Tower Transit Bus Service 171

Tower Transit Bus Service 171 is a trunk route linking Yishun and Bukit Panjang, passing through Sembawang Rd, Mandai Rd and Petir Rd.

171
Yishun Int
↺ Bukit Panjang MRT (Loop)
59009 Yishun Int B3 NS13 Yishun Ave 2
59141 Blk 741 Yishun Ave 5
59111 Blk 701 Yishun Ave 5
57089 Blk 713 Sembawang Rd
57079 Khatib Camp Sembawang Rd
57069 Opp Dieppe Barracks Sembawang Rd
57059 Opp Sembawang Air Base Sembawang Rd
48149 Mandai Crematorium & Columbarium Mandai Ave
48069 Aft Mandai Ave Mandai Rd
48059 Opp Mandai Agrotech Pk Mandai Rd
48049 Bef Jln Ulu Sembawang Mandai Rd
48039 LP 159 Mandai Rd
48029 Bef Mandai Lake Rd Mandai Rd
48019 Mandai Camp 2 Mandai Rd
44269 Blk 223 Bt Panjang Rd
44229 Bef Pending Stn BP8 Pending Rd
44219 Bet Blks 139/140 Petir Rd
44209 Opp Petir Stn BP7 Petir Rd
44731 Opp Blk 180 DT1-BP6 Jelebu Rd
44909 Blk 184 Bt Panjang Rd
44029 Bt Panjang Stn Exit A/Lrt DT1-BP6 Upp Bt Timah Rd
44201 Aft Petir Stn BP7 Petir Rd
44211 Blk 127 Petir Rd
44221 Opp Pending Stn BP8 Pending Rd
44261 Blk 270 Bt Panjang Rd
48011 Opp Mandai Camp 2 Mandai Rd
48021 Aft Mandai Lake Rd Mandai Rd
48031 LP 162 Mandai Rd
48041 Aft Jln Ulu Sembawang Mandai Rd
48051 Mandai Agrotech Pk Mandai Rd
48061 Bef Mandai Ave Mandai Rd
48141 Opp Mandai Crematorium & Columbarium Mandai Ave
57051 Aft Sembawang Air Base Sembawang Rd
57061 Dieppe Barracks Sembawang Rd
57071 Opp Khatib Camp Sembawang Rd
57081 Opp Blk 713 Sembawang Rd
59119 Opp Blk 701A Yishun Ave 5
59149 Blk 145 Yishun Ave 5
59159 Opp Yishun Stn Exit B NS13 Yishun Ave 5
59009 Yishun Int NS13 Yishun Ave 2
Route Overview
Route WAB_logo_20px Yishun Bus Interchange ↺ Upper Bukit Timah Road (Loop)
Passes Through Yishun Ave 5, Sembawang Rd, Mandai Rd, Petir Rd
Route Length
31.3 km
Travelling Time 75 mins
Operator Information
BCM Route Package Sembawang–Yishun Bus Package
Current Operator Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd
(Tower Transit Singapore)
Current Depot Mandai Bus Depot
Current Fleet Single Deck Bus
– MAN A22
– Mercedes-Benz OC500LE
Double Deck Bus
– Alexander Dennis Enviro500
– MAN A95

Operating Hours
Departure Times from Yishun Daily
05:30 – 23:30
Operating Frequency
6:30am–8.30am 8.31am–4.59pm 5.00pm–7.00pm After 7.00pm
Loop Service
9 – 13 mins 11 – 13 mins 10 – 13 mins 11 – 13 mins
Fare Information
Fare Charges regular distance fares

 

Service 171 is an inter-town route serving between the areas of Yishun and Bukit Panjang. It is a key inter-town connection between the towns of Yishun and Bukit Panjang, via BKE and Mandai Road, with no other public bus route offering a faster route.

This service plies a short express sector on the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE), between Mandai Road and Bukit Panjang Road.

Originally planned to be shortened to loop at Bukit Panjang MRT from 16 August 2020, the implementation date was deferred to 30 August 2020 following the Controversy over Bus 700 withdrawal and Bus 171 & 972 amendment.

Double Decker Bus Deployments

On 24 August 2015, SMB5059J (Alexander Dennis Enviro500) performed Service 171 in the evening as part of a crossover slot (969S151). On its maiden trip from Yishun to Marina Centre, the bus was withdrawn from revenue service at Bukit Panjang by the Operations Control Centre (OCC), which was likely due to the route not being officially certified as ready for double-decker deployment.

Another incident happened on 08 December 2016, where a MAN A95 Bus (SG5744S) performed Service 171 for several trips before being pulled out of service.

Regular double-decker deployments started on 12 August 2018, when they were deployed on high-capacity bus slots on Sundays / Public Holidays, replacing articulated buses. These regular deployments ceased when the route was cut short on 30 Aug 2020. However, Double-decker buses returned to service 171 under Tower Transit as part of the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package from September 2021.

Special Departures
  • Jelebu Rd (Opp Blk 180) → Yishun Int
    Weekdays: 05:35, 05:42, 05:49 & 05:56
MRT/LRT Stations Served

Gallery (Tower Transit):

Gallery (SMRT Buses) at Page 2.

Poster Gallery:

 


Operator History:
  • 1971 – 1973: United Bus Company Pte Ltd
  • 1973 – 1995: Singapore Bus Services Ltd
  • 1995 –  2004: Trans-Island Bus Services Ltd
  • 2004 – 04 Sep 2021: SMRT Buses Ltd
  • 05 Sep 2021 – Present: Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd

The Bus Service Operating License (BSOL) for this route will be renewed in 2026 under the Sembawang–Yishun Bus Package.

History:
  • 1971 (11 Apr): Introduced between Sembawang Ter and Queen St Ter under 1971 Bus Reorganisation
  • 1973 (25 Jun): Amended to ply Mandai Lake Rd in both directions until 2200 hours daily
  • 1979 (28 Oct): Amended to ply Sungei Rd, Ophir Rd and Ban San St (towards Queen St Ter) and amended to ply Rochor Canal Rd and Bt Timah Rd, skipping Bencoolen St, Middle Rd, Selegie Rd and Mackenzie Rd (towards Sembawang Ter) with the conversion of Rochor Canal Rd and Rochor Rd to one-way traffic
  • 1979 (30 Dec): Amended to ply Jln Anak Bt towards Queen St Ter with the partial conversion of Upp Bt Timah Rd to one-way traffic
  • 1984 (15 Apr): Amended to ply Scotts Rd, Orchard Rd and Victoria St/North Bridge Rd, skipping Bt Timah Rd and Sungei Rd/Rochor Canal Rd
  • 1985 (13 Oct): Amended to the relocated Queen St Ter along Ban San St, skipping Arab St
  • 1987 (18 Jan): Amended to Yishun Central Ter
  • 1987 (23 Aug): Amended to Yishun Int
  • 1987 (13 Dec): Serves new staggered bus stop outside Orchard Stn along Orchard Blvd, skipping the bus stop opposite Orchard Stn; Serves new bus stop outside Newton Stn along Scotts Rd
  • 1992: Amended to ply Orchard Link, skipping Grange Rd
  • 1993 (03 Jan): Extended to Marina Ctr Ter and amended to ply Bt Panjang Rd, Pending Rd and Cashew Rd under TransitLink Network Integration Exercise Phase 11
  • 1994 (26 Apr): Amended to skip Mandai Lake Rd and amended to ply Mandai Ave with the introduction of Service 138
  • 1995: Amended to ply Orchard Turn
  • 1995 (05 Nov): Handed to Trans-Island Bus Services (TIBS)
  • 1999 (26 Dec): Amended to ply BKE, Bt Panjang Rd, Petir Rd, Jelebu Rd under Bukit Panjang LRT Rationalisation, skipping Woodlands Rd and Cashew Rd
  • 2000: Serves new bus stop before Goldhill Ave along Dunearn Rd
  • 2000: Serves additional bus stop opposite Sembawang Air Base along Sembawang Rd
  • 2002 (07 Jul): Serves the bus stop outside Blk 923 along Yishun Ave 2, skipping the bus stop outside Northpoint Shop Ctr; Skips the bus stop outside Orchard Emerald along Orchard Rd
  • 2003 (24 Aug): Serves the bus stop outside Northpoint Shop Ctr along Yishun Ave 2, skipping the bus stop outside Blk 923
  • 2005 (02 Jul): Amended to ply Grange Rd and Orchard Link with the partial closure of Somerset Rd
  • 2006 (29 Oct): Serves relocated bus stop outside Orchard Stn along Orchard Turn
  • 2009 (01 Jun): Designated wheelchair-accessible bus route (WAB)
  • 2009 (21 Jun): Serves new pair of bus stops outside and opposite Mandai Crematorium & Columbarium along Mandai Ave
  • 2010 (23 May): Skips temporarily abolished bus stop outside Assumption Voc Inst along Upp Bt Timah Rd to facilitate the construction of Cashew MRT station along the Downtown MRT Line
  • 2011 (04 Sep): Serves new bus stop outside Botanic Gdns Stn along Bt Timah Rd
  • 2015 (01 Mar): Serves reinstated bus stop outside Assumption Pathway Sch along Upp Bt Timah Rd
  • 2015 (14 Mar): Amended to Yishun Temp Int
  • 2015 (27 Dec): Serves new bus stop outside Blk 184 along Bt Panjang Rd, skipping the bus stop outside Blk 183 as part of DTL2 Bukit Panjang Bus Service Enhancements
  • 2017 (04 Sep): Skips a pair of bus stops outside and opposite Bt Panjang Plaza along Jelebu Rd
  • 2018 (25 Feb): Serves additional pair of bus stops outside and opposite Blk 180 along Jelebu Rd
  • 2019 (08 Sep): Amended to Yishun Integrated Transport Hub
  • 2020 (03 Aug): Announcement of Route Amendment to loop at Bukit Panjang MRT from 16 Aug 2020
  • 2020 (13 Aug): Route Amendment announced to be deferred to 30 Aug 2020
  • 2020 (30 Aug): Shortened to loop at Upper Bukit Timah Road (Bukit Panjang MRT)
  • 2021 (05 Sep): Operations transferred to Tower Transit under the Sembawang–Yishun Bus Package

Past Routings

Back to Bus Services
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48 thoughts on “Tower Transit Bus Service 171

  • 10 March 2024 at 4:41 PM
    Permalink

    Service 171 could extend to Boon Lay ITH and turn into a bidirectional service to connect people to get from Yishun to Boon Lay with a direct bus passing via Mandai, Bukit Panjang & Bukit Batok Road

    171 new’s route will pass by Yishun West, Mandai, BKE, Bukit Panjang, Bukit Batok Rd, PIE & Boon Lay Avenue

    174 will duplicate this service from Boon Lay ITH to Bukit Batok Road
    180 will duplicate this service from Bukit Batok Road to Bukit Panjang

    174 & 180 might be withdrawn
    replacement sectors:
    Service 157- Bukit Batok to Bukit Timah Road
    Extended 171- Boon Lay ITH to Bukit Batok Road
    New Service 936- Boon Lay ITH to Chinese Garden MRT
    also 174 will be shortened to Beauty World ITH

    Reply
  • 15 October 2023 at 2:59 PM
    Permalink

    Should probably extend to Tengah Int or Boon Lay Int in future, I think that would benefit very well for Yishun and Bukit Panjang too.

    Reply
  • 11 October 2023 at 1:21 PM
    Permalink

    Can you really please reinstate bus 171 from bukit panajang to marina centre?My nephew really likes 171 and he is significantly dejected over the route rationalisation.Moreover he also likes the mercedrs benz citaro batch 3 with SBS Transit Specifications which were a staple for 171 back in smrt buses.it would really aid him if tower transit mandai adds in volvo b9tl batch 4s and mercedes benz citaro 0530(sbst specifications) batch 2s and 3s

    Reply
    • 20 November 2023 at 7:46 PM
      Permalink

      This is a platform run by transport enthusiasts, not the LTA.
      And also, I may sound a little bit harsh here but they care about optimisation, not your nephew’s feelings

      Reply
    • 2 December 2023 at 11:31 AM
      Permalink

      No. Extension will really duplicate both the surviving 67/170 and Grab from Verde View to Tampines; and 972M from Newton to Orchard Road too. There are still faster bus routes too (190, 960, 972, 972M and 857).

      Reply
  • 7 March 2022 at 5:18 PM
    Permalink

    Should consider extending it to Jurong East. From Bukit Panjang it can ply a bit of its former route between bukit panjang and beauty world and then merge with 66 for the rest of the route. then 66 ca either withdraw or change to bedok looping somewhere

    Reply
    • 23 April 2022 at 7:23 PM
      Permalink

      LTA rejected the idea to Jurong East when I emailed at that time. They want you’ll to transfer to different services. They rejected merging 66 + 171.

      Hence, both services 66 & 171 will not be merged but rather play as separated routes

      Reply
      • 29 July 2022 at 5:28 PM
        Permalink

        If these is for a eastern side (Bedok or Tampines), sure approved

        Reply
      • 29 July 2022 at 5:31 PM
        Permalink

        Or suggest to merge 171 with 184 to stop at Clementi Instead. Although 2 different operators. But wait for new package renewal

        Reply

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