Changi Airport Bus Plan 1983 (25 Jun 1983 – Present)

Following the controversies of the supplementary airport bus services jointly operated by SSB and various Scheme B bus operators, SBS proposed a second bus plan for Changi Airport in May 1983, absorbing their existing airport bus services, as well as the other airport bus services under SSB.

The following changes were implemented under the new bus plan from Saturday, 25 June 1983:

CAS Service 390: Route extended to loop at Orchard Road from its present terminus at Queen Street, starting operations from Changi Airport PTB
CAS Service 391: Route integrated with Bus Service 9, which was extended from Changi Village to CACC
CAS Service 392: Route integrated into new Bus Service 24, operating between Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Somapah and Changi Airport PTB
CAS Service 394: Route integrated into new Bus Service 24, operating between Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Somapah and Changi Airport PTB
CAS Service 395: Route integrated with Bus Service 9, which was extended from Changi Village to CACC
SSB Service 727: Route integrated into new Bus Service 24, operating between Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Somapah and Changi Airport PTB
SSB Service 737: Route integrated into new Bus Service 149, operating between Toa Payoh, Kallang Basin, Marine Parade and Changi Airport PTB
SSB Service 747: Route integrated into new Bus Service 149, operating between Toa Payoh, Kallang Basin, Marine Parade and Changi Airport PTB
SSB Service 757: Route converted to new peak hour Bus Service 57, operating between Queenstown and Changi Airport PTB

Subsequent Bus Service Changes

Summary of Subsequent Bus Service Changes (Refer to subsequent paragraphs for more details):

1985 (9 Jun): Bus Service 29 introduced between Tampines and Changi Airport Cargo Complex via Upp Changi Rd Nth
1986 (16 Feb): Bus Service 390 extended to Holland Fringe Car Park
1987 (19 Apr): Bus Service 57 (Buona Vista – Changi Airport PTB) discontinued
1988 (24 Jan): Bus Service 27 introduced between Tampines and Changi Airport PTB
1989 (11 Jun): Bus Service 390 reverted to loop at Orchard Rd
1990 (13 Oct): Opening of Changi Airport PTB 2
1992 (29 Nov): Bus Service 9 shortened to Bedok; Bus Service 27 extended to Pasir Ris; Bus Service 29 shortened to end at Changi Village after 19:30 daily
1993 (5 Dec): Bus Service 16 extended to Changi Airport; Bus Services 149 & 390 discontinued
1994 (23 Jan): Bus Service 19 introduced between Tampines and Changi Airport Cargo Complex via Loyang Ave; Bus Service 29 shortened to Changi Village permanently
1994 (31 Jan): Bus Service 16E introduced between Bukit Merah and Changi Airport, skipping Old Airport Rd, Joo Chiat & Marine Parade
1995 (23 Apr): Bus Service 27 reverted to Tampines; Bus Service 34 introduced between Bedok and Changi Airport; Bus Service 53 extended to Changi Airport via Pasir Ris
1997 (2 Nov): Bus Service 858 extended to Changi Airport
1997 (1 Dec): Bus Service 16E re-numbered as Bus Service 36
1998 (6 Sep): Bus Service 36 amended to start from Changi Airport and shortened to loop at Orchard Rd via Marine Parade and Marina Centre
1999 (5 Dec): Bus Service 89 introduced between Hougang, Sengkang, Pasir Ris and Changi Airport Cargo Complex
2000 (3 Sep): Express Bus Service 506 extended to Changi Airport
2000 (24 Nov): Nite Owl Bus Service 36M introduced, plying the same route as Bus Service 36 during midnight on Fridays, Saturdays & eves of PHs
2001 (9 Mar): NightRider Bus Service NR13 introduced between Lor 1 Geylang and Changi Airport
2001 (5 Aug): Bus Service 989 introduced between Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Batok and Changi Airport
2001 (1 Dec): NightRider Bus Service NR13 discontinued
2001 (7 Dec): Nite Owl Bus Service 36M discontinued
2002 (15 Sep): Bus Service 34 discontinued; Express Bus Service 506 reverted to Bedok
2003 (27 Jul): Bus Service 989 discontinued
2005 (31 Jul): Bus Service 34 re-introduced between Punggol, Tampines and Changi Airport
2005 (19 Sep): Fast Forward Bus Service 89e introduced between Hougang, Sengkang, Pasir Ris and Changi AirFreight Centre, skipping Pasir Ris completely
2007 (11 Nov): Opening of Changi Airport PTB 3
2014 (15 Dec): Bus Service 35 extended to Airport Logistics Park of Singapore (ALPS), providing a new alternative route for existing commuters of Bus Services 9, 19, 89 & 89e
2017 (22 Oct): Opening of Changi Airport PTB 4 (with Bus Services 24, 34 & 36 amended only); Bus Service 110 introduced between Sengkang and Changi Airport

Due to persistently low ridership, peak hour Bus Service 57 between Buona Vista and Changi Airport PTB was eventually discontinued by SBS in 1987.

With the completion of Tampines New Town in the late 1980s, SBS launched 2 bus services to connect the new town with the CACC and Changi Airport PTB – Bus Service 29 in 1985 and Bus Service 27 in 1988.

In 1990, Terminal 2 of Changi Airport opened for passenger service. All existing bus services (24, 27, 149 & 390) were amended to serve the new PTB in Changi Airport T2, on top of the existing PTB in Changi Airport T1.

Under the Transitlink Integration Exercise, Bus Service 9 was shortened to Bedok from Geylang in 1992 to reduce its duplication with the East West Line (EWL). At the same time, Bus Service 27 had its route extended to Pasir Ris, providing greater accessibility between the new estate and the airport.

Under the final phase of the exercise, Bus Service 149, which operated between Toa Payoh and Changi Airport, was integrated with existing Bus Services 16 and 31. As a result, the former was extended from Marine Parade to Changi Airport, while the latter was extended from Kallang Park to Toa Payoh. At the same time, Bus Service 390 was also discontinued, officially marking the end of the first generation airport bus services under SBS.

The discontinuation of Bus Service 390 led to some discontent among former commuters of the service, who appealed to SBS to reinstate the bus service. In response, SBS introduced a new semi-express Bus Service 16E the following month, which utilised express sectors along the East Coast Parkway (ECP) and skipped Marine Parade, Joo Chiat and Dakota completely. Bus Service 16E was eventually re-numbered as trunk Bus Service 36 in 1997, and extended its route into Marine Parade and Marina Centre in 1998.

Similar discontent was also expressed by commuters of Bus Service 29, which took a long detour via Upp Changi Rd North and Changi Village before entering the CACC. This was due to the fact that when Bus Service 29 was first introduced in 1985, Loyang Ave was still under construction, which meant that the bus service could only use Upp Changi Rd to get to CACC. To provide a faster journey for commuters, Bus Service 19 was introduced by SBS in 1994, using the more direct Loyang Ave to travel between Tampines and CACC and permanently replacing Bus Service 29, which was shortened to Changi Village at the same time.

With the opening of the Tampines Expressway (TPE) and the extension of the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) in the late 1990s, more bus services were introduced to serve Changi Airport and Changi AirFreight Centre:

Bus Service 53 was extended to Changi Airport from Hougang South via Pasir Ris on Sunday, 23 April 1995, permanently displacing the role of Bus Service 27 in Pasir Ris. On the same day, Bus Service 34 was introduced as a day service between Bedok and Changi Airport, but took a different route from the defunct Bus Service 394.
Bus Service 858 was extended to Changi Airport from Yishun on Sunday, 2 November 1997, becoming the first bus service by Trans-Island Bus Service (TIBS) to serve Changi Airport.
Bus Service 27 was extended from Tampines to Sengkang on Sunday, 25 July 1999. It was later further extended to Hougang on Sunday, 29 December 2002.
Bus Service 89 was introduced as a new service between Hougang, Sengkang, Pasir Ris and Changi AirFreight Centre from Sunday, 5 December 1999.
Express Bus Service 506 was extended to Changi Airport from Bedok on Sunday, 3 September 2000, becoming the first and only Express bus service to serve Changi Airport.
Bus Service 989 was introduced as a new service between Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Batok, Toa Payoh, Kallang Basin and Changi Airport from Sunday, 5 August 2001.

2 night buses also briefly operated in Changi Airport between 2000 and 2001 – Nite Owl Bus Service 36M to Orchard Road and NightRider Bus Service NR13 to Lorong 1 Geylang Bus Terminal.

With the opening of Changi Airport MRT station along the Changi Airport Extension of the EWL in 2002, Bus Services 34 and 506 were discontinued and reinstated back to Bedok respectively to reduce route duplication with the new MRT line. Bus Service 989 was also shortened to Lorong 1 Geylang Bus Terminal and re-numbered as Bus Service 985 in 2003.

To improve accessibility to the developing Punggol New Town and complement existing demand in Tampines New Town, SBS Transit introduced a new Bus Service 34 from Sunday, 31 July 2005.

To provide faster journeys between Hougang, Sengkang and the Changi AirFreight Centre, SBS Transit introduced a new Fast Forward Bus Service 89e from Monday, 19 September 2005.

In 2007, Terminal 3 of Changi Airport opened for passenger service. All existing bus services (24, 27, 34, 36, 53 & 858) were amended to serve the new PTB in Changi Airport T3.

In 2014, Bus Service 35 was extended from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to serve the Airport Logistics Park of Singapore (ALPS) on weekdays and Saturdays, providing greater accessibility for more airport workers.

In 2017, Terminal 4 of Changi Airport opened for passenger service. Three existing bus services (24, 34 & 36) were amended to serve the new PTB in Changi Airport T4. At the same time, a new Bus Service 110 was also introduced, connecting all 4 PTBs in Changi Airport directly with Sengkang New Town.