(Defunct) SMRT Express Bus Service 971E

Service 971E was renumbered to Service 971 and amended to ply Petir Road on Monday, 31 August 2020.

SMRT Express Service 971E was a Peak hour Express service between Bukit Panjang and Cecil Street / Anson Road, passing through PIE, Orchard Road and Shenton Way.

971E
48009 Bt Panjang Temp Bus Pk Woodlands Rd
44641 Blk 602 BP13 Bt Panjang Ring Rd
44651 Blk 617 Bt Panjang Ring Rd
44661 Blk 532 Jelapang Rd
44611 Blk 516 Jelapang Rd
44701 Blk 548B Segar Rd
44691 Blk 485 Segar Rd
44771 Fajar Stn BP10 Fajar Rd
44349 Bet Blks 443A/443B Fajar Rd
44339 Blk 442D Fajar Rd
44329 Bangkit Stn BP9 Bt Panjang Ring Rd
40239 Bef Stevens Stn Exit 4 DT10TE11 Whitley Rd
09219 Far East Plaza Scotts Rd
09047 Orchard Stn/Tang Plaza NS22TE14 Orchard Rd
09037 Bef Cairnhill Rd NS22TE14 Orchard Rd
08138 Concorde Hotel S'pore Orchard Rd
08057 Dhoby Ghaut Stn NS24NE6CC1 Orchard 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
03217 Opp AXA Twr EW15 Shenton Way
03223 Tanjong Pagar Stn Exit C EW15 Anson Rd
03151 Opp GB Bldg Cecil St
03021 Prudential Twr Cecil St
03223 Tanjong Pagar Stn Exit C EW15 Anson Rd
03151 Opp GB Bldg Cecil St
03021 Prudential Twr Cecil St
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
08111 Winsland Hse Penang Rd
08121 Somerset Stn NS23 Somerset Rd
09059 Somerset Youth Pk Grange Rd
09213 Thong Teck Bldg Scotts Rd
40231 Raffles Town Club DT10TE11 Whitley Rd
44321 Opp Bangkit Stn BP9 Bt Panjang Ring Rd
44331 Blk 239 Fajar Rd
44341 Blk 401A CP Fajar Rd
44779 Opp Fajar Stn BP10 Fajar Rd
44699 Blk 457 Segar Rd
44709 Blk 547C Segar Rd
44619 Blk 506 Jelapang Rd
44669 Opp Blk 532 Jelapang Rd
44659 Blk 537A CP Bt Panjang Ring Rd
44649 Blk 541A CP BP13 Bt Panjang Ring Rd
48009 Bt Panjang Temp Bus Pk Woodlands Rd

Note:

  • No boarding and alighting at Bt Panjang Temp Bus Pk.
Route Overview
Route WAB_logo_20px [AM]: Bukit Panjang Temporary Bus Park → Cecil Street (Prudential Tower)
[PM]: Anson Road (Tanjong Pagar Stn Exit C) → Bukit Panjang Temporary Bus Park
Passes Through Jelapang Rd, Fajar Rd, Segar Rd, Orchard, Dhoby Ghaut, Shenton Way
Route Length Towards Cecil St: 24.0 km Towards Bt Panjang Temp Bus Pk: 21.4 km
Traveling Time 80 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)
Former Fleet 12-metre Single Deck bus:
–
MAN A22
12-metre Double Deck bus:
– MAN A95
Operating Hours
Departure Times from Bt Panjang Temp Bus Pk
Weekdays, except Public Holidays
07:05 – 07:45
Departure Times from Anson Rd
Weekdays, except Public Holidays
18:05 – 18:30
Operating Frequency
From Bt Panjang Temp Bus Pk
6 – 7 mins
From Anson Rd
10 – 15 mins
Fare Information
Fare Charges express distance fares

Bus Service 971E connects residential estates in Bukit Panjang with Orchard Road and Shenton Way.

History

Introduced on 14 March 2011, Service 971E provides passengers in Bukit Panjang with alternative means of transport to the Orchard Road and Shenton Way. The limited rail connectivity in Bukit Panjang before the opening of Downtown Line 2 created a lucrative opportunity for direct bus services to the city, and this service had received many additional trips since its inauguration, from just 2 morning departures in March 2011, increasing to 7 morning and 3 evening departures by April 2013.

This service formerly had two major competitors in Bukit Panjang: Premium 555 (withdrawn in March 2017) and Premium 722. Both offer direct services to Shenton Way but charged higher fares (given their Premium designation). Alternatively, Service 700 (withdrawn in August 2020) plies from Bukit Panjang to Shenton Way via Orchard, but the hassle of transferring buses might not have appealed to many commuters. The later introduction of Service 972 (in November 2013) relieved much loading off this route by running parallel to it between Bukit Panjang and Dhoby Ghaut as a full-day service charging basic fares.

Despite the slightly higher express fares, many commuters prefer the direct express route to Shenton Way without the hassle of transferring buses. The route still encounters good passenger demand from passengers heading to Shenton Way.

As part of the opening of Bukit Panjang ITH, Bus Service 971E trips start from Blk 602, Bt Panjang Ring Rd in the morning, and evening trips terminate at Blk 541A CP, Bt Panjang Ring Rd, skipping Jelebu Rd in both directions.

Double-deck buses made a regular appearance on Bus Service 971E starting on 14 May 2018.

Following the controversy over Bus 700 withdrawal and Bus 171 & 972 amendment in August 2020, Express 971E was converted to trunk bus service 971 from 31 August 2020 while being amended to ply Petir Road with extended operating hours during weekday peak hours.

Departure Times

Weekdays, except Public Holidays

  • From Bukit Panjang Ring Road (Blk 602):
    07:10, 07:17, 07:24, 07:31, 07:38, 07:44 & 07:50
  • From Anson Road (Tanjong Pagar Stn Exit C):
    18:05, 18:15 & 18:30
MRT / LRT Stations Served

Gallery (Buses):

 

Poster Gallery:

Operator History:
  • 14 Mar 2011 – 28 Aug 2020: SMRT Buses Ltd

Renumbered to trunk Service 971 from 31 Aug 2020.

Route History:
  • 2011 (14 Mar): Introduced as a unidirectional morning peak hour express service from Bukit Panjang to Cecil Street. Operates two trips on weekday mornings
  • 2011 (28 Mar): 3rd Morning Peak departure from Bukit Panjang added
  • 2011 (29 Aug): Extended to operate between Anson Road and Bt Panjang Int during weekday evenings with 2 trips
  • 2011 (31 Oct): 4th Morning Peak departure from Bukit Panjang added
  • 2012 (16 Jul): 5th Morning Peak departure from Bukit Panjang added
  • 2012 (16 Dec): Amended to Bukit Panjang Temp Bus Pk, via Jelebu Road
  • 2012 (Dec): 6th Morning Peak departure from Bukit Panjang added
  • 2013 (15 Apr): 7th Morning Peak departure from Bukit Panjang and 3rd Evening Peak departure from Anson Road added
  • 2015 (17 Aug): Serves 2 new bus stops (44349 & 44339) along Fajar Rd
  • 2015 (07 Sep): Serves a new pair of bus stops (44701 & 44709) along Segar Rd
  • 2017 (04 Sep): Skips a pair of bus stops along Jelebu Rd as part of Bukit Panjang ITH Opening Route Amendments
  • 2017 (17 Sep): Designated wheelchair-accessible bus route (WAB)
  • 2020 (08 Apr – 01 Jun): Temporarily suspended due to Singapore COVID-19 Circuit Breaker Measures.
  • 2020 (31 Aug): Renumbered to trunk bus Service 971 and amended to ply Petir Road

Page 2 – Past Routing of Express 971E & Past Departure Timings

Back to Express Services
Back to Bus Services

3 thoughts on “(Defunct) SMRT Express Bus Service 971E

  • 18 August 2020 at 4:48 PM
    Permalink

    Just admend it to loop at Cecil Street and make it Full-day service.

    Reply
    • 26 August 2020 at 11:57 AM
      Permalink

      ????? Waste of resources

      Reply
      • 29 July 2023 at 9:24 PM
        Permalink

        They kinda did it by renumbering it to 971 and making it serve all bus stops along stevens and bras basah rd and making it a trunk service (however the service is now discontinued)

        Reply

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