Tower Transit Bus Service 173 is a trunk route running from Bukit Batok and looping at Clementi, passing through Bukit Batok Street 21, Hillview, Hume Avenue, Upper Bukit Timah, Lorong Kismis, Toh Tuck and Commonwealth Avenue West.
173
Bt Batok Int
↺ Clementi Int (Loop)
↺ Clementi Int (Loop)
Note:
- Along Hillview Avenue, Bus Service 173 towards Clementi serves Bus Stop 43261 – Opp Hillview Hts, while Bus Service 173 towards Bukit Batok serves Bus Stop 43267 – Hillview Hts.
| Route Overview | ||||||||||||
Route  |
Bukit Batok Bus Interchange ↺ Clementi Bus Interchange (Loop) | |||||||||||
| Passes Through | Bt Batok St 21, Hillview Ave, Jln Batu Nilam, Hume Ave, Upp Bt Timah Rd, Jln Jurong Kechil, Toh Tuck Ave, C’wealth Ave West | |||||||||||
| Route Length | 27.4 km | |||||||||||
| Travelling Time | 91 – 122 mins | |||||||||||
| Operator Information | ||||||||||||
| BCM Route Package | Bulim Bus Package | |||||||||||
| Current Operator | Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd (Tower Transit Singapore) |
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| Current Depot | Bulim Bus Depot | |||||||||||
| Current Fleet | Single-deck buses | |||||||||||
| Operating Hours | ||||||||||||
| Departure Times from Bukit Batok |
Weekdays & Saturdays |
Sundays / Public Holidays |
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| 05:30 – 23:30 | 06:00 – 23:30 | |||||||||||
| After 23:30 – 01:10 daily, buses departing Bukit Batok are renumbered as Service 173A and terminates at Bt Batok East Ave 4 (Blk 254) | ||||||||||||
| Departure Times from Clementi |
Weekdays | Saturdays | Sundays / Public Holidays | |||||||||
| 05:49 – 00:10 | 05:53 – 00:11 | 06:00 – 00:10 | ||||||||||
| Operating Frequency | ||||||||||||
| Loop Service | 6:30am–8.30am | 8.31am–4.59pm | 5.00pm–7.00pm | After 7.00pm | ||||||||
| Weekdays | 10 – 11 mins | 10 – 14 mins | 10 – 15 mins | 14 – 21 mins | ||||||||
| Fare Information |
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| Fare | Charges regular distance fares |
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Service 173 is a residential trunk route connecting the housing estates of Bukit Batok and Clementi, and the private estates of Hillview, Hume, Upper Bukit Timah, Toh Tuck and Lorong Kismis to Bukit Batok and Clementi Town Centres. Much of its route serves residents of private estates and condominiums along its route As the route covers low-density estates, demand is relatively low during most parts of the day, but particularly high during the peak hours.
MRT Stations Served
- NS2 Bukit Batok
- DT5 Beauty World
- EW23 Clementi
Special Departures
- Upp Bukit Timah Rd (Beauty World Stn Exit A) → Bukit Batok Int via Clementi Int
Weekdays: 05:30 & 05:44
Saturdays: 05:35 - Jln Jurong Kechil (Opp Beauty World Stn) → Bukit Batok Int
Weekdays: 05:40, 05:49 & 05:58 - Clementi Int → Bukit Batok Int
Weekdays & Sundays / Public Holidays: 06:00, 06:15 & 06:30
Short Trip Service
- Service 173A: Bukit Batok Int → Bukit Batok East Avenue 4 (Blk 254)
Daily: 23:55 – 01:10
Gallery (Tower Transit)
Gallery (SMRT Buses)
Operator History
- 1971 – 1973: United Bus Company Pte Ltd
- 1973 – 2000: Singapore Bus Services Ltd
- 2000 – 2004: Trans-Island Bus Services Ltd
- 2004 – 28 May 2016: SMRT Buses Ltd
- 29 May 2016 – Present: Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd
The Bus Service Operating License (BSOL) for this route will be renewed in 2026 under the Bulim Bus Package.
History
- 1971 (11 Apr): Introduced between Princess Elizabeth Ter and New Bridge Rd Ter under 1971 Bus Reorganisation
- 1973 (01 Nov): Operated by Singapore Bus Service (SBS)
- 1974 (24 Feb): Amended to ply Grange Rd, Orchard Blvd and Paterson Rd towards Princess Elizabeth Ter with the conversion of Orchard Rd to one-way traffic
- 1979 (30 Dec): Amended to ply Jln Anak Bt towards New Bridge Rd Ter with the partial conversion of Upp Bt Timah Rd to one-way traffic
- 1986 (16 Nov): Serves new staggered bus stop outside Thong Teck Bldg along Scotts Rd, skipping the bus stop outside Metro Orchard
- 1987 (06 Jun): Amended to the relocated New Bridge Rd Ter
- 1987 (27 Sep): Amended to ply the extended Eu Tong Sen St towards Princess Elizabeth Ter to facilitate the first stage of road expansion along New Bridge Rd
- 1987 (01 Nov): Amended to ply Eu Tong Sen St towards Princess Elizabeth Ter to facilitate the second stage of road expansion along New Bridge Rd
- 1987 (13 Dec): Serves new staggered bus stop outside Orchard Stn along Orchard Blvd, skipping the bus stop opposite Orchard Stn
- 1989 (29 Jan): Serves relocated bus stop opposite Sri Mariamman Tp along South Bridge Rd, skipping abolished bus stop opposite Jamae Mosque
- 1990 (10 Mar): Extended to start from Bt Batok Int and shortened to loop at Jln Anak Bt
- 1991 (07 Apr): Integrated with Service 205 and extended to Clementi Int under TransitLink Network Integration Exercise Phase 3
- 1992 (03 May): Amended to ply the western loop of Bt Batok Central and Bt Batok St 21 under TransitLink Network Integration Exercise Phase 7, skipping Bt Batok East Ave 3
- 1993 (05 Dec): Converted to loop service between Bt Batok Int and Clementi Int with the introduction of Service 156
- 2000 (24 Dec): Operations transferred to Trans-Island Bus Services (TIBS)
- 2003 (12 Oct): Serves the bus stop opposite Bt Timah Plaza along Jln Anak Bt with the abolition of the bus stop under the PIE Flyover
- 2006 (16 Jul): Amended to ply Bt Batok Ave 1 and Bt Batok East Ave 6 and amended to ply Hume Ave, skipping Hillview Rd
- 2006 (29 Oct): Amended to loop at Clementi Temp Int
- 2011 (26 Nov): Amended to loop at Clementi Integrated Transport Hub
- 2013 (21 Apr): Designated wheelchair-accessible bus service (WAB)
- 2015 (27 Dec): Amended to ply the upgraded Upp Bt Timah Rd towards Clementi Integrated Transport Hub, skipping Jln Anak Bt
- 2016 (29 May): Operations transferred to Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd from SMRT Buses Ltd
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I was waiting at Springdale condo bus stop #43019 for service 173. At 1410 hr bus173 with registration number Xxx3002 zoomed past without stopping. Please take action on the driver. Thank you.
Feed Back:
One of your bus 173 was spewing tons of thick black smoke when I drove behind it along Humes into Hillview Ave ydy Sunday 15/04/18 around 1pm. I hope you folks at Tower will fix it before the LTA catches up and fine you. Very bad PR you know. The bus no is SMB 3012G
I took a photo of the bus condition. If u want one, let me know and I will send to you.
How does one knows which way the service is going (ie towards BT Batok or Clementi Interchange) if one waits at the bus stop opposite and before Jln Batu Nilam?