SBS Transit Bus Service 153 is a trunk service plying between Bukit Merah Int and Hougang Ctrl Int, passing through Upper Serangoon, Toa Payoh, PIE, Bukit Timah, Farrer, Queenstown and Bukit Merah. It shares the Hougang – Bukit Merah start/end points with Service 132.
153
| Route Overview | ||||||||||||
Route  |
Bukit Merah Bus Interchange ↔ Hougang Central Bus Interchange | |||||||||||
| Passes Through | Jln Bt Merah, Queensway, Farrer Rd, Dunearn Rd / Bt Timah Rd, Lor 2 Toa Payoh, Braddell Rd, Upp Serangoon Rd | |||||||||||
| Route Length | Towards Hougang Ctrl: 20.1 km | Towards Bukit Merah: 20.3 km | ||||||||||
| Travelling Time | 75 mins | |||||||||||
| Operator Information | ||||||||||||
| BCM Route Package | Sengkang–Hougang Bus Package | |||||||||||
| Current Operator | SBS Transit Ltd | |||||||||||
| Current Depot | Sengkang West Bus Depot (SWDEP) | |||||||||||
| Current Fleet | Single-deck & Double-deck buses | |||||||||||
| Operating Hours | ||||||||||||
| Departure Times from Bukit Merah |
Daily | |||||||||||
| 06:00 – 00:00 | ||||||||||||
| Departure Times from Hougang Central |
Daily | |||||||||||
| 05:30 – 23:45 | ||||||||||||
| Operating Frequency | ||||||||||||
| From Bukit Merah |
6:30am–8.30am | 8.31am–4.59pm | 5.00pm–7.00pm | After 7.00pm | ||||||||
| Weekdays | 12 – 14 mins | 11 – 15 mins | 9 – 11 mins | 15 – 18 mins | ||||||||
| Saturdays | 10 – 13 mins | 12 – 14 mins | 14 mins | 15 – 17 mins | ||||||||
| Sundays / Public Holidays | 12 – 13 mins | 14 – 15 mins | 15 mins | 15 – 16 mins | ||||||||
| From Hougang Central |
6:30am–8.30am | 8.31am–4.59pm | 5.00pm–7.00pm | After 7.00pm | ||||||||
| Weekdays | 10 – 15 mins | 13 – 15 mins | 13 – 14 mins | 17 – 18 mins | ||||||||
| Saturdays | 9 – 12 mins | 12 – 15 mins | 14 – 15 mins | 15 – 16 mins | ||||||||
| Sundays / Public Holidays | 12 – 13 mins | 13 – 15 mins | 14 – 16 mins | 15 – 16 mins | ||||||||
| Fare Information |
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| Fare | Charges regular distance fares |
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Service 153 serves as a inter-town route connecting the residential estates of Bukit Merah, Queenstown, Farrer, Toa Payoh, Serangoon and Hougang, providing a quick route between these estates. Demand is moderate throughout the day owing to inter-town connections, and increased during the peak hours.
MRT Stations Served
- NE14 Hougang
- NE13 Kovan
- NE12CC13 Serangoon
- NS19 Toa Payoh
- DT10TE11 Stevens
- CC19DT9 Botanic Gardens
- CC20 Farrer Road
Special Departures
- Lorong 2 Toa Payoh (Opp Toa Payoh Stn) → Hougang Ctrl Int
Weekdays: 05:30, 05:45, 06:03 & 06:20
Saturdays: 05:45, 06:00 & 06:15
Sundays / Public Holidays: 06:05 & 06:18 - Braddell Road (Blk 219) → Bt Merah Int
Weekdays: 05:20, 05:32 & 05:44
Saturdays: 05:20, 05:31 & 05:42
Sundays / Public Holidays: 05:20 & 05:36
Gallery
Poster Gallery
Operator History
- 1971 – 1973: United Bus Company Pte Ltd
- 1973 – 2001: Singapore Bus Services Ltd
- 2001 – Present: SBS Transit Ltd
History
- 1971 (11 Apr): Introduced between Lor 1 Toa Payoh Ter and Jln Bt Merah Ter under 1971 Bus Reorganisation
- 1971 (02 Aug): Amended to Toa Payoh Town Ctr Ter
- 1973 (01 Nov): Operated by Singapore Bus Service (SBS)
- 1979 (23 Dec): Amended to Bt Merah Central Ter
- 1980 (28 Sep): Amended to Bt Merah Int
- 1983 (26 Dec): Integrated with Service 156 and extended to Upp Serangoon Rd Ter
- 1992 (29 Mar): Amended to ply Bt Merah Central
- 1994 (17 Dec): Amended to Hougang Central Int
- 1998 (24 May): Amended to Hougang Central Temp Int
- 2001 (20 May): Amended back to Hougang Central Int
- 2002: Serves new pair of bus stops after Sommerville Rd and after Sunshine Lodge along Upp Serangoon Rd
- 2004: Skips abolished bus stop outside Nanyang Pr Sch along Farrer Rd
- 2011 (04 Sep): Serves new bus stop outside Botanic Gdns Stn along Bt Timah Rd
- 2015 (28 Sep): Designated wheelchair-accessible bus service (WAB)
- 2024 (11 Mar): First bus timing at Opp Toa Payoh Stn along Lor 2 Toa Payoh towards Hougang Ctrl Int brought forward to 5:30am on weekdays
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