SMRT Bus Service 61

SMRT Bus Service 61 is a trunk route linking Bukit Batok with Eunos via Ulu Pandan, Queenstown, HarbourFront, Chinatown, Bugis, Bendemeer, MacPherson and Ubi. At 39.6km in its longest direction, it is the among the longest bidirectional trunk routes in Singapore.

61
43009 Bt Batok Int B4 NS2 Bt Batok Ctrl
43179 Blk 231 Bt Batok East Ave 3
43189 Blk 283 Bt Batok East Ave 3
43199 Ch Of St. Mary Bt Batok East Ave 6
43209 Autobacs Bt Batok East Ave 6
42199 Aft Bt Batok East Ave 6 Jln Jurong Kechil
42189 The Hillford Jln Jurong Kechil
42179 Aft Chun Tin Rd Jln Jurong Kechil
42169 Opp Blk 19 Jln Jurong Kechil
42159 Opp Beauty World Stn DT5 Jln Jurong Kechil
42259 Aft Upp Bt Timah Rd Jln Jurong Kechil
42089 Opp Bt Timah Plaza Jln Anak Bt
42149 Aft Bt Timah Rd Clementi Rd
12109 Opp Ngee Ann Poly Clementi Rd
12099 Opp SIM Campus Clementi Rd
12089 Opp Maju Camp Clementi Rd
12079 Opp Blk 116 Clementi Rd
12069 Opp Blk 109A Clementi Rd
12119 Police KINS Trg Camp Ulu Pandan Rd
12059 Opp Pine Gr Condo Ulu Pandan Rd
12049 Opp Pandan Valley Ulu Pandan Rd
12039 Opp Pandan Valley Condo Ulu Pandan Rd
12029 Opp Moonbeam Wk Holland Rd
11299 Opp Cold Storage Jelita Holland Rd
11289 Opp Tan Boon Chong Ave Holland Rd
11279 Aft Coronation Rd West Holland Rd
11269 Opp Holland Village Holland Rd
11419 Holland V Stn Exit A CC21 Holland Ave
11409 Blk 9 Holland Ave
11179 Blk 8 C'wealth Ave
11169 C'Wealth Stn Exit B/C EW20 C'wealth Ave
11161 C'Wealth Stn Exit A/D EW20 C'wealth Ave
11459 Blk 50 C'wealth Dr
11449 Blk 37B C'wealth Dr
11059 Queenstown Polyclinic Queensway
11049 Opp Blessed Sacrament Ch Queensway
11039 Blk 19 Queensway
11029 Blk 166/Aft Mei Chin Rd Queensway
11519 Opp Queensway Shop Ctr Alexandra Rd
18019 Bef Telok Blangah Hill Pk Alexandra Rd
15059 Opp Alexandra Pt Alexandra Rd
15049 Opp Alexandra Retail Ctr Alexandra Rd
14189 Aft Alexandra Rd Telok Blangah Rd
14179 Yeo's Bldg Telok Blangah Rd
14169 Opp Telok Blangah Stn CC28 Telok Blangah Rd
14159 Bef Chr Community Chapel Telok Blangah Rd
14139 Bef Seah Im Rd Telok Blangah Rd
14129 Harbourfront Stn Exit A NE1CC29 Telok Blangah Rd
14119 Opp VivoCity NE1CC29 Telok Blangah Rd
14011 Bef Mt Faber Lodge Kg Bahru Rd
14239 Opp Keppel DP Blk 519 Kg Bahru Rd
14229 St. Teresa's Ch Kg Bahru Rd
10391 Opp Melati Blk 2 Kg Bahru Rd
10049 Opp Kampong Bahru Ter Kg Bahru Rd
10017 Aft Hosp Dr EW16NE3TE17 Eu Tong Sen St
10018 Outram Pk Stn Exit 6/SGH EW16NE3TE17 Eu Tong Sen St
05013 Chinatown Stn Exit C NE4DT19 Eu Tong Sen St
05023 Opp Hong Lim Pk Eu Tong Sen St
04222 Clarke Quay Stn Exit E NE5 Eu Tong Sen St
04142 Armenian Ch Hill St
01012 Hotel Grand Pacific Victoria St
01113 Bugis Stn Exit A EW12DT14 Victoria St
01121 Stamford Pr Sch Victoria St
01211 Opp Blk 461 Victoria St
01311 Lavender Stn Exit B EW11 Kallang Rd
07371 Aft Kallang Rd Lavender St
60011 Bendemeer Stn Exit A DT23 Kallang Bahru
60021 Chubb S'pore Kallang Bahru
60031 Bef Geylang Bahru Stn DT24 Kallang Bahru
60229 Blk 68 Geylang Bahru
60159 Blk 54 Bendemeer Rd
60161 St. Michael's Pl S'goon Rd
60211 Aft Tai Thong Cres MacPherson Rd
70101 Bef Jln Wangi MacPherson Rd
70111 Opp Cencon Bldg MacPherson Rd
70039 Aljunied Pk Aljunied Rd
70151 Aft Jln Anggerek Merpati Rd
70161 Opp Mattar Stn Exit A DT25 Merpati Rd
70171 Blk 77 Circuit Rd
70181 Blk 36 Circuit Rd
70191 Opp Blk 66 Circuit Rd
70371 Macpherson Stn Exit A CC10DT26 Circuit Link
71161 Blk 3019 Ubi Ave 2
71151 Blk 3021 Ubi Ave 2
71141 Blk 3023 Ubi Ave 2
71121 Ubi Stn Exit B DT27 Ubi Ave 2
71131 Automobile Megamart Ubi Ave 2
71091 Blk 637 Eunos Link
72019 Opp Blk 322 Jln Eunos
83119 Opp Blk 16 Jln Eunos
83109 Opp Eunos Stn EW7 Jln Eunos
82069 Aft Lor 106 Changi Changi Rd
82221 Blk 3A Jln Turi
82009 Eunos Int EW7 Eunos Rd 2
82009 Eunos Int B3 EW7 Eunos Rd 2
82061 Eunos Stn/ Int EW7 Sims Ave
83101 Eunos Stn EW7 Jln Eunos
83111 Blk 17 Jln Eunos
72011 Blk 322 Jln Eunos
71099 Blk 311 Eunos Link
71139 Blk 302 Ubi Ave 2
71129 Ubi Stn Exit A DT27 Ubi Ave 2
71149 Blk 3024 Ubi Ave 2
71159 Blk 3026 Ubi Ave 2
71169 Aztech Bldg Ubi Ave 2
70379 Opp Macpherson Stn Exit A CC10DT26 Circuit Link
70201 Opp Macpherson Stn Exit D CC10DT26 Circuit Rd
70211 Blk 90 Pipit Rd
70221 Blk 79 FC Circuit Rd
70231 Opp Mattar Stn Exit B DT25 Mattar Rd
70241 Aft Grace Baptist Ch Mattar Rd
70021 Opp Canossa Catholic Pr Aljunied Rd
70031 Opp Aljunied Pk Aljunied Rd
70119 Cencon Bldg MacPherson Rd
70109 Gulab Bldg MacPherson Rd
60219 Bef Siemens Ctr MacPherson Rd
60179 MOM Svcs Ctr Bendemeer Rd
60221 Blk 73/Geylang Bahru Stn DT24 Geylang Bahru
60039 Opp Blk 66 Kallang Bahru
60029 Blk 16 DT24 Kallang Bahru
60019 Bendemeer Stn Exit B DT23 Kallang Bahru
07369 Aft Kallang Bahru Lavender St
07379 Aperia/Bef Kallang Rd Lavender St
01339 Bef Crawford Bridge Crawford St
01329 Blk 8 Nth Bridge Rd
01229 Bef Sultan Mque Nth Bridge Rd
01139 Bugis Stn/Parkview Sq EW12DT14 Nth Bridge Rd
01039 Bugis Cube Nth Bridge Rd
01029 Opp National Library Nth Bridge Rd
04167 City Hall Stn Exit B EW13NS25 Nth Bridge Rd
04249 Opp The Treasury Nth Bridge Rd
05029 Boat Quay Sth Bridge Rd
05199 Opp Hong Lim Cplx Sth Bridge Rd
05189 Opp Sri Mariamman Tp TE18 Sth Bridge Rd
05259 Opp Maxwell Stn Exit 3 TE18 Neil Rd
05239 Bef The Pinnacle@Duxton Neil Rd
10021 Blk 3 Neil Rd
10041 Bef Kampong Bahru Ter Kg Bahru Rd
10399 Melati Blk 2 Kg Bahru Rd
14221 Opp St. Teresa's Ch Kg Bahru Rd
14231 Keppel DP Blk 519 Kg Bahru Rd
14019 Opp Mt Faber Lodge Kg Bahru Rd
14141 HarbourFront Stn/Vivocity NE1CC29 Telok Blangah Rd
14121 Opp Harbourfront Int NE1CC29 Telok Blangah Rd
14131 Caribbean at Keppel Bay Telok Blangah Rd
14151 Opp Chr Community Chapel Telok Blangah Rd
14161 Telok Blangah Stn CC28 Telok Blangah Rd
14171 Opp Yeo's Bldg Telok Blangah Rd
15041 Alexandra Retail Ctr Alexandra Rd
15051 Alexandra Pt Alexandra Rd
18011 Aft Hortpark Alexandra Rd
11511 Alexandra Hosp Alexandra Rd
11021 Aft Queenstown NPC HQ Queensway
11031 Opp Queen's Cl Queensway
11441 Blk 58 C'wealth Dr
11451 Blk 72 C'wealth Dr
11171 Opp Blk 7B C'wealth Ave
11401 Holland V Stn/Blk12 CC21 Holland Ave
11261 Holland Village Holland Rd
11271 Aft East Sussex Lane Holland Rd
11281 Aft Tan Boon Chong Ave Holland Rd
11291 Cold Storage Jelita Holland Rd
12021 Bef Moonbeam Wk Holland Rd
12031 Pandan Valley Condo Ulu Pandan Rd
12041 Aft Pandan Valley Ulu Pandan Rd
12051 Pine Gr Condo Ulu Pandan Rd
12111 Bef Clementi Rd Ulu Pandan Rd
12061 Blk 109 Clementi Rd
12071 Blk 116 Clementi Rd
12081 Clementi N'hood Pk Clementi Rd
12091 SIM Campus Clementi Rd
12101 Ngee Ann Poly Clementi Rd
42141 Bef Dunearn Rd Clementi Rd
42071 Pei Hwa Presby Pr Sch Upp Bt Timah Rd
42151 Beauty World Stn Exit C DT5 Jln Jurong Kechil
42161 Blk 18 Jln Jurong Kechil
42171 Signature Pk Condo Jln Jurong Kechil
42181 Opp The Hillford Jln Jurong Kechil
42191 Bef Bt Batok East Ave 6 Jln Jurong Kechil
43201 Park Natura Bt Batok East Ave 6
43191 Blk 288C Bt Batok East Ave 6
43181 Keming Pr Sch Bt Batok East Ave 3
43171 Blk 229 Bt Batok East Ave 3
43009 Bt Batok Int NS2 Bt Batok Ctrl
Route Overview
Route WAB_logo_20px Bukit Batok Bus Interchange ↔ Eunos Bus Interchange
Passes Through Jln Jurong Kechil, Clementi Rd, Holland Rd, Commonwealth Ave, Telok Blangah Rd, Eu Tong Sen St / South Bridge Rd, Victoria St / North Bridge Rd, MacPherson Rd, Ubi Ave 2
Route Length Towards Eunos: 39.7 km
Towards Bukit Batok: 35.7 km
Travelling Time 130 mins
Operator Information
BCM Route Package Choa Chu Kang–Bukit Panjang Bus Package
Current Operator SMRT Buses Ltd
Current Depot Kranji Bus Depot (KJDEP)
Buses park at: Bulim Bus Depot (BUDEP)
Current Fleet Single-deck & Double-deck buses
Includes electric single deck buses (Yutong E12)
Operating Hours
Departure Times from Bukit Batok
Daily
05:20 – 23:30
Departure Times from Eunos
Weekdays & Saturdays Sundays / Public Holidays
05:30 – 23:30 05:45 – 23:30
Operating Frequency
6:30am–8.30am 8.31am–4.59pm 5.00pm–7.00pm After 7.00pm
From Bukit Batok
7 – 9 mins 9 – 14 mins 10 – 13 mins 10 – 15 mins
From Eunos
8 – 13 mins 9 – 15 mins 8 – 15 mins 11 – 15 mins
Fare Information
Fare Charges regular distance fares

 

Service 61 is a lengthy inter-town route serving residential, suburban and central areas of Bukit Batok, Ulu Pandan, Holland, Tanglin Halt, HarbourFront, Chinatown, Clarke Quay, Bugis, Kallang/Geylang Bahru, MacPherson Estate, Ubi and Eunos. It does not ply any expressways, unusual for trunk services of such length. At 39.6km in its longest direction (towards Eunos), it is the longest distance covered per direction for any bi-directional route in Singapore.

The lengthy nature of its route is a remnant of its long history where bus routes in the past were usually very long to serve more residential areas with connections to the City Centre, maximizing their catchment areas and hence profitability. The presence of many more alternative routes today has diminished the role of Service 61 as a crucial connection between the City and outlying housing estates.

Demand is spread evenly throughout, and this route mainly shuttles commuters over shorter distances throughout various points of the route.

Formerly operating with a large fleet of articulated buses, Service 61 has experienced declining demand with the opening of the Circle MRT Line. By 2012, most of the articulated buses have been withdrawn in favor of wheelchair-accessible rigid buses.

This service is also the sole route serving Commonwealth Drive and surrounding estates.

At Commonwealth MRT Station, Service 61 buses heading towards Eunos calls at both sides of Commonwealth Avenue. Buses heading towards Eunos will perform a U-Turn near Commonwealth MRT Station along Commonwealth Avenue and at the junction of Queensway and Commonwealth Ave.

MRT Stations Served:
Special Departures:
  • Victoria Street (Opp Blk 461) → Eunos Int
    Weekdays & Saturdays: 06:00 & additional trips before 06:48
    Sundays / Public Holidays: 06:10 & additional trips before 06:39
  • Neil Rd (Blk 3) → Bukit Batok Int
    Weekdays & Saturdays: 06:00 & additional trips before 06:26
    Sundays / Public Holidays: 06:10 & additional trips before 06:41

Gallery (Buses):

 

Poster Gallery:

Operator History:
  • 11 Apr 1971 – 5 Dec 1971: Singapore Traction Company
  • 6 Dec 1971 – 1973: Associated Bus Services Pte Ltd
  • 1973 – 2000: Singapore Bus Services Ltd
  • 2000 – 2004: Trans-Island Bus Services Ltd
  • 2004 – Present: SMRT Buses Ltd

The Bus Service Operating License (BSOL) for this route will be renewed in 2026 under the Choa Chu Kang–Bukit Panjang Bus Package.

History:
  • 1971 (11 Apr): Introduced between MacPherson Ter and Alexandra Rd Ter under 1971 Bus Reorganisation
  • 1971 (02 May): Extended to Ulu Pandan Ter
  • 1971 (06 Dec): Operations transferred to ABS
  • 1975 (02 Mar): Amended to ply Sims Ave towards MacPherson Ter with the conversion of Geylang Rd to one-way traffic
  • 1977 (29 Aug): Amended to ply Holland Ave and Holland Rd, skipping Nth Buona Vista Rd
  • 1977 (21 Nov): Amended to ply Jln Kolam Ayer, Kallang Bahru and Lavender St, skipping Sims Ave/Geylang Rd
  • 1982 (22 May): Amended to ply Aljunied Rd, MacPherson Rd, Bendemeer Rd and Geylang Bahru, skipping Jln Kolam Ayer
  • 1987 (19 Apr): Extended to Bt Batok Ter
  • 1987 (20 Apr): Serves new staggered bus stop under the PIE Flyover along Jln Anak Bt, skipping the bus stop opposite Bt Timah Plaza
  • 1987 (27 Sep): Amended to Bt Batok Int; Amended to ply the extended Eu Tong Sen St towards MacPherson Ter to facilitate the first stage of road expansion along New Bridge Rd
  • 1987 (01 Nov): Amended to ply Eu Tong Sen St towards MacPherson Ter to facilitate the second stage of road expansion along New Bridge Rd
  • 1989 (29 Jan): Serves relocated bus stop opposite Sri Mariamman Tp along Sth Bridge Rd, skipping abolished bus stop opposite Jamae Mque; Serves additional bus stop opposite Upp Hokien St along Sth Bridge Rd
  • 1990 (22 Jul): Serves additional bus stop outside Ellenborough Mkt along Eu Tong Sen St
  • 1991 (26 May): Extended to Eunos Int under TransitLink Network Integration Exercise Phase 5
  • 1999: Serves the bus stop outside Bugis Stn along Victoria St, skipping the bus stop opposite Bugis Junction
  • 1999: Skips abolished pair of bus stops outside and opposite Wishart Rd along Telok Blangah Rd
  • 2000 (03 Sep): Operations transferred to Trans-Island Bus Service (TIBS)
  • 2003: Serves new bus stop outside Goh & Goh Bldg along Jln Jurong Kechil
  • 2003 (04 May): Amended to ply Geylang Bahru, Bendemeer Rd and Serangoon Rd, skipping Jln Kolam Ayer
  • 2003 (12 Oct): Serves bus stop opposite Bt Timah Plaza along Jln Anak Bt with the abolition of the bus stop under the PIE Flyover
  • 2006 (16 Apr): Serves 2 additional bus stops outside Mujahidin Mosque and opposite Blessed Sacrament Ch along Queensway
  • 2006 (29 Oct): Serves new bus stop outside VivoCity along Telok Blangah Rd
  • 2008 (07 Dec): Skips abolished bus stop opposite Temenggong D Mosque along Telok Blangah Rd
  • 2009 (22 Nov): Serves new pair of bus stops outside and opposite MacPherson Stn along Circuit Link
  • 2011 (26 Jun): Amended to ply Lor Bengkok with the closure of Circuit Link to facilitate the construction of MacPherson MRT station on the Downtown MRT Line; Serves new bus stop outside The Pinnacle @ Duxton along Neil Rd
  • 2011 (03 Dec): Designated wheelchair-accessible bus service (WAB)
  • 2012 (09 Dec): Amended to ply Upp Bt Timah Rd and Bt Timah Link with the partial closure of Jln Jurong Kechil to facilitate the construction of Beauty World MRT station on the Downtown MRT Line
  • 2014 (26 Jan): Amended to ply the reinstated Jln Jurong Kechil, skipping Upp Bt Timah Rd and Bt Timah Link
  • 2016 (16 Oct): Amended to ply the reinstated Circuit Link, skipping Lor Bengkok
  • 2017 (12 Feb): Serves new pair of bus stops before and after Ubi Rd 3 along Ubi Ave 2
  • 2017 (26 Nov): Serves bus stop after Hospital Dr along Eu Tong Sen St with the abolition of the bus stop before Hospital Dr along Kg Bahru Rd
  • 2018 (10 Mar): Amended to ply Commonwealth Ave towards Eunos Int with the partial closure of Tanglin Halt Rd; First bus from Bt Batok Int brought forward to 0520 hrs daily.

Past Routings

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13 thoughts on “SMRT Bus Service 61

  • 6 May 2021 at 1:22 PM
    Permalink

    Good day! I took of the bus 61 this morning and the driver is very rude. He is very unpolite.

    Reply
  • 1 February 2020 at 4:53 AM
    Permalink

    Serangoon-Eunos package more appropriate but again they can follow SBST dual depot control system..Majority with Kranji/Bulim and minority with Ang Mo Kio until Gali Batu depot is ready.

    Reply
  • 23 October 2019 at 7:16 PM
    Permalink

    The frequency of this bus is pathetic.

    Reply
  • 27 September 2019 at 3:57 PM
    Permalink

    Or Serangoon-Eunos bus package…

    Reply
  • 13 August 2019 at 4:37 PM
    Permalink

    Bus 61 can do all the following things below and they are:
    -Operator of bus 61 to change into SBS Transit
    -Shortened to Jurong East int
    -Instead of having the bus package to be under Choa Chu Kang- Bukit Panjang, new bus package will be Bedok bus package

    Reply
    • 11 June 2021 at 1:40 AM
      Permalink

      1) Operator change to SBS Transit, it depends if Choa Chu Kang-Bukit Panjang got won by them

      2) Shortened to Jurong East Int? How to shorten to Jurong East Int? Do you know towards Jurong East will be even LONGER than Bukit Batok. So it’s impossible.

      3) Too late, LTA gave 61 to Choa Chu Kang-Bukit Panjang Package, so believe it. Even the route is long, Bukit Batok – Geylang Bahru section still needs it. MacPherson-Ubi side I have no comment.

      Eventhough I unhappy with 61, you should just accept the facts what 61 gave.

      Reply

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