Double-Deck Bus Testing at Changi Airport

A Double-Decker Bus was spotted on test at Changi Airport on Wednesday morning, 26 June 2019.

A SMRT Volvo B9TL bus, SG5517G, was photographed at the Departure Hall of Changi Airport Terminal 3. It is said that the trial was conducted together with the Land Transport Authority and Changi Airport Group. (Photo: Behold Our Outstanding Buses Singapore)

A unique sight to behold this morning, SG 5517G was spotted at Singapore Changi Airport as SMRT Buses conducted double…

Posted by Behold Our Outstanding Buses Singapore on Tuesday, 25 June 2019


Double-decker buses should be deployed on airport services to cater to the high loading levels. However, airport bus services only can use single-deck and articulated (bendy) buses due to height limits at the basement of Changi Airport PTB 1, 2 and 3.

Increased ridership has caused overcrowding problems on these bus services, notably SMRT Bus Service 858 and SBS Transit Bus Service 53. SMRT Buses deployed MAN A24 bendy buses since late-2015 to cope with high loading levels. Following the opening of JEWEL Changi Airport, more bendy buses were deployed, and buses operated additional trips from Changi Airport in the evening.

Road infrastructure has to be made double-decker friendly first before such buses can be deployed on airport services. While the departure halls of Terminal 1 and 3 are able to cater to double-deckers, there is a 4.0m height limit on the slip road entering Terminal 2 Departure Hall. In addition, buses will have to ply a circuitous route involving U-Turns to get in between departure halls.

Hopefully, double-deckers can be deployed on airport services in the near future for a more comfortable journey!


Contingency Plan

Currently, public buses serving Changi Airport may be diverted to call at the departure halls of Terminals 1, 2 & 3 if the basement is closed due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. accident or vehicle breakdown).

Terminal 3 Departure Hall

During the Early Closure, Late Opening & Sunday Closures on the East-West Line from January 2018 to April 2018, Shuttle 8 and Express 12  buses used Terminal 3 Departure Hall Gate 8 as a Pick-Up and Drop-Off Point.


References
See also

32 thoughts on “Double-Deck Bus Testing at Changi Airport

  • 27 June 2019 at 4:39 PM
    Permalink

    I think they should replace the underground Changi Airport bus station to the departure hall of Changi Airport

    Reply
    • 28 June 2019 at 12:15 PM
      Permalink

      Agree, maybe its time to build a full-fledged bus interchange (could have done so as part of Jewel in my opinion) and stop using the underground bus stations. The 3 security checks can then be reduced to 1 – better efficiency.

      Reply
  • 27 June 2019 at 12:52 PM
    Permalink

    Maybe for Shuttle 8 & Express 12.
    Or 858M which starts from Yishun to the departure hall.

    Reply
  • 26 June 2019 at 11:19 PM
    Permalink

    This trial will eventually fail.

    Reply
    • 27 June 2019 at 5:08 PM
      Permalink

      Hopefully it will succeed

      Reply
    • 28 June 2019 at 4:30 PM
      Permalink

      Why? As in my below reply to your claim that DDs are less efficient than single deckers and bendies, using double deckers isn’t necessarily bad on these high demand routes.

      Reply
  • 26 June 2019 at 11:11 PM
    Permalink

    Too bad this is not Hong Kong. Single Deckers and bendies are more reliable. This is a waste of time for this trial. Save it.

    Reply
    • 27 June 2019 at 5:08 PM
      Permalink

      No it is not.

      Reply
    • 28 June 2019 at 12:10 PM
      Permalink

      Our land mass smaller than HK and our population density is quite similar. Bendies are not exactly suitable here.

      Reply
    • 28 June 2019 at 2:25 PM
      Permalink

      It’s not just 858 and 53 with overcrowding. It’s every single airport service.

      Reply
    • 28 June 2019 at 4:27 PM
      Permalink

      Not necessarily. Although DD buses take longer to load and unload, their increase in capacity over rigid and bendy buses on crowded routes tend to overweigh the downsides to DDs. In fact, the single deckers on 858 and 110 spend way more time than an average DD bus at each bus stop as SMRT employees at some stops attempt to cram more people into the buses.

      Reply
  • 26 June 2019 at 8:40 PM
    Permalink

    Should introduce new bus service to Changi Airport from the western part of Singapore

    Reply
    • 27 June 2019 at 8:49 PM
      Permalink

      Can consider a new svc from Choa Chu Kang, pass by Bt Panjang using either BKE/PIE or BKE/SLE/TPE.
      Alternatively, on top of DTL, Bt Panjang aldy has five existing svcs 190, 700, 960, 971E and 972 which goes to town. Can consider amending one to continue along PIE towards Airport.

      Reply
    • 28 June 2019 at 10:26 AM
      Permalink

      Like i said many times, the west is well connected to the EWL, which is direct to CA interchange at tanah merah. No need to waste precious resources to add an airport route that could significantly see travel time to 4 hours to and fro. 67 is a great example.

      Reply
      • 29 June 2019 at 10:26 AM
        Permalink

        I agree that the West does not deserve a direct bus to the Airport. Look at ex 989 for example, people simply prefer to take the MRT. Furthermore, with the CRL coming up, i do not see a need to introduce a useless service that will end up duplicating 966 or 985.

        Reply

Leave a Reply to Pubg Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *