SBS Transit Bus Service 53

SBS Transit Bus Service 53 is a trunk route operating between Bishan and Changi Airport, via Serangoon, Lorong Ah Soo and Pasir Ris, with express sectors along the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) and Tampines Expressway (TPE).

Alight at Changi Airport Terminal 1 for direct access to Jewel Changi Airport through the arrival hall.

Route Overview
Route	Bishan Bus Interchange ↺ Changi Airport Terminal 2 (Loop)
Passes Through	Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, Serangoon Ctrl, Lor Ah Soo, Tampines Rd, Pasir Ris Dr 1, Airport Blvd
Route Length	52.9 km
Travelling Time	150 mins
Operator Information
BCM Route Package	Serangoon–Eunos Bus Package
Current Operator	SBS Transit Ltd
Current Depot	Ang Mo Kio Bus Depot (AMDEP)
Current Fleet	Single-deck buses
Operating Hours
Departure Times from Bishan	Daily
	05:30 – 23:15
Departure Times from Changi Airport Terminal 2	Weekdays				Saturdays				Sundays / Public Holidays
	05:55 – 00:31				06:00 – 00:28				05:59 – 00:22
Operating Frequency
Loop Service	6:30am–8.30am			8.31am–4.59pm			5.00pm–7.00pm			After 7.00pm
Mondays – Thursdays	8 – 11 mins			6 – 11 mins			6 – 10 mins			8 – 13 mins
Fridays	9 – 11 mins			7 – 11 mins			4 – 9 mins			9 – 12 mins
Saturdays	8 – 11 mins			8 – 13 mins			12 – 15 mins			12 – 16 mins
Sundays / Public Holidays	8 – 12 mins			9 – 14 mins			11 – 14 mins			11 – 15 mins
Fare Information
Fare	Charges regular distance fares

Service 53 is an inter-town route connecting the residential towns of Bishan, Serangoon Central, Lorong Ah Soo and Pasir Ris with Changi Airport. It also serves the role of connecting Serangoon MRT to outlying housing estates. This service also compliments Service 81 between Pasir Ris and Serangoon Central, travelling via Tampines Expressway (TPE) and Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) in both directions, offering a quick bus connection between these areas.

Between Bishan and Pasir Ris, Service 53 plies the shorter route compared to Service 58 and 88, via the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE). In Bishan, Services 53 and 58 both start their eastbound trips towards Pasir Ris (and Changi Airport, only for service 53) from Bishan Interchange, while services 58 and 88 call at the bus stops outside the Bishan MRT Station (53231 Bishan Stn & 53239 Opp Bishan Stn). In Pasir Ris, service 53 calls at the bus stops in close proximity to Pasir Ris MRT station along Pasir Ris Central, while services 58 & 88 terminate at Pasir Ris Interchange.

Changi Airport:

Service 53 serves Changi Airport Terminals 3, 1 & 2 in order. It does not serve Terminal 4.

Changi Airport Passenger Terminal Buildings (PTBs) 1, 2 and 3 have their bus stops integrated into their basement levels, which also serves as a cargo loading and unloading bay. Security checks for any unattended or suspicious articles are carried out before a bus enters Terminals 1, 2 and 3. Bus Captains may take a short toilet break at Terminal 2. Because of height restrictions, double-decker buses are unable to enter Changi Airport basement.

Occasionally when Changi Airport basement is closed, buses will be diverted to the departure hall along T1/T2/T3 Departure Drive where a temporary bus stop will be set up.

Announcements for passengers to inform the Bus Captain if they see any suspicious person or article are played on board public buses at Changi Airport as well.

MRT Stations Served:

• NS17CC15 Bishan
• NE12CC13 Serangoon
• EW1 Pasir Ris
• CG2 Changi Airport

Special Departures

• Serangoon Central (Blk 206) → Bishan Int via Changi Airport
  Weekdays: 05:35
  Saturdays: 05:35 & 05:41
  Sundays / Public Holidays: 05:35 & 05:51
• Tampines Rd (Aft Hougang Ave 3) → Bishan Int via Changi Airport
  Weekdays: 05:20, 05:30 & 05:40
  Saturdays: 05:30 & 05:40
  Sundays / Public Holidays: 05:30 & 05:39
• Pasir Ris Dr 12 (Opp Blk 756) → Bishan Int via Changi Airport
  Weekdays: 05:20, 06:23 & 06:51
  Saturdays, Sundays / Public Holidays: 05:25
• PTB3 Basement (Changi Airport Ter 3) → Bishan Int
  Fridays: 21:52, 22:30, 23:01 & 23:20
  Saturdays: 19:13, 19:38, 20:03, 20:17, 20:31, 20:44, 21:41, 22:04, 22:14, 22:26, 22:48, 23:11 & 23:23
  Sundays / Public Holidays: 19:23, 19:50, 20:16, 20:27, 20:38, 20:50, 21:03, 21:39, 22:09, 22:24, 22:36, 22:50, 23:16 & 23:28
• Loyang Ave (Blk 149A) → Bishan Int
  Weekdays: 05:30, 05:40, 05:50, 06:00 & 06:26
  Saturdays: 06:00
  Sundays / Public Holidays: 06:00
• Tampines Rd (Aft Defu Ave 1) → Bishan Int
  Weekdays: 05:35 & 05:44
  Saturdays: 05:35, 05:51 & 06:07
  Sundays / Public Holidays: 05:55 & 06:08

Short Trip Service

• Service 53A: Pasir Ris Drive 1 (Blk 738) → Changi Airport Ter 2
  Weekdays (Mon – Thu): 06:34 & 07:24
  Weekdays (Fri): 06:30 & 07:23

Route Variants:

• Service 53M: Hougang Avenue 1 ↺ Serangoon Central (Loop)
  Daily: 06:00 – 23:00

Gallery

Poster Gallery

Operator History:

• 1994 – 2001: Singapore Bus Services Ltd
• 2001 – Present: SBS Transit Ltd

The Bus Service Operating License (BSOL) for this route will be renewed in 2025 under the Serangoon–Eunos Bus Package.

History:

• 1994 (10 Jul): Introduced between Bishan Int and Hougang Ave 3 (Loop)
• 1995 (23 Apr): Extended to loop at Changi Airport
• 1996: Converted to bi-directional service between Bishan Int and Changi Airport PTB 1
• 1996 (03 Sep): Amended to ply Pasir Ris Dr 12 and Pasir Ris Dr 1, skipping Elias Rd
• 1996: First bus from Bishan Int brought forward to 0530 hrs on Sundays and Public Holidays
• 1997: Serves additional bus stop opposite Fish Farm Rd 2 along Tampines Rd
• 1998: Serves additional bus stop after Fish Farm Rd 2 along Tampines Rd
• 2000: Serves new pair of bus stops outside and opposite SATS Flight Kitchen along Airport Blvd
• 2003 (21 Jun): Amended to ply Serangoon Central and Upp Serangoon Rd under North East MRT Line Rationalisation Phase 1
• 2003: Serves new bus stop outside S’goon Stn along Serangoon Central
• 2007 (23 Jun): Amended to ply Tampines Service Rd
• 2007 (11 Nov): Amended to serve Changi Airport PTB3
• 2009 (26 Oct): Designated wheelchair-accessible bus service (WAB)
• 2012 (09 Jan): Converted to loop service between Bishan Int and Changi Airport PTB 2
• 2012 (29 Apr): Serves new bus stop outside Blk 612 along Pasir Ris Dr 1
• 2022 (30 Oct): Amended to ply Pasir Ris St 12 and Pasir Ris St 11 with the partial closure of Pasir Ris Dr 1 to facilitate the construction of Pasir Ris East MRT station on the Cross Island MRT Line
• 2023 (08 Oct): Amended to ply Pasir Ris Dr 8 and Pasir Ris Ctrl with the partial closure of Pasir Ris Dr 1 to facilitate the construction of Pasir Ris MRT station on the Cross Island MRT Line

Past Routings

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