SBS Transit Bus Service 139 is a trunk route running between Toa Payoh Int and Bukit Merah Int, passing through St. Michael’s Estate, Jalan Besar / Serangoon Road, Dhoby Ghaut, River Valley, Alexandra and Lengkok Bahru. A route variant (Service 139M) is also operated.
139
Note:
- Bus Service 139 towards both Bukit Merah and Toa Payoh duplicates along Jalan Bahagia. Check the bus destination before boarding.
– Buses displaying the Red 139 Plate head towards Bukit Merah
– Buses displaying the White 139 Plate head towards Toa Payoh
| Route Overview | ||||||||||||
Route  |
Toa Payoh Bus Interchange ↔ Bukit Merah Bus Interchange | |||||||||||
| Passes Through | St. Michael’s Estate, McNair Road, Towner Road, Jalan Besar / Serangoon Road, Dhoby Ghaut, River Valley, Alexandra, Lengkok Bahru | |||||||||||
| Route Length | Towards Bukit Merah: 17.6 km | Towards Toa Payoh: 16.9 km | ||||||||||
| Traveling Time | 80 mins | |||||||||||
| Operator Information | ||||||||||||
| BCM Route Package | Bishan – Toa Payoh Bus Package | |||||||||||
| Current Operator | SBS Transit Ltd | |||||||||||
| Current Depot | Braddell Bus Park (BRBP) | |||||||||||
| Current Fleet | 12-metre Single Deck Bus: – MAN A22 – Mercedes-Benz Citaro – Scania K230UB |
12-metre Double Deck bus: – MAN A95 |
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| Operating Hours | ||||||||||||
| Departure Times from Toa Payoh | Weekdays | Saturdays & Sundays / Public Holidays | ||||||||||
| 05:30 – 00:00 | 05:40 – 00:00 | |||||||||||
| Departure Times from Bukit Merah | Daily | |||||||||||
| 05:30 – 00:00 | ||||||||||||
| Operating Frequency | ||||||||||||
| From Toa Payoh |
6:30am–8.30am | 8.31am–4.59pm | 5.00pm–7.00pm | After 7.00pm | ||||||||
| Weekdays | 8 – 10 mins | 11 – 15 mins | 9 – 13 mins | 13 – 17 mins | ||||||||
| Saturdays | 10 – 12 mins | 11 – 13 mins | 13 – 15 mins | 12 – 16 mins | ||||||||
| Sundays / Public Holidays | 10 – 12 mins | 9 – 12 mins | 12 – 14 mins | 11 – 15 mins | ||||||||
| From Bukit Merah |
6:30am–8.30am | 8.31am–4.59pm | 5.00pm–7.00pm | After 7.00pm | ||||||||
| Weekdays | 8 – 12 mins | 9 – 16 mins | 11 – 13 mins | 12 – 17 mins | ||||||||
| Saturdays | 10 – 12 mins | 11 – 13 mins | 11 – 17 mins | 13 – 17 mins | ||||||||
| Sundays / Public Holidays | 11 – 12 mins | 9 – 13 mins | 9 – 17 mins | 10 – 17 mins | ||||||||
| Fare Information |
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| Fare | Charges regular distance fares |
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Service 139 is a trunk route connecting the residential areas of Toa Payoh, St. Michael’s, Boon Keng and Bukit Merah with connections to the city areas of River Valley, Dhoby Ghaut, Little India and Farrer Park. Offering various unique route connections, demand is largely moderate throughout the day. Double-deckers were first added to the fleet in 2011.
The route receives considerable demand between Whampoa and Toa Payoh, as residents of St. Michael’s commute to nearby Toa Payoh Town Centre. The sector has been enhanced with a supplementary bus service, Service 139M, from 14 Sep 2014.
MAVIS App Trial
In January 2019, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) launched a six-month Assistive Passenger Information System (APIS) trial for commuters with special needs using an app called MAVIS, short for Mobility Assistance for the Visually Impaired and Special users.
Under the initial trial, 3 buses were equipped with APIS and were deployed on Service 139 serving Enabling Village till end-April 2019, and thereafter redeployed to Service 141 serving Singapore Association Of The Visually Handicapped (SAVH).
During the Committee of Supply Debate 2020, it was announced that the trial would be expanded for 3 years to cover all buses deployed on Services 139 & 141, beginning from Q4 2020.
MRT Stations Served
- NS19 Toa Payoh
- NE9 Boon Keng
- NE8 Farrer Park
- DT22 Jalan Besar
- DT21 Bencoolen
- NS24NE6CC1 Dhoby Ghaut
Special Departures
- Balestier Rd (S’pore Khalsa Assn) → Toa Payoh Int
Weekdays: 05:55 & 06:37
Route Variant
- Service 139M: Toa Payoh Bus Interchange ↺ Jalan Bahagia (Loop)
Daily
Gallery
Operator History
- 1971 – 1973: United Bus Company Pte Ltd
- 1973 – 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
- 1971 (21 Sep): Introduced between Toa Payoh Town Ctr Ter and Lengkok Bahru Ter
- 1974 (01 Oct): Serves merged bus stop outside Sri Srinivasa Perumal Tp along Serangoon Rd
- 1979 (23 Dec): Amended to Bt Merah Central Ter
- 1980 (28 Sep): Amended to Bt Merah Int
- 1983 (26 Dec): Amended to Toa Payoh Int
- 1985: Amended to ply Orchard Rd and Penang Rd, skipping Fort Canning Rd
- 1991 (21 Apr): Amended to ply Bt Merah Central
- 1992: Amended to ply Clemenceau Ave towards Toa Payoh Int, skipping Tank Rd
- 1994 (04 Apr): Integrated with Service 122 and amended to ply River Valley Rd, Delta Rd and Alexandra Rd under TransitLink Network Integration Exercise Phase 12, skipping Havelock Rd, Ganges Ave, Lower Delta Rd and Tiong Bahru Rd
- 1997 (29 Dec): Amended to ply Ah Hood Rd, Jln Rajah, Whampoa Rd, Jln Bahagia and Kim Keat Rd/Whampoa Dr
- 1998Â (31 May): Amended to Toa Payoh Temp Int
- 1999: Skips abolished bus stops outside Rajah Maisonette along Jln Rajah and outside Tai Gin Apts and outside Moulmein CC along Ah Hood Rd
- 2000: Serves additional bus stop outside Blk 4 along Delta Rd
- 2002 (19 May): Amended to Toa Payoh Integrated Transport Hub
- 2003 (21 Jun): Amended to ply Serangoon Rd, Boon Keng Rd and Bendemeer Rd under North East MRT Line Rationalisation Phase 1
- 2007 (16 Jan): Skips relocated bus stop outside Dhoby Ghaut Stn along Penang Rd
- 2011 (16 Oct): Amended to ply Middle Rd, Selegie Rd, Prinsep St and Bras Basah Rd with the partial closure of Bencoolen St to facilitate the construction of Bencoolen MRT station on the Downtown MRT Line
- 2013 (03 Dec):Â Designated wheelchair-accessible bus route (WAB)
- 2016 (11 Dec): Amended to ply the reinstated Bencoolen St, skipping Middle Rd, Selegie Rd, Prinsep St and Bras Basah Rd
- 2018 (28 Oct): Amended to serve McNair Rd and Towner Rd towards Bukit Merah, skipping Serangoon Rd
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Can we have some kind of system to control queue cutting for bus no 139 n 139M? I suggest to move them apart. Most of the passengers taking either number will cut to the other number without respecting the system n worst there are old people on the queue. Tks