SBS Transit Bus Service 161

SBS Transit Bus Service 161 is a trunk service plying between Hougang Central Interchange and Woodlands Interchange, passing through Hougang Avenue 10/6/8/4, Buangkok, Sengkang, Punggol Road, TPE, SLE and Woodlands Avenue 2. A large portion of the route plies along the TPE/SLE corridor.

161
64009 Hougang Ctrl Int B3 NE14 Hougang Ctrl
64397 Blk 513 Hougang Ave 10
64389 Blk 522 Hougang Ave 10
64379 Punggol CC Hougang Ave 6
64369 Blk 532 Hougang Ave 8
64359 Montfort Sch Hougang Ave 8
64349 Blk 502 Hougang Ave 8
64411 Blk 670 Hougang Ave 4
64601 Blk 919 Hougang Ave 4
64611 Blk 913 Hougang Ave 4
64469 Opp Blk 579 Buangkok Green
64629 Opp Blk 565 Buangkok Green
67459 Aft Buangkok Dr Sengkang East Rd
67469 Bef Sengkang East Ave Sengkang East Rd
67279 Blk 301D Sengkang East Rd
67449 Blk 323B Sengkang East Rd
67401 Opp Sengkang Stn/Blk 260A NE16STC Sengkang East Way
67101 Blk 250A Sengkang East Way
65061 Blk 298A Punggol Rd
46229 Casablanca Woodlands Ave 2
46339 Bef Woodlands Stn Exit 7 NS9TE2 Woodlands Ave 2
46639 Woodlands Stn Exit 4 NS9TE2 Woodlands Ave 2
46009 Woodlands Int NS9TE2 Woodlands Sq
46009 Woodlands Int B10 NS9TE2 Woodlands Sq
46631 Woodlands Stn Exit 5 NS9TE2 Woodlands Ave 2
46331 Blk 511 NS9TE2 Woodlands Ave 2
46221 Opp Casablanca Woodlands Ave 2
65069 Blk 190C Punggol Rd
65059 St. Anne's Ch Punggol Rd
67109 Blk 235 Sengkang East Way
67409 Sengkang Stn NE16STC Sengkang East Way
67441 Sengkang Community Hub Sengkang East Rd
67271 Blk 201 CP Sengkang East Rd
67461 Aft Sengkang East Ave Sengkang East Rd
67451 Bef Buangkok Dr Sengkang East Rd
64621 Blk 565 Buangkok Green
64461 Blk 579 Buangkok Green
64619 Opp Blk 913 Hougang Ave 4
64609 Blk 687 Hougang Ave 4
64419 Blk 681 Hougang Ave 4
64341 Bef Blk 683 Hougang Ave 8
64351 Opp Montfort Sch Hougang Ave 8
64361 Blk 535 Hougang Ave 8
64371 Opp Punggol CC Hougang Ave 6
64381 Hougang Stn Exit C NE14 Hougang Ave 10
64391 Blk 831 Hougang Ave 10
64009 Hougang Ctrl Int NE14 Hougang Ctrl
Route Overview
Route WAB_logo_20px Hougang Central Bus InterchangeWoodlands Integrated Transport Hub
Passes Through Hougang Ave 8, Hougang Ave 4, Sengkang East Rd, Woodlands Ave 2
Route Length Towards Woodlands: 23.6 km Towards Hougang Ctrl: 23.5 km
Travelling Time 70 mins
Operator Information
BCM Route Package Sengkang–Hougang Bus Package
Current Operator SBS Transit Ltd
Current Depot Hougang Bus Depot (HGDEP)
Current Fleet Double Deck Bus:
MAN A95
Volvo B9TL
Operating Hours
Departure Times from Hougang Central
Weekdays & Saturdays Sundays / Public Holidays
05:45 – 23:30 06:00 – 23:30
Departure Times from Woodlands
Weekdays Saturdays & Sundays / Public Holidays
05:45 – 23:30 06:00 – 23:30
Operating Frequency
From Hougang Central
6:30am–8.30am 8.31am–4.59pm 5.00pm–7.00pm After 7.00pm
Weekdays 6 8 mins 7 13 mins 7 9 mins 9 13 mins
Saturdays 10 13 mins 10 14 mins 13 14 mins 11 14 mins
Sundays / Public Holidays 9 12 mins 10 14 mins 12 15 mins 12 13 mins
From Woodlands
6:30am–8.30am 8.31am–4.59pm 5.00pm–7.00pm After 7.00pm
Weekdays 6 10 mins 7 13 mins 6 8 mins 8 13 mins
Saturdays 11 14 mins 11 14 mins 13 14 mins 12 14 mins
Sundays / Public Holidays 9 15 mins 10 14 mins 12 15 mins 13 15 mins
Fare Information
Fare Charges regular distance fares

 

Service 161 is a residential inter-town route connecting Hougang and Sengkang with Woodlands. It incorporates a long express sector (~16km) between Punggol Road and Woodlands Avenue 2 along Tampines Expressway and Seletar Expressway, one of the longest unbroken express sectors for any trunk route in Singapore.

The route benefits from good demand throughout the day, with significantly higher demand during weekday peak hours from educational institutions at Woodlands, notably Republic Polytechnic (RP).

MRT / LRT Stations Served
Special Departures
  • Sengkang East Rd (Aft Buangkok Dr) → Woodlands Int
    Weekdays: 05:55, 06:53 & 08:17

Gallery
Poster Gallery

Operator History
  • 2002 – Present: SBS Transit Ltd

The Bus Service Operating License (BSOL) for this route will be renewed in 2024 under the Sengkang–Hougang Bus Package.

History
  • 2002 (02 Jun): Introduced between Hougang Ctrl Int and Woodlands Regional Int
  • 2007 (24 Jun): Serves new pair of bus stops outside and opposite Innova JC along Woodlands Ave 2
  • 2014 (23 Mar): Designated wheelchair-accessible bus route (WAB)
  • 2016 (12 Mar): Amended to Woodlands Temp Int
  • 2021 (13 Jun): Amended to Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub
  • 2021 (12 Dec): Temporarily amended to Woodlands Temp Int due to road closure of east entrance to Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub
  • 2021 (26 Dec): Amended back to Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub
  • 2022 (28 Aug): Amended to ply Hougang Ave 4 with the partial closure of Hougang Ctrl to facilitate the construction of Hougang MRT station on the Cross Island MRT Line, serving an additional pair of bus stops outside Blk 513 & Blk 831 along Hougang Ave 10
  • 2022 (11 Dec): Temporarily amended to Woodlands Temp Int due to road closure of east exit from Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub
  • 2022 (25 Dec): Amended back to Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub

Past Routings

Back to Bus Services
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6 thoughts on “SBS Transit Bus Service 161

  • 10 December 2019 at 9:31 AM
    Permalink

    SBS Transit Bus Service 161 is one of my main service [from my house] taking it mainly from Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange to my home [Blk 913 / Opp Blk 913] during the weekdays and selected weekends. It is a faster route [despite the 20 – 25 Mins Expressway which is my favourite part for this route] for me to get home when I am travelling from Jurong east to woodlands on the NSL. This route also serves as another alternative option [only when Service 88 Towards Ang Mo Kio Station is crowded during the first hour for the route on weekdays] for me to get to my school [Spectra Secondary School] on weekdays. I Would also wish for SBS Transit to introduce Short-Trip Bus Service 161A and 161B during the peak hours to reduce travelling time frequency for 161 when travelling via the Expressway Towards Woodlands.

    Reply
  • 20 October 2019 at 1:37 PM
    Permalink

    161 is more than just a pseudo-express service linking NE with Woodlands. Most people who don’t live in NE will be surprised that 161 has large numbers of passengers in Hougang and Sengkang not travelling to Woodlands. It has some unique intra-town and inter-town connections in Hougang and Sengkang, supplements the overcrowded 159 at certain sectors, and is the only service linking some parts of Hougang Ave 4 and Buangkok Green to Hougang Central in both directions.

    Reply
  • 16 January 2018 at 4:11 PM
    Permalink

    Why Does Bus Service 161 Also Served By Single Deck Bus?I Thought The Bus Is Only Served By Double Deck Bus.These Bus Service With A Double Deck Bus Only Cannot Be Deployed On The Single Deck Bus.

    Reply
    • 18 December 2020 at 10:40 PM
      Permalink

      SBS Transit deploy any buses they want to. So not everytime will be 100% double decker, sometimes there will be a cameos on SBS Transit 161 for single deck.

      Reply
  • 26 September 2017 at 7:10 PM
    Permalink

    I have the intention to get a Adult Monthly Travel (AMT) fare card at $120. Everyday I took bus 161 from Hougang interchange to Woodland interchange. Is bus 161 considered a Express Bus or Basic Bus? AMT card only can used on basic.

    Reply

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