Tower Transit Bus Service 189 is a trunk route running from Bukit Batok Bus Interchange and looping at Clementi Avenue 1, passing through Bukit Batok Avenue 1, Street 23, AYE, Clementi Avenue 6 and Clementi MRT.
189
Bt Batok Int
↺ Clementi Ave 1 (Loop)
↺ Clementi Ave 1 (Loop)
| Route Overview | ||||||||||||
Route  |
Bukit Batok Bus Interchange ↺ Clementi Avenue 1 (Loop) | |||||||||||
| Passes Through | Bukit Batok East Ave 6, Bukit Batok St 23, Clementi Ave 6, Commonwealth Ave West | |||||||||||
| Route Length | 16.3 km | |||||||||||
| Travelling Time | 51 – 81 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 & Double-deck buses Includes electric double deck buses (Yutong E12DD) |
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| Operating Hours | ||||||||||||
| Departure Times from Bukit Batok |
Daily | |||||||||||
| 05:45 – 23:15 | ||||||||||||
| Buses departing Bukit Batok after 23:15 to 01:10 operates as Service 189A and terminates at Bukit Batok St 23 (Opp Midview Bldg) |
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| Operating Frequency | ||||||||||||
| Loop Service | 6:30am–8.30am | 8.31am–4.59pm | 5.00pm–7.00pm | After 7.00pm | ||||||||
| Weekdays | 5 mins | 6 mins | 6 – 10 mins | 15 – 21 mins | ||||||||
| Fare Information |
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| Fare | Charges regular distance fares |
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Service 189 is an inter-town route serving between Bukit Batok and looping at Clementi Ave 1, via Bukit Batok Neighbourhood 2, Bukit Batok Street 23, Clementi Avenue 6, Clementi MRT and Clementi Road.
The route is well patronized between the industrial areas around Bukit Batok Street 23 and Bukit Batok MRT, with Short Trip Service 189A performing supplementary trips during Weekdays Morning Peak, and scheduled mid-route departures (“downroutes”) in the reverse direction during Weekdays Evening Peak. The sector between Clementi MRT and Clementi Ave 1 receives moderate demand due to the area’s presently limited residential developments, but encounters high demand from students heading to the educational institutions along Clementi Avenue 1.
In 2014, SMRT Bus Service 189 was involved in a small scale bus loading trial where buses were equipped with electronic displays beside the front door, which indicates when the next bus will arrive and the passenger loading onboard that bus. The trial was never expanded, and LTA subsequently released bus loading information for mobile apps in addition to expected time of arrival.
MRT Stations Served
- NS2 Bukit Batok
- EW23 Clementi
Special Departures
- C’Wealth Ave West (Clementi Stn Exit B) → Bukit Batok Int via Clementi Ave 1
Weekdays: 05:58, 07:05 & 07:13 - Clementi Rd (NUS High Sch) → Bukit Batok Int
Weekdays: 13:34, 14:24, 14:42, 14:51 & 15:09 - Bukit Batok St 23 (Midview Bldg) → Bukit Batok Int
Weekdays: 17:05, 17:13, 17:21, 17:34, 17:42, 17:50, 18:05, 18:13, 18:21, 18:35, 18:42 & 18:49
Short Trip Service
- Service 189A: Bukit Batok Int → Bukit Batok St 23 (Opp Midview Bldg)
Weekdays: 07:05 – 09:04 & 23:38 – 01:10
Saturdays & Sundays / Public Holidays: 23:38 – 01:10
After 23:15 daily, buses will be renumbered as 189A and terminate at Bukit Batok Street 23, Opp Midview Building.
During Eves of Public Holidays, last bus timings of Service 189A will be extended to complement the extension of train operating hours.
Poster Gallery
Gallery (Tower Transit)
![Bus 189 - Tower Transit Yutong E12DD (SG7004G) [Rear]](https://landtransportguru.net/web/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/7004-189-rear-300x200.jpg)
Gallery (SMRT Buses):
Operator History
- 1974 – 2000: Singapore Bus Services
- 2000 – 2004: Trans-Island Bus Services
- 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
- 1974 (03 Feb): Re-numbered from Service 193A as a service between Commonwealth Ave Ter and South Canal Rd Ter under 1974 Bus Rationalisation
- 1974 (08 Dec): Amended to ply Cecil St, skipping Robinson Rd
- 1975 (02 Feb): Amended to ply new slip road from Tiong Bahru Rd to Outram Rd with the conversion of Seng Poh Rd to one-way traffic
- 1977 (17 May): Amended to ply Commonwealth Ave Extension and Nth Buona Vista Rd towards Commonwealth Ave Ter
- 1977 (29 Aug): Amended to ply Holland Ave, Holland Dr and Nth Buona Vista Rd towards Commonwealth Ave Ter
- 1978 (22 Jan): Amended to ply Commonwealth Ave, Queensway, Commonwealth Dr, Commonwealth Ave and Queen’s Circus with the conversion of Farrer Circus into a traffic-signal controlled junction
- 1979 (15 Jan): Amended to loop at Empress Pl and amended to ply Jln Bt Merah, Kg Bahru Rd and New Bridge Rd/Neil Rd, skipping Commonwealth Dr, Tiong Bahru Rd, Outram Rd, Cross St, Upp Cross St, New Bridge Rd and Nth Canal Rd
- 1979 (11 Feb): Amended to ply the extended Shenton Way towards Commonwealth Ave Ter, skipping Parsi Rd and Anson Rd
- 1980 (20 Jan): Amended to ply Spottiswoode Park Rd with the partial conversion of Cantonment Rd to one-way traffic
- 1982 (27 May): Amended to Buona Vista Ter
- 1985 (24 Nov): Extended to Bt Batok Ter and Marina Ctr Ter
- 1986 (30 Nov):Â Amended to the relocated Marina Ctr Ter along Raffles Blvd
- 1987 (27 Sep):Â Amended to Bt Batok Int
- 1987 (01 Nov): Amended to ply Eu Tong Sen St towards Marina Ctr Ter to facilitate the second stage of road expansion along New Bridge Rd
- 1991 (28 Apr): Shortened to loop at Clementi West St 2, integrated with Service 366 and amended to ply Bt Batok Central, Bt Batok Ave 1, Bt Batok East Ave 6 and Bt Batok St 23 under TransitLink Network Integration Exercise Phase 4
- 1996 (06 May): Extended to loop at West Coast Ferry Ter, skipping Clementi West St 2
- 1996: Amended to ply PIE and Clementi Ave 6, skipping Toh Tuck Ave
- 1999 (20 Sep): Serves new pair of bus stops outside and opposite West Bay Resort Condo along West Coast Rd
- 2000 (18 Jun): Operations transferred to Trans-Island Bus Services (TIBS)Â
- 2001 (15 Apr): Shortened to loop at Kent Ridge Ter
- 2009 (01 Jun):Â Designated wheelchair-accessible bus route (WAB)
- 2014 (23 Nov): Amended to loop at Clementi Ave 1 with the introduction of Service 201, skipping West Coast Rd and Kent Ridge Ter; Last bus extended to 2315 hrs daily
- 2016 (29 May): Operations transferred to Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd under Bulim Bus Package
- 2024 (28 Jan): Serves additional relocated bus stop after Clementi Swim Cplx along AYE
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Hello all, no offence anymore.
I am suggesting if Service 189/189A to merge with Service 992 to plys from Tengah towards Bukit Batok and loop service at Clementi Avenue 1. You may wish to refer the route below and heard your views and understanding.
Service 992
Tengah – Bukit Batok – Clementi Ave 1
Tengah via
– Tengah Drive
– Tengah Gardens Walk
– Tengah Boulevard
– Plantation Crescent
– Bukit Batok Road
– Bukit Batok West Ave 8 / 6 / 3
– Bukit Batok Central
– Bukit Batok Ave 1
– Bukit Batok East Ave 6
– Bukit Batok Street 23
– Bukit Batok East Ave 3
– Clementi Ave 6
– Commonwealth Ave West
– Clementi Ave 2
– AYE / Clementi Road
– Clementi Ave 1
Any objections or Feedback to share?
Definitely disagree. Service 992 is very controversial. By merging Service 189, it will make it more worse.
189 may be low demand from BBI but bare in mind that 189 was a primary breadwinner for Street 23, East Ave 6 hor. So better leave 189 & 992 as it is.
Terrible waiting time for bus 189. Getting on board become a wishing thinking.
Waiting at bus stop Number: 43519 (Opposite Bt Batok Swimming Complex)
Alighting at bus stop number: 43319 (Opposite Midview Building)
A less than 10 mins journey took more than 30mins to reach.
Can you imagine you have to worry whether today can board onto the bus or not?
Can you imagine, waiting endlessly and only manage to board on the 5th incoming bus? and you have squeeze at entrance in order not to miss the bus anymore.
And is a DAILY affair.
Given credit, the bus schedule wasn’t that horrible until beginning of this year (2024).
Hopefully, the service can improve.
I am an ordinary, law-abiding 40-year-old office worker. During working hours in the morning, I “often” encounter situations where the 189 bus captain enters the station without turning on the direction signal (bus stop: clementi -opp blk 317), this is basic driving common sense. I often have to stop until the bus finally stops and they willing to open the door, if give passenger have this feeling, that is a serious problem. One week, I waved for two days in a row (100 meters before entering the bus stop, there must be enough time for the driver to see and react), and they pretended didn’t see it and wanted to leave away. It happened that his lane was stopping at a red traffiic light , I stood in front of the bus door and looked at him, then he opened the door reluctantly. I didn’t write down the time and who the driver is, because I was also worried about getting his bus next time or something else. I also hope that you can improve the basic traffic rules for driving, train your employees well, and don’t always treat passengers with an rule attitude, spoil everyone’s good image of Singapore. I hope I can see your reply here. Thank you.
106 & 189 can covert into full DD service.The A22 can go deploy on other BBT service rather than use SBS Citaro reg.
This morning (8.29 a.m.) when I alighted at Bus Stop 43701 from Bus No.187, immediately to see SBM 3002K driven by an Indian driver over take the 187 without slowing down as everyday many of the commuters have to transfer to No. 189 at that Bus stop to Bukit Crescent area for work. As such, we have to wait for another 10 mins. for Bus 189 (SBM 3005C) to arrive.
As the bus is totally no packed, I am very disappointed that the driver is so impatient and just over take without slowing for other commuters to board. I hope this will not happen again.
Regards,
Jennifer
I’m very late to this, but please refer such to the relevant bus company/companies (in this case, I believe it is SMRT/TT) in future.
Thank you!