Tower Transit Bus Service 861 is a trunk service from Sembawang Int and looping at Khatib MRT Station, passing through Canberra, Yishun Avenue 6 and Yishun Avenue 1. It is the first bus service launched under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP).
Service 861 commenced service on 15 September 2024.
↺ Yishun Ring Rd (Loop)
Note:
- Service 861 stops at Bus Stop 58621 – Blk 126 CP, Canberra Street in both directions.
Check the bus destination before boarding.
| Route Overview | ||||||||||||
Route  |
Sembawang Bus Interchange ↺ Yishun Ring Road (Loop) | |||||||||||
| Passes Through | Canberra St, Yishun Ave 6, Yishun Ave 1 | |||||||||||
| Route Length |
21.8 km | |||||||||||
| Travelling Time | 100 mins | |||||||||||
| Operator Information | ||||||||||||
| BCM Route Package | Sembawang–Yishun Bus Package | |||||||||||
| Current Operator | Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd (Tower Transit Singapore) |
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| Current Depot | Mandai Bus Depot | |||||||||||
| Current Fleet | Single-deck buses | |||||||||||
| Operating Hours | ||||||||||||
| Departure Times from Sembawang |
Weekdays | Saturdays & Sundays / Public Holidays | ||||||||||
| 05:30 – 23:17 | 05:30 – 23:18 | |||||||||||
| A trip at 23:30 daily operates as Service 861A which terminates at Yishun Ring Rd (Khatib Stn Exit D). | ||||||||||||
| Departure Times from Yishun Ring Rd (Khatib Stn Exit D) |
Weekdays | Saturdays | Sundays / Public Holidays |
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| 06:00 – 23:58 | 06:00 – 23:59 | 06:00 – 23:58 | ||||||||||
| Operating Frequency | ||||||||||||
| Loop Service | 6:30am–8.30am | 8.31am–4.59pm | 5.00pm–7.00pm | After 7.00pm | ||||||||
| Weekdays |
10 – 12 mins | 10 – 12 mins | 10 mins | 12 – 13 mins | ||||||||
| Saturdays | 12 mins | 12 mins | 12 mins | 12 mins | ||||||||
| Sundays / Public Holidays | 12 mins | 12 mins | 12 mins | 12 mins | ||||||||
| Fare Information |
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| Fare | Charges regular distance fares |
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Service 861 is a trunk service that enhances connectivity to new and existing residential developments around Canberra and Yishun East, linking them with Sembawang, Canberra, and Khatib MRT stations.
The sector between Sembawang and Canberra estate is also nearly identical to Bus Service 883, and offers a quicker route to Sembawang Int by skipping Sembawang Dr.
Major schools and amenities served by this service include:
- Sun Plaza
- Bukit Canberra
- Canberra Plaza
- Chongfu Primary School
- Northland Secondary School
- Wisteria Mall
- Naval Base Primary School
- Chung Cheng High School (Yishun)
- Khatib Polyclinic
After Khatib MRT Station, the service skips stops along Yishun Ring Rd, Yishun Ave 3 and Yishun Ave 2 to loop back along Yishun Ring Rd towards Sembawang. The skipping of stops along this sector could be to facilitate a future route amendment that results in Service 861 skipping this sector, as was the case for Bus Service 20 between 2013 and 2017, when it skipped stops along Upp Changi Rd East and Xilin Ave before its route amendment to Somapah Rd.
Some of the service details were announced in a Facebook Post by Mr Chee Hong Tat, Minister for Transport, Second Minister for Finance and MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC on 29 August 2024.
Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme
Service 861 is the first new bus service introduced under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP), a ~$900 million government scheme to fund the purchase of new buses, infrastructural improvements, and operating cost of new bus services between 2024–2032.
Like the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) that came before it, the first bus service under the BCEP will serve the Yishun housing estate. In October 2012, Bus Service 860 was the first bus service introduced under the BSEP.
MRT Stations Served
Special Departures:
- Yishun Ring Rd (Khatib Stn Exit D) → Sembawang Int
Daily: 06:00
Short Trip Service
- Service 861A: Sembawang Int → Yishun Ring Rd (Khatib Stn Exit D)
Daily: 23:30
Gallery:
Operator History:
- 15 Sep 2024 – Present: Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd
This route’s Bus Service Operating License (BSOL) will be renewed in 2026 under the Sembawang–Yishun Bus Package.
History:
- 2024 (15 Sep): Introduced between Sembawang Int and Yishun Ring Road (Loop) under the LTA’s Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP).
This is my just my honest personal opinion. It seems Tower Transit are given towns and packages which have plenty of room to expand. They got new services in the form of 801, 871 and now 861. They got to operate new Tengah Int with currently being the only operator there and they also got Jurong Town Hall int, also the anchor operator. Is LTA focusing too much on Jurong East, Tengah and Yishun? What about other operators and towns?
A quick check on Tower Transit anchor interchanges:
– Yishun Bus Interchange
– Sembawang Bus Interchange
– Jurong East Bus Interchange
– Jurong Town Hall Bus Interchange
– Tengah Bus Interchange
– Bukit Batok Bus Interchange
– Lorong 1 Geylang Terminal (Possibly will change to Kallang Bus Interchange in the near future)
– Chencharu Bus Interchange (In the planning)
Not to mention they are the tenant operator and have quite a number of services at Woodlands ITH and Clementi Bus Interchange.
Well, LTA didn’t plan for this. Just so happened the towns are under TTS.
Anyway, upcoming buses r in Punggol, Toa Payoh, Tampines, none under TTS.
And I hope Chencharu will be taken under Seletar (SBS)
Woodlands is still anchored by SMRT so it’s unlikely to change much. Any new feeder or trunk from Woodlands ITH will be operated by SMRT Buses since it is the anchor. I think 169, 858, 963, 963e, 965, 966 and 969 can all be reallocated back to Woodlands Bus package and return to SMRT control, once Simpang Depot is operational.
Meanwhile, SMRT’s bus interchanges, including upcoming:
Boon Lay ITH
Bukit Panjang ITH
Choa Chu Kang Int
Joo Koon ITH
Woodlands ITH
Woodlands TBI
Total = 6 bus interchanges.
The Woodlands TBI is forcefully add in one.
But anyway, the scale of operations same as Tower Transit’s Jurong Town Hall Bus Interchange.
Same number as Tower Transit.
Also, who say Chencharu will definitely be under Yishun-Sembawang? It may potentially be under Seletar.
But anyway, no favoritism.
TT 6, SMRT also 6.
GA unfortunately only 2 so far.
SBS dun need say. According to Wikipedia, got 16 bus interchanges operated by them.
That’s why, SBS losing one bus package of 2 bus interchanges do not mean anything to them. They are too big already.
TT, SMRT and GA combined just 14 bus interchanges only.
At least two more bus interchanges should go to a non-SBS operator, so that can one-on-one with the giant SBS on bus interchange operations.
But anyway, I think TT max out already. SMRT probably also. GA has room for expansion; currently only 2 bus interchanges, should get at least 4 more bus interchanges.
GA’s Loyang bus package will get Punggol Coast ITH in the future.
If GA can get Sengkang-Hougang bus package, this means they would get Buangkok ITH, Sengkang ITH (most probably Compassvale Int will close after Buangkok ITH open) and Hougang Central Int.
If TT, SMRT and GA can get 6-6-6 each, total 18.
SBS by then would have 12 left. Still 2x more bus interchanges than the other operators.
Okay, the above is a little bit over elaborated. But anyway, I don’t think the intention is to practice favoritism on Tower Transit.
Reason I already explain above already. In the long run, the number of bus interchanges probably will be equal among TT, SMRT and GA.
Well Kallang Int might change bus package to Serangoon-Eunos.Chencaru might be TTS and SBST will be the tenant operator.Yishun feeders might goes to Sembawang-Yishun once 169,856,858,963/e,965,966 & 969 to Woodlands once Simpang Depot is operational.
282,284 & 285 will go to Clementi package.
169 and 825 better off in Seletar.
Oh, not a feeder after all, and no worries about clearing Yishun Int! But I worry whether it’s smart to cover so many areas at once (Yishun East, Canberra, Yishun Industrial), after the terror of Bus 871 (Tengah, Bukit Batok North, Beauty World).
Seems like it will amend to Chencharu Int in the future
Future of new bus service,Short distance trunk and feeders…Why can’t even go to Sengkang area from Sembawang?
Because… LTA love making us transfer buses. For Sembawang, take 858 then 965. That’s how they want us to ride lor, a bit lame
Sooo…that’s how they solve the problem of Yishun ITH not having enough space. Don’t put it at Yishun!
Anyway BSEP 1st service was 860. BCEP 1st service is 861.
Oh you’re right! 860 & 861 lucky stars
Coincidence? I think not
This is one long bus route, just like bus service 991 (also serving new estates, in Bukit Batok and Choa Chu Kang).