SBS Transit Bus Service 56 is a trunk route running between Bishan and Marina Centre via Toa Payoh, Novena, Little India and Bras Basah.
56
- No Boarding & Alighting at Marina Centre Terminal
| Route Overview | ||||||||||||
Route  |
Bishan Bus Interchange ↔ Marina Centre Bus Terminal | |||||||||||
| Passes Through | Braddell Rd, Toa Payoh Ctrl, Lor 2 Toa Payoh, Thomson Rd, Middle Rd | |||||||||||
| Route Length | Towards Marina Centre: 12.6 km | Towards Bishan: 12.7 km | ||||||||||
| Travelling Time | 70 mins | |||||||||||
| Operator Information | ||||||||||||
| BCM Route Package | Bishan–Toa Payoh Bus Package | |||||||||||
| Current Operator | SBS Transit Ltd | |||||||||||
| Current Depot | Ang Mo Kio Bus Depot (AMDEP) | |||||||||||
| Current Fleet | Single-deck & Double-deck buses | |||||||||||
| Operating Hours | ||||||||||||
| Departure Times from Bishan |
Daily | |||||||||||
| 05:30 – 23:30 | ||||||||||||
| Departure Times from Marina Centre |
Weekdays | Saturdays | Sundays / Public Holidays | |||||||||
| 06:00 – 23:45 | 06:00 – 00:15 | 06:00 – 23:45 | ||||||||||
| Operating Frequency | ||||||||||||
| From Bishan |
6:30am–8.30am | 8.31am–4.59pm | 5.00pm–7.00pm | After 7.00pm | ||||||||
| Weekdays | 13 – 14 mins | 11 – 17 mins | 14 – 15 mins | 15 – 24 mins | ||||||||
| Saturdays | 11 – 14 mins | 13 – 15 mins | 14 – 16 mins | 12 – 25 mins | ||||||||
| Sundays / Public Holidays | 13 – 14 mins | 14 – 17 mins | 15 mins | 14 – 24 mins | ||||||||
| From Marina Centre |
6:30am–8.30am | 8.31am–4.59pm | 5.00pm–7.00pm | After 7.00pm | ||||||||
| Weekdays | 10 – 12 mins | 11 – 17 mins | 14 – 15 mins | 17 – 25 mins | ||||||||
| Saturdays | 11 – 13 mins | 12 – 15 mins | 14 – 15 mins | 13 – 25 mins | ||||||||
| Sundays / Public Holidays | 13 – 15 mins | 14 – 17 mins | 15 – 16 mins | 14 – 21 mins | ||||||||
| Fare Information |
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| Fare | Charges regular distance fares |
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Service 56 serves as a supplementary route connecting the residential estates of Toa Payoh and Bishan with the city areas of Marina Centre, Middle Road, Little India and Novena. The large area of coverage between Bishan and Toa Payoh makes it a convenient inter-town route.
Service hours on Saturdays are longer to cater to late-night commuters in the city.
MRT Stations Served
- NS17CC15 Bishan
- NS19 Toa Payoh
- NS20 Novena
- NE7DT12 Little India
- DT13 Rochor
- CC3 Esplanade
- CC4DT15 Promenade
Special Departures
- Bukit Timah Road (Little India Stn Exit A) → Bishan Int
Weekdays: 05:50 & 06:04 - Lorong 2 Toa Payoh (Toa Payoh Stn) → Marina Centre Ter
Weekdays: 05:30
Gallery
Operator History
- 1985 – 2001: Singapore Bus Services Ltd
- 2001 – Present: SBS Transit Ltd
The Bus Service Operating License (BSOL) for this route will be renewed in 2026 under the Bishan–Toa Payoh Bus Package.
History
- 1985 (22 Dec): Introduced from Bishan St 11 to Toa Payoh Int (Loop)
- 1986 (28 Dec): Amended to Bishan Ter
- 1987 (16 Mar): First bus from Bishan Ter brought forward to 0545 hrs daily
- 1989 (30 Apr): Amended to Bishan Int
- 1990 (02 Sep): Integrated with Services 58 and 150 and extended to Marina Ctr Ter
- 2000: Last bus from Marina Ctr Ter extended to 0015 hrs on Saturdays
- 2001 (18 Feb): Serves new staggered bus stop outside Novena Stn along Thomson Rd, skipping the bus stop outside Novena Church
- 2005: Skips abolished bus stop outside Muhajirin Mosque along Braddell Rd
- 2012 (30 Sep): Designated wheelchair-accessible bus service (WAB)
- 2021 (27 Feb): Amended to the relocated Marina Ctr Ter
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Dear Sir
On Friday 22 January 2021, I waited for Bus 56 at 10.12a.m. in front of the Zion Bible Presbyterian church to go to Toa Payoh. While waiting, four buses which were not in service passed by. Only at about 10.45 a.m., Bus 56 came. I am wondering why Bus 56 has poor service. It is not a first time it was not punctual. It has a poor record of not being on schedule.
I also am wondering why so many buses were not in service. Something is not right.
It is not Singapore’s character of poor service and poor punctuality.
Please check and revert.
Thank you.
Ronald Tan
Maybe no passengers got on at Bishan Interchange so the bus driver might have been not interested
That is the only way I think
If want more buses, just remove the double deckers which seemed to only be two and they only serve during peak periods. Swap them out with Euro IV KUBS or Citaros, about 4 should be able to compensate for the 2 DD removal. It also improve the frequency. If got demand, just add more sd, so many single decks rotting in storage especially MAN A22 E6 & Citaros
I saw numerous b10tl 56 on this bus Yesterday
Honestly this is a pretty useless route . 12km ? And only from Bishan to Pan Pac Hotel . 980 serves the exact same route from Novena to Bugis . THey should extend it !
So than people from Toa Payoh and Bishan can’t take any bus to Pan Pac Hotel