Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange

Not to be confused with (Defunct) Bukit Panjang Temporary Bus Park and (Defunct) Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange.

Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange is an Integrated Transport Hub (ITH) located at Bukit Panjang, serving residential areas around Bukit Panjang, Cashew, Teck Whye and Yew Tee.

The interchange is the ninth air-conditioned bus interchange in Singapore, integrated within the Hillion Mall and Hillion Residences, and seamlessly connected to Bukit Panjang MRT/LRT station. Nearby public amenities include the Bukit Panjang Plaza, Junction 10 and Senja-Cashew Community Centre.

Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange opened on 4 September 2017, with SMRT Buses as the anchor operator. With the rollout of the Bus Contracting Model (BCM), the future operator of the Choa Chu Kang – Bukit Panjang Bus Package will take over as anchor operator of this interchange.

Details

The Interchange:

Bukit Panjang Integrated Transport Hub is a bus interchange located in the residential town of Bukit Panjang. Connecting with Bukit Panjang MRT/LRT station along the Downtown MRT Line and the Bukit Panjang LRT Line, the interchange is a transport node for commuters heading in and out of town, allowing for convenient transfers between the rail network and the many bus services at the interchange.

Opened on 4 September 2017, Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange is the ninth Integrated Transport Hub (ITH) to be opened in Singapore, after Toa Payoh in May 2002, Sengkang in Jan 2003, Ang Mo Kio in Apr 2007, Boon Lay in Dec 2009, Serangoon in Sep 2011, Clementi in Nov 2011, Bedok in Nov 2014 and Joo Koon in Nov 2015. The interchange is integrated within the Hillion Mall shopping centre and the Hillion Residences condominium, with entrances leading to both Bukit Panjang MRT and LRT stations, hence combining retail, residential and transportation facilities under one roof.

The interchange has a single vehicular concourse area with a bus park in the middle, with 15 rigid bus lots and 5 bendy bus lots. Vehicles enter the interchange via an ingress lane along Petir Road. The vehicle egress leads to Jelebu Road, next to Block 181A multi-storey car park.

The passenger concourse features three sawtooth boarding berths and an alighting berth with space for 2 buses. Pedestrian entrance/exits are located within the interchange, leading to retail portions of Hillion Mall.

Historical Background

• 1986: Zhenghua Ter established
• 1987: Bukit Panjang Ter established at Petir Road
• 26 Dec 1999: Bukit Panjang Int opens
• 16 Dec 2012: Bukit Panjang Int closes, relocated to Bukit Panjang Temp Bus Park
• 04 Sep 2017: Bukit Panjang Integrated Transport Hub opens

The first bus terminal established in Bukit Panjang was in 1971 along Upper Bukit Timah Road, which hosted a handful of bus services such as Service 181, 193 and 200. To support the development of Zhenghua New Town, the roadside Zhenghua Bus Terminal was a set up in 1986 for Service 5. The following year, in 1987, the terminal was moved to Petir Road (outside present-day Block 118) where it would be known as Bukit Panjang Bus Terminal and supported the New Town for years to come.

A permanent facility would later be built at the junction of Petir Road and Jelebu Road. Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange opened on 26 December 1999, a month after the Bukit Panjang LRT opened, and provided convenient transfers to the new light rail line. That same day, a bus rationalization and handover exercise was conducted to reduce duplication with the LRT network, and at the same time, marking the transfer of areas of responsibility from SBS to TIBS.

To make way for an Integrated Transport Hub (ITH) over the existing site, the Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange was closed on 16 December 2012, having operated for just 13 years. Bukit Panjang Temporary Bus Park was constructed further north along Woodlands Road (at the junction with Senja Way), used as a layover point for buses, and did not allow for passenger boarding/alighting. Affected services were amended to start and end their service at various bus stops along Bukit Panjang Road, Jelebu Road, Petir Road, or Upper Bukit Timah Road, accumulating significant amounts of dead mileage. Additionally, existing services 177 and 180 were amended to loop around the former bus interchange.

While Hillion Mall opened on 24 February 2017, access routes to the interchange had stickers describing the interchange as ‘opening in the 2nd half of 2017’, but these were all removed from the 25 February onwards (See Gallery). The interchange only opened on 4 September 2017, taking over most services from Bukit Panjang Temporary Bus Park with the exception of Bus Services 75, 184 and 700/A.

Electric Bus Charging Infrastructure

Two overhead pantograph chargers were at Bukit Panjang Integrated Transport Hub in January 2020. These chargers are intended to support 20 electric buses brought in by ST Engineering and its retrofitted electric bus.

Bus services:

The interchange took over most services from Bukit Panjang Temporary Bus Park with the exception of Bus Services 75, 184 and 700/A. These bus services are expected to remain at Bukit Panjang Temporary Bus Park likely until the completion of Gali Batu Bus Terminal. In addition, Bus Service 971E (which previously terminated at Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange) no longer calls at the new Interchange.

Service 180 was later amended into Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange on 25 Feb 2018, more than 5 months after the opening of the new Integrated Transport Hub.

Interchange facilities:

• SMRT WeCare Shop
• SMRT Passenger Service Counter
• Service Guide Rack at Service Counter
• Interactive Information Kiosks (with charging ports)
• Nursing Room
• Charging Station
• Bicycle Docks
• SimplyGo Kiosk (in SimplyGo Lobby)
• Top Up Kiosk
• Drivers’ lounge
• NTWU Canteen (two stalls)
• Boarding and alighting berths
• Bus departure timing screens
• Retail outlets
• Toilets

Bus Services:

Berth Allocation:

Here are several maps detailing the amendments to various bus services around Bukit Panjang.

For more information, check out the Bukit Panjang Integrated Transport Hub – Bus Service Amendments article for a comprehensive overview

Gallery:

Gallery: (Interior)

More pictures on Page 2
For older pictures, check out Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange: Gallery

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