SMRT Bus Service 700 was a trunk route between Bukit Panjang Temp Bus Pk and Shenton Way Terminal, passing through Petir, Bukit Timah, Orchard, Bras Basah and Fullerton. It incorporated an express sector between and Dairy Farm Road and Whitley Road via BKE and PIE. This service operated along with its route variant, Service 700A which looped at Suntec City, while skipping Shenton Way.
Service 700 was withdrawn on 30 August 2020. The last day of service was on 29 August 2020.
![[Withdrawn Poster] Withdrawal of Bus Services 700 & 700A](https://landtransportguru.net/web/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Aug20_Service-700-700A-Withdrawal-212x300.jpg)
Notes:
- No alighting at Shenton Way Bus Terminal
- No boarding and alighting at Bukit Panjang Temp Bus Pk
| Route Overview | ||||||||||||
Route  |
Bukit Panjang Temporary Bus Park ↔ Shenton Way Bus Terminal | |||||||||||
| Passes Through | Petir Rd, Dunearn Rd / Bukit Timah Rd, Orchard Rd, Bras Basah Rd, Fullerton Rd, Cecil St | |||||||||||
| Route Length | Towards Shenton Way: 21.6 km | Towards Bt Panjang Temp Bus Pk: 20.5 km | ||||||||||
| Traveling Time | 85 mins | |||||||||||
| Operator Information | ||||||||||||
| Former BCM Route Package | Choa Chu Kang – Bukit Panjang Bus Package | |||||||||||
| Former Operator | SMRT Buses Ltd | |||||||||||
| Former Depot | Kranji Bus Depot (KJDEP) Buses park at: Ulu Pandan Bus Depot (UPDEP) |
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| Former Fleet | 12-metre Single Deck Bus – Mercedes-Benz OC500LE |
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| Operating Hours | ||||||||||||
| Departure Times from Bukit Panjang Temp Bus Park |
Weekdays | Saturdays | Sundays / Public Holidays | |||||||||
| 05:55 – 18:34 | 05:55 – 13:00 | No Operation | ||||||||||
| Departure Times from Shenton Way |
Weekdays | Saturdays | Sundays / Public Holidays | |||||||||
| 06:30 – 19:30 | 06:30 – 14:00 | No Operation | ||||||||||
| Operating Frequency | ||||||||||||
| 6:30am–8.30am | 8.31am–4.59pm | 5.00pm–7.00pm | After 7.00pm | |||||||||
| From Bt Panjang Temp Bus Pk | 4 – 10 mins | 10 – 13 mins | 10 – 12 mins | – | ||||||||
| From Shenton Way |
13 mins | 9 – 13 mins | 10 – 11 mins | 11 mins | ||||||||
| Fare Information |
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| Fare | Charges regular distance fares |
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Service 700 was an express link between Bukit Panjang and the city areas of Bukit Timah, Orchard Road and Shenton Way, incorporating an express sector between Dairy Farm Road and Whitley Road along the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) and Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE).
This route operates either as Service 700 or 700A depending on times of day. Service 700, which serves the Central Business District around Shenton Way and Fullerton, operates on Weekdays from mornings to evenings, and Saturdays from mornings to mid-day. On Weekday nights, Saturday afternoon & nights, and on Sundays/Public Holidays, Service 700A will operate, looping at Suntec City and serving the Marina Centre area while skipping Fullerton and Shenton Way.
Double-deck buses were regularly deployed on Service 700 and 700A from 15 September 2014 till December 2019.
MRT / LRT Stations Served:
- DT1–BP6 Bukit Panjang
- BP8 Pending
- DT10 Stevens
- NS21–DT11 Newton
- NS22 Orchard
- NS23 Somerset
- NS24NE6CC1 Dhoby Ghaut
- DT21 Bencoolen
- CC2 Bras Basah
- EW13NS25 City Hall
- CC3 Esplanade
- EW14NS26 Raffles Place
- EW15 Tanjong Pagar
Route Variant:
- Service 700A: Bukit Panjang Temp Bus Pk ↺ Temasek Avenue (Loop)
Selected hours on Weekdays & Saturdays
Full day on Sundays / Public Holidays
Historical bits:
Originally introduced as Rapidbus 700 between Woodlands and Shenton Way in 1998, the pioneering service only calls at a limited number of bus stops along high demand corridors. Buses on the route were fitted with special transponders which retain the green light at selected traffic junctions until the bus has cleared the junction. The transponder trial was later discontinued. Buses also displayed the Rapidbus logo on the Electronic Display Signs. Rapidbus was discontinued in 1999, with 700 being shortened to Bukit Panjang – Shenton Way and converted to a regular trunk service. At the same time, the 700A variant was introduced, looping at Marina Centre.
Special Departures: (Former)
- Petir Road (Opp Blk 201) → Bukit Panjang Temp Bus Pk
Weekdays & Saturdays: 05:40 – 07:00, until the first bus from Shenton Way arrives
During Weekday Morning Peak hours, several Service 700 departures from Bukit Panjang Temp Bus Pk terminated at Shenton Way (Opp MAS Bldg), one bus stop before the route’s terminating point at Shenton Way Terminal (Former last stop: Palmer Rd – Aft Shenton Way). This is to facilitate quicker Off Service trips back to Bukit Panjang. This arrangement lasted till 23 Jun 2017, when Service 700 was amended into the relocated Shenton Way Terminal which does not allow passenger alighting, making Shenton Way – Opp MAS Bldg the last stop for Service 700.
On the last day of service (29 August 2020), the last bus departing Bukit Panjang at 13:00 was performed by SMB126G, and the last bus departing Shenton Way at 14:00 was performed by SMB125J. Both were Mercedes-Benz OC500LE buses.
Gallery (Buses):
Poster Gallery
Operator History:
- 31 August 1998 – 9 May 2004: Trans-Island Bus Services Ltd
- 10 May 2004 – 29 August 2020: SMRT Buses Ltd
History:
- 1998 (31 Aug): Introduced as Rapidbus 700 between Woodlands Reg Int and Shenton Way Ter
- 1999 (26 Dec): Shortened to Bt Panjang Int and revised to operate during the day on weekdays and Saturdays only under Bukit Panjang LRT Rationalisation
- 2000: Serves new bus stop before Goldhill Ave along Dunearn Rd
- 2000: Serves new bus stop after Shenton Way along Palmer Rd
- 2002 (07 Jul): Skips the bus stop outside Orchard Emerald along Orchard Rd
- 2002: Converted to regular trunk service, serving all bus stops along Bt Timah Rd/Dunearn Rd and Scotts Rd
- 2005 (02 Jul): Amended to ply Grange Rd and Orchard Link with the partial closure of Somerset Rd
- 2006 (18 Jun): Integrated with Service 921 and amended to ply Pending Rd, Petir Rd and Dairy Farm Rd
- 2006 (29 Oct): Serves relocated bus stop outside Orchard Stn along Orchard Turn
- 2009 (18 Jan): Serves 2 new pairs of bus stops after and before Chestnut Ave and before and after Dairy Farm Rd along Petir Rd
- 2012 (01 Jul): Designated wheelchair-accessible bus route (WAB)
- 2012 (16 Dec): Amended to Bukit Panjang Temp Bus Park with the closure of Bt Panjang Int
- 2013: Service improvement under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP)
- 2017 (25 Jun): Amended to relocated Shenton Way Bus Terminal
- 2020 (03 Aug): Announcement of Service Withdrawal on 16 Aug 2020
- 2020 (13 Aug): Service withdrawal announced to be postponed to 30 Aug 2020
- 2020 (30 Aug): Service withdrawn
Past Routings:
| Year | Direction 1 | Direction 2 |
| 1998 | Woodlands Reg Int, Woodlands Ave 5, Marsiling Rise, Marsiling Rd, Marsiling Lane, Marsiling Dr, Marsiling Rd, Woodlands Centre Rd, Woodlands Ave 3, Woodlands Rd, Bt Panjang Rd, BKE, PIE, Whitley Rd, Dunearn Rd, Scotts Rd, Orchard Rd, Bras Basah Rd, Nicoll Highway, Fullerton Rd, Collyer Quay, Raffles Quay, Shenton Way, Palmer Rd and Shenton Way Ter. | Shenton Way Ter, Palmer Rd, Anson Rd, Cecil St, Collyer Quay, Fullerton Rd, Nicoll Highway, Stamford Rd, Penang Rd, Somerset Rd, Orchard Turn, Orchard Blvd, Paterson Rd, Scotts Rd, Bt Timah Rd, Whitley Rd, PIE, BKE, Bt Panjang Rd, Woodlands Rd, Woodlands Ave 3, Woodlands Centre Rd, Marsiling Rd, Marsiling Dr, Marsiling Lane, Marsiling Rd, Marsiling Rise, Woodlands Ave 5 and Woodlands Reg Int. |
| 1999 | Bt Panjang Int, Jelebu Rd, Bt Panjang Rd, BKE, PIE, Whitley Rd, Dunearn Rd, Scotts Rd, Orchard Rd, Bras Basah Rd, Nicoll Highway, Esplanade Dr, Fullerton Rd, Collyer Quay, Raffles Quay, Shenton Way, Palmer Rd and Shenton Way Ter. | Shenton Way Ter, Palmer Rd, Anson Rd, Cecil St, Collyer Quay, Fullerton Rd, Esplanade Dr, Stamford Rd, Orchard Rd, Penang Rd, Somerset Rd, Orchard Turn, Orchard Blvd, Paterson Rd, Scotts Rd, Bt Timah Rd, Whitley Rd, PIE, BKE, Bt Panjang Rd, Jelebu Rd and Bt Panjang Int. |
| 2005 | Bt Panjang Int, Jelebu Rd, Bt Panjang Rd, BKE, PIE, Whitley Rd, Dunearn Rd, Scotts Rd, Orchard Rd, Bras Basah Rd, Nicoll Highway, Esplanade Dr, Fullerton Rd, Collyer Quay, Raffles Quay, Shenton Way, Palmer Rd and Shenton Way Ter. | Shenton Way Ter, Palmer Rd, Anson Rd, Cecil St, Collyer Quay, Fullerton Rd, Esplanade Dr, Stamford Rd, Orchard Rd, Penang Rd, Somerset Rd, Grange Rd, Orchard Link, Orchard Turn, Orchard Blvd, Paterson Rd, Scotts Rd, Bt Timah Rd, Whitley Rd, PIE, BKE, Bt Panjang Rd, Jelebu Rd and Bt Panjang Int. |
| 2006 | Bt Panjang Int, Jelebu Rd, Bt Panjang Rd, Pending Rd, Petir Rd, Dairy Farm Rd, BKE, PIE, Whitley Rd, Dunearn Rd, Scotts Rd, Orchard Rd, Bras Basah Rd, Nicoll Highway, Esplanade Dr, Fullerton Rd, Collyer Quay, Raffles Quay, Shenton Way, Palmer Rd and Shenton Way Ter. | Shenton Way Ter, Palmer Rd, Anson Rd, Cecil St, Collyer Quay, Fullerton Rd, Esplanade Dr, Stamford Rd, Orchard Rd, Penang Rd, Somerset Rd, Grange Rd, Orchard Link, Orchard Turn, Orchard Blvd, Paterson Rd, Scotts Rd, Bt Timah Rd, Whitley Rd, PIE, BKE, Dairy Farm Rd, Petir Rd, Pending Rd, Bt Panjang Rd, Jelebu Rd and Bt Panjang Int. |
| 2012 | Bt Panjang Temp Bus Park, Woodlands Rd, Bt Panjang Rd, Pending Rd, Petir Rd, Dairy Farm Rd, BKE, PIE, Whitley Rd, Dunearn Rd, Scotts Rd, Orchard Rd, Bras Basah Rd, Nicoll Highway, Esplanade Dr, Fullerton Rd, Collyer Quay, Raffles Quay, Shenton Way, Palmer Rd and Shenton Way Ter. | Shenton Way Ter, Palmer Rd, Anson Rd, Cecil St, Collyer Quay, Fullerton Rd, Esplanade Dr, Stamford Rd, Orchard Rd, Penang Rd, Somerset Rd, Grange Rd, Orchard Link, Orchard Turn, Orchard Blvd, Paterson Rd, Scotts Rd, Bt Timah Rd, Whitley Rd, PIE, BKE, Dairy Farm Rd, Petir Rd, Pending Rd, Bt Panjang Rd, Woodlands Rd and Bt Panjang Temp Bus Park. |
| 2017 | Bt Panjang Temp Bus Park, Woodlands Rd, Bt Panjang Rd, Pending Rd, Petir Rd, Dairy Farm Rd, BKE, PIE, Whitley Rd, Dunearn Rd, Scotts Rd, Orchard Rd, Bras Basah Rd, Nicoll Highway, Esplanade Dr, Fullerton Rd, Collyer Quay, Raffles Quay, Shenton Way and Shenton Way Ter. | Shenton Way Ter, Prince Edward Rd, Shenton Way, Palmer Rd, Anson Rd, Cecil St, Collyer Quay, Fullerton Rd, Esplanade Dr, Stamford Rd, Orchard Rd, Penang Rd, Somerset Rd, Grange Rd, Orchard Link, Orchard Turn, Orchard Blvd, Paterson Rd, Scotts Rd, Bt Timah Rd, Whitley Rd, PIE, BKE, Dairy Farm Rd, Petir Rd, Pending Rd, Bt Panjang Rd, Woodlands Rd and Bt Panjang Temp Bus Park. |
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Pingback: Financial pragmatism or strategic shift? Questioning the motives behind bus service 167's initial cancellation - Gutzy Asia
This may sound extreme but can benefit buses 66, 67, 170, 171, 700 and 972/M (assuming 66 and 171 hasn’t been shortened and 700 hasn’t been withdrawn): CLOSE DTL from Bukit Panjang to Botanic Gardens.
66 is Jurong East – Beauty World, but in my opinion it could have went to Queen Street to replace service 170 because the DTL2 is full at that moment.
The problem of shortening bus services/or even withdrawal in Singapore, is equivalent to London’s shortening of bus services as well. Since then, the bus routes that faced the axe is – 74e, 128, 147e, 151e, 167e, 188R, 402, 700, 926, 963R, 971, NR1, NR2, NR3, NR5, NR6, NR7, NR8, 1N, 2N, 3N, 4N, 5N, 6N, CT8 and CT18. Or goes to the rationalisation of 2A, 7A, 7B, 12e, 22, 65, 66, 117A/B, 506, 851e and 960e. It comes at the severe financial stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.
No point for 700 to extend to Gali Batu as it will make the demand more super lower. Eventhough I regretted that I missed 700/700A, but can you be more sensible in some things?
700/700A was withdrawn on 30 August 2020 due to LOW demand and alot of duplication along the routing. Felt bad for Petir/Pending, but the route along the way, demand is NOT sustainable. Even goes to Gali Batu or whatsoever, many along that Bukit Panjang Road section mostly can take 190.
Even I upset when 700/700A was withdrawn, but please use some sense why needs to be withdrawn in the first place. There’s other ways can help like amending 972M or whatsoever. Reintroducing 700 is not even a good idea as it will be deemed as useless.
Why need to withdraw 700? Reintroduce this bus service, extend it to gali batu and make it full day. No need for 700A, and withdraw bus 972M