can be affected by F1, leading to diversions. Kampong Bahru has mostly been used as a point for some diverted buses to terminate at during F1, and other routes. For this, services will need to run an alternative route into Marina South as a result.
Anyways that’s all the thoughts I have for Marina South, hope the actual interchange plans will be confirmed!
Actually, I think they are trying to emulate the concept of Taipei City Hall Bus Station, when they were thinking about the Marina South Bus Interchange.
The Taipei City Hall Bus Station is an integrated development with MRT station and shopping at basement, bus station (equivalent to our bus interchange) at ground level, shopping again at the next few floors, and the rest of it being hotel development.
I went there two times, in 2019 and 2023. 2019 take bus go in, 2023 just walked pass. Got some YouTube videos showing the bus station, and one YouTube video showing the bus bay, from which can see that got 18 end-on berths, and 5 parking lots.
https://youtu.be/Ub3cjlOLcmE
If copy-paste the same capacity into Singapore Marina South, 18 end-on berths by our standard means can only have 6 bus routes. Otherwise, at most also 9 bus routes.
Shenton Way Bus Terminal got 9 bus routes.
Was actually thinking of considering also the Marina Centre Bus Terminal. But I think, if they want to emulate the Taipei City Hall Bus Station (which would make sense, since the bus interchange component should be small scale, to complement with the city centre theme), the Marina South Bus Interchange would only be able to accommodate Shenton Way Bus Terminal bus routes.
Whereas for Marina Centre Bus Terminal, they would need another ITH at Nicoll Highway MRT station area to replace, if they want to replace that bus terminal with a ITH.
With that, I have largely helped to provide a structure on what we can expect of the future Marina South Bus Interchange. Essentially, it would probably take reference from the Taipei City Bus Station, which is an integrated development integrating a MRT station, a bus interchange, a shopping centre, and a hotel development.
I don’t think end on berths would be used, feels too uneconomical if LTA really intends on merging Marina Centre, Shenton Way and Kampong Bahru Terminals together, but looking at the 2019 URA Plan, it looks like those terminals may close down.
All services at marina centre and shenton way ter to extend here. Svcs 120, 122 & 174 extend from kg bahru to here. Svc 857 can extend here. Rest of kg bahru svcs go to tiong bahru int. So services here are 56, 70, 77, 97, 106, 107, 120, 121, 122, 130, 133, 174, 195, 857 & 960
Actually, there is little to no justification for a bus interchange at Marina South.
The nearby bus terminals (Marina Centre, Shenton Way and Kampong Bahru) are at the right places and it’s already the most optimal solutions, in terms of urban planning.
Perhaps their intention is to use the massive sheltered carpark at Marina South Pier to retrofit that area into a bus interchange. Thus, the idea of the Marina South Integrated Transport Hub – since it is near to the Marina South Pier MRT station.
Anyway, there is really not much justification. Even when there are more developments in the area next time, most probably it will be a bus terminal like the one at Shenton Way and Kampong Bahru.
You do realise there are plans to expand the CBD to Marina South in the far future right?
Shenton Way terminal land parcel is zoned as a reserve site if you look the URA masterplan. This ITH is likely intended to be the replacement for Shenton Way. Nah they won’t build this ITH at MSP carpark, its meant to be integrated with the TEL station.
It looks like the 3 Bus terminals will be merged into a single ITH.
With the new Marina Centre Terminal relocated,There is no need for a Marina South Interchange to serve the rich and famous residents there.
Well you are just simple jealous