SBS Transit Bus Service 23

SBS Transit Bus Service 23 is a trunk route running from Tampines and looping at Rochor Canal Rd, via Tampines Avenue 1, Bedok North MRT, and Bendemeer. The route includes an express sector along the PIE between Beodk North and Kolam Ayer.

Route Overview
Route	Tampines Bus Interchange ↺ Rochor Canal Road (Loop)
Passes Through	Tampines Ave 1, Bedok North Rd, Jln Besar, Serangoon Rd
Route Length	32.0 km
Travelling Time	83 – 108 mins
Operator Information
BCM Route Package	Tampines Bus Package
Current Operator	SBS Transit Ltd
Current Depot	Bedok North Bus Depot (BNDEP)
Current Fleet	Single-deck & Double-deck buses
Operating Hours
Departure Times from Tampines	Daily
	05:30 – 23:50
Operating Frequency
Loop Service	6:30am–8.30am			8.31am–4.59pm			5.00pm–7.00pm			After 7.00pm
Weekdays	6 – 7 mins			6 – 12 mins			7 – 9 mins			9 – 16 mins
Saturdays	10 – 12 mins			9 – 15 mins			10 – 13 mins			12 – 17 mins
Sundays / Public Holidays	13 – 15 mins			8 – 15 mins			10 mins			10 – 13 mins
Fare Information
Fare	Charges regular distance fares

Bus Service 23 is a trunk route connecting Tampines to Rochor Canal (loop), via Tampines West, Bedok North, and City areas such as Bendemeer, Jalan Besar, Rochor, Little India, and Farrer Park. The route incorporates an express sector along the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) between Bedok North Road and Jalan Kolam Ayer, providing faster travel compared to other bus routes or the MRT network.

Historical Background

Introduced on 20 February 1983, Service 23 initially operated between Tampines Terminal (along Tampines Avenue 5) and Tomlinson Road. It was among the first few services introduced to serve the newly-developed Tampines New Town, launched alongside Service 292 (Tampines Ter ↺ Tampines St 22) and preceded only by Service 18 (Bedok ↺ Tampines Ave 2), which was launched in 1982.

In 1987, Service 23 moved to the newly-opened Tampines Bus Interchange. In 1991, the route was shortened to loop at Rochor Canal Road. In 1995, it was further amended to ply Tampines Avenue 1 and Bedok North Road, expanding its coverage to new catchment areas while no longer entering the PIE directly from Tampines Avenue 5. This routing remains unchanged to this day.

Current Demand Patterns

Service 23 operates a mix of single- and double-deck buses, with the majority being double-deck buses to accommodate high demand.

Despite overlapping segments with the Downtown Line, the service remains popular throughout the day, particularly during weekday peak hours and weekends. Many commuters rely on its direct connection between Tampines and City amenities, especially in areas that are less accessible by the MRT.

The bus stops along Jalan Kolam Ayer are key for transfers between Service 23 and Service 966. With a single transfer, commuters can access destinations further west along the PIE and BKE, such as Toa Payoh (via Trellis Towers), Bukit Panjang and Woodlands. Industrial estates near Kallang Way and Geylang Bahru also contribute to passenger demand for stops along the PIE.

Additionally, within Tampines, Service 23 serves as a key connection along Tampines Avenue 1 to Tampines Interchange. It is heavily utilised by students of Temasek Polytechnic and residents of adjacent estates.

MRT Stations Served:

• EW2–DT32 Tampines
• DT31 Tampines West
• DT29 Bedok North
• NE9 Boon Keng
• NE8 Farrer Park
• DT22 Jalan Besar
• DT13 Rochor

Special Departures:

• Rochor Canal Road (Rochor Stn) → Tampines Int
  Weekdays: 05:45, 05:57, 06:23 & 06:33
  Saturdays & Sundays / Public Holidays: 05:45 & 05:58

Gallery:

Poster Gallery

Operator History:

• 1983 – 2001: Singapore Bus Services Ltd
• 2001 – Present: SBS Transit Ltd

 History:

• 1983 (20 Feb): Introduced between Tampines Ter and Tomlinson Rd (Loop)
• 1987 (29 Nov): Amended to Tampines Int
• 1988 (23 Oct): Skips a pair of bus stops outside and opposite Tampines Stadium along Tampines Ave 5
• 1991 (06 Jan): Shortened to loop at Rochor Canal Road under Transitlink Integration Exercise Phase 1
• 1995 (18 Sep): Amended to ply Tampines Ave 1, Tampines Ave 10 and Bedok North Rd with the opening of Temasek Polytechnic
• 1997: Serves additional pair of bus stops outside and opposite Tampines Stadium along Tampines Ave 5
• 2001: Serves new pair of bus stops outside and opposite Tropica Condo along Tampines Ave 1
• 2007: Serves new pair of bus stops outside Kallang Basin Swim Cplx and after Infineon along Jln Kolam Ayer
• 2017 (21 Aug): Designated wheelchair-accessible bus service (WAB)
• 2017 (21 Oct): Serves new bus stop outside Bedok North Stn along Bedok North Rd
• 2022 (03 Apr): Serves an additional bus stop outside Jln Besar Stn Exit A along Jln Besar
• 2022 (27 Nov): Serves a new pair of bus stops outside and opposite HomeTeamNS Bedok along Bedok Nth Rd

Past Routings

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