Tower Transit Bus Service 963 is a trunk route linking Woodlands Bus Interchange and HarbourFront Interchange, passing through Marsiling, BKE, Bukit Panjang, Upper Bukit Timah, Hillview, Bukit Batok, Toh Tuck, AYE, Alexandra and Telok Blangah. It has an express variant, Express 963e, which operates during Weekday Peak hours.
963
| Route Overview | ||||||||||||
Route  |
Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub ↔ HarbourFront Bus Interchange | |||||||||||
| Passes Through | Woodlands Ave 3, Petir Rd, Upp Bt Timah Rd, Hillview Ave, Bt Batok East Ave 3, AYE, Alexandra Rd, Telok Blangah Rd | |||||||||||
| Route Length | Towards HarbourFront: 29.8 km | Towards Woodlands: 29.2 km | ||||||||||
| Travelling Time | 85 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 & Double-deck buses | |||||||||||
| Operating Hours | ||||||||||||
| Departure Times from Woodlands |
Daily | |||||||||||
| 05:50 – 23:30 | ||||||||||||
| Departure Times from HarbourFront |
Daily | |||||||||||
| 06:00 – 23:30 | ||||||||||||
| Operating Frequency | ||||||||||||
| Weekdays | 6:30am–8.30am | 8.31am–4.59pm | 5.00pm–7.00pm | After 7.00pm | ||||||||
| From Woodlands | 6 – 14 mins | 9 – 14 mins | 11 – 14 mins | 12 – 16 mins | ||||||||
| From HarbourFront |
12 – 14 mins | 7 – 14 mins | 7 mins | 10 – 14 mins | ||||||||
| Fare Information |
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| Fare | Charges regular distance fares |
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Service 963 is an inter-town route serving between the residential towns of Woodlands, Bukit Panjang, Hillview, Bukit Batok and Telok Blangah. Its direct nature makes it a fast connection between various points on its route. The route compliments Service 97 between AYE – HarbourFront, Services 176 and 970 between Hillview – Bukit Panjang, and Services 187 and 966 between Bukit Panjang – Woodlands. Demand for the service is moderate during offpeak hours, but receives high demand during the peak hours, and operates a proportionately large split-shift fleet along with high-capacity buses to cope with demand.
Originally introduced Express 521 in September 1999 with brand-new Hino HS3KRKK ‘smiley’ buses, its launch coincided with the extension of the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) scheme to outer ring roads, in an effort to encourage more commuters to opt for public transport. It charged discounted fares (normal air-con bus fares) during off-peak periods, and express fares during peak periods. Later in 2002, it was extended to Woodlands and downgraded to a regular trunk route, and renumbered as Service 963.
MRT/LRT Stations Served:
- NS9TE2 Woodlands
- NS8 Marsiling
- BP8 Pending
- BP7 Petir
- DT1–BP6 Bukit Panjang
- DT2 Cashew
- DT3 Hillview
- CC24 Kent Ridge
- CC27 Labrador Park
- CC28 Telok Blangah
- NE1CC29 HarbourFront
Special Departures:
- Bukit Panjang Rd (Blk 223) → HarbourFront Int
Weekdays: 05:35, 05:43, 05:51, 05:59, 08:22, 08:29, 08:37, 08:51 & 09:00
Saturdays: 05:45 & 05:56
Sundays / Public Holidays: 05:50 - Hillview Rd (Aft Hillview Stn) → HarbourFront Int
Weekdays: 05:45, 06:51 & 08:18 - Bukit Batok East Ave 3 (Opp Burgundy Hill) → Woodlands Int
Weekdays: 06:00, 06:09, 06:14, 06:19, 18:03 & 18:09
Saturdays: 06:00 & 06:12 - Jelebu Rd (Blk 180) → Woodlands Int
Weekdays: 06:46, 07:00, 07:14 & 07:20
Route Variant:
- Express 963e: Woodlands Int ⇌ HarbourFront Int
Weekdays Peak Hours
Gallery (Tower Transit):
Gallery (SMRT Buses) at Page 2.
Poster Gallery:
Operator History:
- 2002 – 2004: Trans-Island Bus Services Ltd
- 2004 – 18 Sep 2021: SMRT Buses Ltd
- 19 Sep 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:
Express 521:
- 1999 (01 Sep): Introduced between Bt Panjang Ter and World Trade Ctr Ter, operating daily
- 1999 (26 Dec): Amended to Bt Panjang Int
- 2000: Serves additional pair of bus stops outside and opposite ITE Dover along AYE
- 2002 (29 Sep): Extended to Woodlands Reg Int, amended to ply Bt Batok East Ave 4, converted to trunk service and re-numbered Service 963
Service 963:
- 2002 (29 Sep): Re-numbered from Express Service 521 as a service between Woodlands Reg Int and World Trade Ctr Ter
- 2005 (12 Jun): Serves new bus stop outside Science Park along AYE
- 2005: Serves new staggered bus stop outside Hillington Green Condo along Hillview Ave, skipping the bus stop outside Hillview Heights
- 2010 (23 May): Skips temporarily abolished bus stop outside Assumption Voc Inst along Upp Bt Timah Rd to facilitate the construction of Cashew MRT station along the Downtown MRT Line
- 2015 (01 Mar): Serves reinstated bus stop outside Assumption Pathway Sch along Upp Bt Timah Rd
- 2015 (14 Jun): Designated wheelchair-accessible bus service (WAB)
- 2015 (27 Dec): Serves additional bus stop outside Hillview Stn along Upp Bt Timah Rd
- 2016 (12 Mar): Amended to Woodlands Temp Int
- 2017 (04 Sep): Serves the pair of bus stops outside and opposite Blk 180 along Jelebu Rd, skipping the pair of bus stops outside and opposite Bt Panjang Plaza
- 2021 (13 Jun): Amended to Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub
- 2021 (19 Sep): Operations transferred to Tower Transit under the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package
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That’s why ever since they took over bus planning,many service encountered dead mileage.LTA scholars are mostly ex-bus fans of both SBST & SMRT..Yet duh.I’ve been working for all 4 operators as BCs and depot personnel and the way LTA make instructions is beyond words especially towards SMRT,GAS & TTS.
I would gladly take 963,963e,963R exchange with 960,960e & 961.
bus 963, 965, 966 and 969 should be in woodlands bus package, same for 169.
Sembawang-Yishun and Woodlands Packages wanted to equalise actually………
They should stay with Mandai,963/e/R should go Woodlands exchange with 960,960e & 961.
Extend to Shenton Way Ter much better
Woodlands residents take 951E or NSL to Shenton Way, or even TEL from End-2021. 963 is meant for an upgrade from 521 to serve Woodlands, Bukit Panjang and Bukit Batok West. 963 terminating at HarbourFront is rather better than terminating at Shenton Way as it’s useless for many 963 residents.
If not you tell me WHY 963R is introduced?!?! Is meant for 963R direct access to RWS without the hassle walk to VivoCity via Sentosa Express or Boardwalk
Should be under Woodlands package in exchange for 961
Is up to LTA to decide though….. If 963 became Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package, so believed it. Although Marsiling side are Woodlands Package (except 966), is not depending on the direction, depending on LTA
Good service provided by SMRT bus captain whilst travelling on service 963 from Hillion Mall bus stop to BLK 289E Bukit Batok Ave 3. Bus driver waited for us to board when I alighted at Hillion mall from service 170 from Johor Bahru. The bus I took on 21/02/2019 at around 8 pm was Bus No SG 766D. Keep up your good work. Thanks.