SMRT Bus Service 979

SMRT Bus Service 979 is a trunk service plying from Bukit Panjang and looping at Choa Chu Kang Crescent within the Yew Tee estate. It passes through Woodlands Road, Stagmont Ring, Choa Chu Kang Street 52 and Yew Tee MRT.

Launched on 27 December 2015 in tandem with the opening of Downtown Line Stage 2, it is the fifty-third (53rd) bus service to be introduced under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP).

Route Overview
Route	Bukit Panjang Bus Interchange ↺ Choa Chu Kang Crescent (Loop)
Passes Through	Woodlands Rd, Choa Chu Kang Nth 5, Choa Chu Kang St 52
Route Length	11.8 km
Travelling Time	60 mins
Operator Information
BCM Route Package	Choa Chu Kang–Bukit Panjang Bus Package
Current Operator	SMRT Buses Ltd
Current Depot	Kranji Bus Depot (KJDEP) Buses park at: Woodlands Bus Park
Current Fleet	Double-deck buses
Operating Hours
Departure Times from Bukit Panjang	Daily
	05:45 – 00:00
Operating Frequency
Loop Service	6:30am–8.30am			8.31am–4.59pm			5.00pm–7.00pm			After 7.00pm
	4 – 6 mins			5 – 12 mins			5 – 10 mins			6 – 14 mins
Fare Information
Fare	Charges regular distance fares

Service 979 is a residential trunk route serving within the housing estates of Yew Tee, connecting housing blocks along Choa Chu Kang Street 52 and Choa Chu Kang Crescent with connections to key transport nodes at Yew Tee MRT, as well as Bukit Panjang MRT / LRT. The route serves schools such as De La Salle School, and community amenities such as Bukit Panjang Plaza, Junction 10, Yew Tee Point, Limbang Shopping Centre and Yew Tee Community Building. It duplicates Service 302 between Choa Chu Kang Street 52 and its looping point.

This service is the fifty-third (53rd) bus service to be introduced under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) and is launched as part of the DTL2 Bukit Panjang Bus Service Enhancements in tandem with the opening of Downtown Line Stage 2. Additionally, this provides a vital link for Yew Tee residents to Bukit Panjang, the Downtown Line and thereafter to other towns and the City. Previously residents had to pass through Yew Tee or Choa Chu Kang if they relied solely on Service 302.

July 2018 Amendment / Service 979M Withdrawal

Service 979 was amended to ply Stagmont Ring, Choa Chu Kang Link & Choa Chu Kang North 5 instead of KJE from 22 July 2018, after road widening and modification works at the junction of Woodlands Road and Stagmont Ring was completed on 1 July 2018. This increased coverage along Choa Chu Kang North 5.

As a result, temporary Bus Service 979M was withdrawn on the same day of the amendment. The amended route covers part of Service 979M’s lost sector along Choa Chu Kang North 5.

Bus Service 979M was launched on 24 April 2016 to serve Choa Chu Kang North 5 residents with a direct link to Bukit Panjang MRT Station while modification works at the junction of Stagmont Ring & Woodlands Road were ongoing. Its last day of service was on 21 July 2018.

First Day of Operations

Service 979 offered free rides on 27 December 2015. Member of Parliament for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, Mr Alex Yam Ziming attended the official launch, riding the service from Yew Tee MRT Station to Bukit Panjang via Choa Chu Kang Crescent. Despite a full fleet of rigid MAN NL323F buses, a bendy bus, SMB8032R, was dispatched for one special trip from Yew Tee MRT to carry the MP and his party.

MRT / LRT Stations Served:

• DT1–BP6 Bukit Panjang
• NS5 Yew Tee

Special Departures:

• Choa Chu Kang Dr (Yew Tee Stn) → Bt Panjang Int
  Daily: 05:40 & 05:52

Gallery (Buses):

Poster Gallery:

Operator History:

• 2015 – Present: SMRT Buses Ltd

The Bus Service Operating License (BSOL) for this route will be renewed in 2026 under the Choa Chu Kang–Bukit Panjang Bus Package.

History:

• 2015 (27 Dec): Introduced between Bt Panjang Temp Bus Park and Choa Chu Kang Cres (Loop) under the LTA’s Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP). Wheelchair-accessible at launch
• 2017 (04 Sep): Amended to Bukit Panjang Integrated Transport Hub
• 2018 (22 Jul): Integrated with Service 979M and amended to ply Woodlands Rd, Stagmont Ring and Choa Chu Kang North 5
• 2020 (13 Apr): Last bus timing extended from 2345hrs to 0000hrs on weekdays, except public holidays
• 2023 (01 Apr): Last bus timing extended from 2345hrs to 0000hrs on Saturdays, Sundays & Public holidays

Past Routings

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