SBS Transit City Direct Service 654 is a Weekday Peak Hour City Direct service between Sengkang and the CBD, passing through Rivervale Drive, KPE and Shenton Way. It is the fourth City Direct route introduced under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP). Its route was extended to Anchorvale Cres under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP) from 11 Nov 2024.
| Route Overview | ||||||||||||
Route  |
[AM]: Anchorvale Crescent (Treasure Crest) → Shenton Way (Opp MAS Bldg) [PM]: Anson Road (Mapletree Anson) → Anchorvale Crescent (Opp Treasure Crest) |
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| Passes Through | Anchorvale St, Compassvale St, Rivervale Dr, Central Blvd / Marina Blvd | |||||||||||
| Route Length | Towards Shenton Way: 22.1 km | Towards Anchorvale Cres: 21.9 km | ||||||||||
| Travelling Time | 59 mins [AM Peak] | 60 mins [PM Peak] | |||||||||||
| Operator Information | ||||||||||||
| BCM Route Package | Sengkang–Hougang Bus Package | |||||||||||
| Current Operator | SBS Transit Ltd | |||||||||||
| Current Depot | Hougang Bus Depot (HGDEP) | |||||||||||
| Current Fleet | Single-deck & Double-deck buses | |||||||||||
| Operating Hours | ||||||||||||
| Departure Times from Anchorvale Cres |
Weekdays, except Public Holidays | |||||||||||
| 07:25 – 08:00 | ||||||||||||
| Departure Times from Anson Rd |
Weekdays, except Public Holidays | |||||||||||
| 18:10 – 18:40 | ||||||||||||
| Operating Frequency | ||||||||||||
| From Anchorvale Cres |
5 mins | |||||||||||
| From Anson Rd |
10 mins | |||||||||||
| Fare Information |
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| Fare | Charges express distance fares |
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City Direct Service 654 provides residents of Sengkang with greater connectivity to the CBD. By running parallel to existing rail lines, the service provides a travel alternative for commuters who relied on the rail network and feeder buses to and from work. The route incorporates an express sector between Rivervale Drive and Marina Bay via KPE, ECP and Sheares Avenue.
This is the fourth City Direct service to be introduced under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP), and one of ten proposed City Direct bus routes progressively introduced until the 2nd Quarter of 2014. This provides more options for commuters using stretches of the existing rail lines that experience persistently high ridership, while the ongoing rail enhancement measures are being implemented.
The last morning trip is operated by a Double-Decker Bus from 9 October 2023.
The route was further enhanced under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP) from 11 November 2024, with a route extension to Anchorvale Crescent. In addition, two more morning trips and one more evening trip were added.
Travel Smart Journeys
This bus service is part of the Travel Smart Journeys – North-East Line Scheme from 20 Mar 2023 – 22 Nov 2024, where commuters who switch to this service can earn cashback in the form of e-transport vouchers.
The scheme will be suspended from 25 Nov 2024 till early Jan 2025 for a system upgrade.
MRT/LRT Stations Served
- SW2 Farmway
- SW1 Cheng Lim
- SE1 Compassvale
- SE2 Rumbia
- SE3 Bakau
- SE4 Kangkar
- NS27CE2TE20 Marina Bay
- DT17 Downtown
- TE19 Shenton Way
- EW15 Tanjong Pagar
Departure Timings
Weekdays (except Public Holidays)
- Morning Peak from Anchorvale Crescent (Treasure Crest):
07:25, 07:30, 07:35, 07:40, 07:45, 07:50, 07:55 & 08:00 - Evening Peak from Anson Road (Mapletree Anson):
18:10, 18:20, 18:30 & 18:40
Gallery (SBS Transit):
Gallery (BT&Tan / Ren Quan Transport)
Poster Gallery
Operator History:
- 20 Jan 2014 – 19 Jan 2017: Ren Quan Transport Pte Ltd
- 20 Jan 2017 – 19 Jul 2019: BT&Tan Transport Service
- 22 Jul 2019 – Present: SBS Transit Ltd
The Bus Service Operating License (BSOL) for this route will be renewed under the Sengkang–Hougang Bus Package, in which the negotiated contract term was extended by an undisclosed number of years from 2024.
History:
- 2014 (20 Jan): Introduced between Anchorvale St (Blk 336B) and Shenton Way (Opp MAS Bldg) during morning peak hours and between Anson Rd (Hub Synergy Pt) and Anchorvale St (Blk 330) during evening peak hours as a peak hour one-directional service on weekdays under the BSEP. Operated under Contract VT387C.
- 2014 (14 Jul): Additional morning trip added
- 2015 (23 Mar): Serves new staggered bus stop outside Mapletree Anson along Anson Rd, skipping the bus stop outside Hub Synergy Pt
- 2015 (02 Nov): Additional morning trip added
- 2016 (13 Jun): Additional morning trip added
- 2017 (20 Jan): Operations transferred to BT&Tan Transport Service under Contract PT288
- 2018 (12 Jun): Additional morning trip & evening trip added
- 2019 (22 Jul): Operations transferred to SBS Transit Ltd under the Sengkang–Hougang Bus Package
- 2020 (08 Apr – 01 Jun): Temporarily suspended due to Singapore COVID-19 Circuit Breaker Measures.
- 2024 (11 Nov): Extended to Anchorvale Cres under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP), with additional 2 morning trips & 1 evening trip
Changes in Departure Times:
| Effective Date | Morning Peak Timings | Evening Peak Timings |
| 20 Jan 2014 | 07:35 & 07:50 | 18:20 & 18:35 |
| 14 Jul 2014 | 07:35, 07:45 & 07:55 | 18:20 & 18:35 |
| 02 Nov 2015 | 07:30, 07:38, 07:47 & 07:55 | 18:20 & 18:35 |
| 13 Jun 2016 | 07:30, 07:36, 07:42, 07:49 & 07:55 | 18:20 & 18:35 |
| 12 Jun 2018 | 07:30, 07:35, 07:40, 07:45, 07:50 & 07:55 | 18:20, 18:27 & 18:35 |
| 11 Nov 2024 | 07:25, 07:30, 07:35, 07:40, 07:45, 07:50, 07:55 & 08:00 | 18:10, 18:20, 18:30 & 18:40 |
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Please increase more buses!!! it always seems to be full and more people are taking the buses.
I have always been standing for 45mins thru out the journey! 🙁
For the past 2 days , many have not been able to board the last bus at bakau station
The bus used to stop for us to squeeze in as many passengers do not move in enough for others to board, but on 6 and 7 March, it just passed by straight without stopping
It’s causing inconvenience, we waited but is not able to board and end up being very late for work
Pls increased the frequency of buses asap
Hopefully will be parts of SBS Transit by somewhere of 2020.
can please increase the frequency of the buses?? is always full!!! and most of the time I can’t even get up the bus at all! 🙁
Also I know that when the bus is already full.. the driver will still stop at the designated bus stop? but the people will see that is full right? is really wasting of time just to stop and “show them is full, maybe they can just slow down a bit when passing the stops???
hope to hear from u soon.
hi. which part of sengkang east avenue is the pickup?