Tower Transit City Direct Bus Service 656

Tower Transit City Direct Service 656 is a Weekday Peak Hour City Direct service between Sembawang and the CBD, passing through Sembawang Drive, Bras Basah and Shenton Way. It is the sixth City Direct route introduced under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP).

656
58121 Blk 424A CP Canberra Rd
58401 Opp Blk 491 Admiralty Link
58411 Blk 404A CP Admiralty Link
58341 Blk 405 Sembawang Dr
58311 Blk 354 CP Sembawang Dr
58251 Sun Plaza/Sembawang Stn NS11 Sembawang Dr
58291 Blk 317 Sembawang Dr
58391 Blk 303 Sembawang Ave
08057 Dhoby Ghaut Stn NS24NE6CC1 Orchard Rd
08069 Bencoolen Stn Exit B DT21 Bras Basah Rd
04179 Aft Bras Basah Stn Exit A CC2 Bras Basah Rd
02049 Raffles Hotel Bras Basah Rd
02119 Opp War Memorial Pk CC3 Nicoll Highway
03019 OUE Bayfront EW14NS26 Collyer Quay
03059 One Raffles Quay Raffles Quay
03129 UIC Bldg TE19 Shenton Way
03218 Opp MAS Bldg EW15 Shenton Way
03241 Mapletree Anson Anson Rd
03111 Aft Capital Twr Robinson Rd
03071 80 Robinson Rd Robinson Rd
03031 Raffles Pl Stn Exit F EW14NS26 Robinson Rd
03011 Fullerton Sq EW14NS26 Fullerton Rd
02111 Esplanade Bridge Esplanade Dr
04111 Capitol Bldg EW13NS25 Stamford Rd
04121 SMU CC2 Stamford Rd
08041 YMCA Orchard Rd
08031 Dhoby Ghaut Stn Exit B NS24NE6CC1 Penang Rd
58399 Opp Blk 303 Sembawang Ave
58299 Blk 328 Sembawang Dr
58259 Opp Sun Plaza Sembawang Dr
58319 Blk 357C Sembawang Dr
58349 Blk 478 Sembawang Dr
58419 Blk 482A CP Admiralty Link
58409 Blk 491 Admiralty Link
58129 Blk 508 CP Canberra Rd
Route Overview
Route WAB_logo_20px [AM]: Canberra Road (Blk 424A CP) → Shenton Way (Opp MAS Bldg)
[PM]: Anson Road (Mapletree Anson) → Canberra Road (Blk 508 CP)
Passes Through Admiralty Link, Sembawang Dr, Dhoby Ghaut
Route Length Towards Shenton Way: 28.3 km Towards Canberra Rd: 28.6 km
Travelling Time 64 – 79 mins
Operator Information
BCM Route Package Sembawang–Yishun Bus Package
Current Operator Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd
(Tower Transit Singapore)
Current Depot Mandai Bus Depot
Current Fleet Single Deck Bus
– MAN A22
– Volvo B5LH
Double Deck Bus
– Alexander Dennis Enviro500
– MAN A95

Operating Hours
Departure Times from Canberra Rd
Weekdays, except Public Holidays
07:20 – 07:40
Departure Times from Anson Rd
Weekdays, except Public Holidays
18:10 – 18:25
Operating Frequency
From Canberra Rd
20 mins
From Anson Rd
15 mins
Fare Information
Fare Charges express distance fares

 

City Direct Service 656 provides residents of Sembawang with greater connectivity to the CBD. 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 Sembawang Avenue and Dhoby Ghaut via SLE and CTE.

This is the sixth City Direct service to be introduced under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP), providing 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.

Double deck buses are deployed in the morning towards Shenton Way, while single deck buses are deployed in the evening towards Canberra Road.

MRT Stations Served
Departure Timings

Weekdays (except Public Holidays)

  • Morning Peak from Canberra Road (Blk 424A CP):
    07:20 & 07:40
  • Evening Peak from Anson Road (Mapletree Anson):
    18:10 & 18:25

Gallery (Tower Transit):
Gallery (Tower Transit / F1 Diversion):
Gallery (Loh Gim Chong Transport / SMRT Buses):
Poster Gallery:

 


Operator History:
  • 17 Feb 2014 – 14 Apr 2017: Loh Gim Chong Transport
  • 17 Apr 2017 – 01 Oct 2021: SMRT Buses Ltd
  • 03 Oct 2021 – Present: Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd

The Bus Service Operating License (BSOL) for this route will be renewed in 2026 under the Sembawang–Yishun Bus Package.

History:
  • 2014 (17 Feb): Introduced between Canberra Rd (Blk 424A CP) and Shenton Way (Opp MAS Bldg) during morning peak hours and between Anson Rd (Hub Synergy Pt) and Canberra Rd (Blk 508 CP) during evening peak hours as a peak hour one-directional service on weekdays under the BSEP. Operated under Contract VT387B
  • 2015 (23 Mar): Serves new staggered bus stop outside Mapletree Anson along Anson Rd, skipping the bus stop outside Hub Synergy Pt
  • 2017 (17 Apr): Operations transferred to SMRT Buses Ltd under the Sembawang–Yishun Bus Package
  • 2020 (08 Apr – 01 Jun): Temporarily suspended due to Singapore COVID-19 Circuit Breaker Measures.
  • 2020 (02 Jun): Start of regular double-decker bus operations for morning peak
  • 2021 (03 Oct): Operations transferred to Tower Transit under the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package

Past Routings

Changes in Departure Times:
Effective Date Morning Peak Timings Evening Peak Timings
17 Feb 2014 07:25 & 07:40 18:10 & 18:25
10 Mar 2014 07:20, 07:30 & 07:40 18:10 & 18:25
14 Jul 2014 07:20, 07:26, 07:34 & 07:40 18:10 & 18:25
17 Apr 2017 07:20, 07:30 & 07:40 18:10 & 18:25
02 Jun 2020 07:20 & 07:40 18:10 & 18:25

 


 

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18 thoughts on “Tower Transit City Direct Bus Service 656

  • 2 June 2023 at 7:15 PM
    Permalink

    I hope 656 can add one more bus which is before the first bus 7:20am. Says 7:05 or 7:10am.
    As some of us start work at 8:30am, but sometimes the bus arrived Shenton Way is already 8:25-8:30am. And the office is not just right beside the bus stop. Some need 5-10mins walking distance from bus stop.
    Your kind considerations is much appreciated. Tq

    Reply
  • 5 October 2021 at 8:54 PM
    Permalink

    morning trips have quickened under tts. the very first 656 bus completed the full trip in 55 minutes, of which 11 minutes were the OTA sector in Sembawang.

    Reply
  • 1 February 2019 at 8:23 AM
    Permalink

    I would love to commute to work on bus 656 but the depature timing doesn’t fit. May I know if there is any intend to increase the number of trips and departure timing to 8am to 8.20am?

    Thank you.

    Reply
  • 23 December 2018 at 3:07 PM
    Permalink

    Seeing all the comments.I felt that Smrt failed to do a good job for everyone.A lot of people take the bus service so is so crowded.Having double deck is good but seriously thou,they have to stop using them so they can use them for the trunk,feeder etc. route and having three route instead of four is due the bus service they operate is a lot ,like SBS.Thou improvements can be made on this service I hope.

    Reply

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