Cross-Border Public Bus Services have resumed operations on Sunday, 1 May 2022. These include:
- SBS Transit Bus Services 160, 170, 170X
- SMRT Bus Service 950
- Transtar Bus Services TS1, TS3, TS6, TS8
- Causeway Link Bus Services CW1, CW2, CW5 & CW4G /Â CW7
- Singapore-Johore Express
The Vaccinated Travel Bus Services operated by Transtar Travel & Handal Indah Sdn Bhd (Causeway Link) were withdrawn from 1 May 2022. The last day of service was on Saturday, 30 April 2022.
Other Causeway Link Cross-Border Bus Services will resume at a later date.
Gradual resumption of other bus services:
SBS Transit & SMRT
Singapore-based bus operators SBS Transit and SMRT Buses have resumed Bus Services 160, 170, 170X and 950, offering frequent bus departures across the Causeway.
| 160 | Jurong East Interchange ↺ JB Sentral Terminal via Choa Chu Kang / Bukit Panjang · Woodlands Rd · Kranji MRT · Woodlands CIQ · JB CIQ |
| 170 | Queen Street Terminal – Larkin Terminal via Bukit Timah · Upper Bukit Timah · Woodlands Rd · Kranji MRT · Woodlands CIQ · JB CIQ |
| 170X | Kranji MRT – JB Sentral Terminal via Woodlands CIQ · JB CIQ |
| 950 | Woodlands Interchange ↺ JB Sentral Terminal via Marsling MRT · Woodlands CIQ · JB CIQ · JB Sentral |
Refer to the individual articles for bus routes and departure timings.
On the first day of operations (1 May), Service 160/170X/950 buses carried signages advising that buses would not call at JB Sentral Terminal. This arrangement was understood to be a temporary measure, with buses turning back at JB CIQ instead. JB Sentral can be reached from JB CIQ via a short walk.
Travel Tips:
- Transferring between these services is allowed at checkpoints, subject to prevailing distance-based fare transfer rules
- Cash fare payment in Malaysian Ringgit is allowed when boarding in Johor Bahru and may be cheaper than contactless card payment. Please check with the Bus Captain for the bus fare.
- Despite the wheelchair-accessible bus fleet deployed, cross-border travel is not allowed for passengers-in-wheelchair
- Free WiFi is offered on SBS Transit Services 160, 170 and 170X
Causeway Link
Causeway Link has resumed CW1, CW2, CW5 & CW7, thus offering full-day bus services across the Causeway and Tuas Second Link.
| CW1 | Larkin Terminal – Kranji MRT via JB CIQ · Woodlands CIQ |
| CW2 | Larkin Terminal – Queen Street Terminal via JB CIQ · Woodlands CIQ |
| CW5 | JB CIQ – Newton Circus via Woodlands CIQ |
| CW7 | Tuas Link MRT – CIQ Second Link |
| (Short Trip CW4G) Gelang Patah – CIQ Second Link via Nusa Perintis |
Refer to the individual articles for bus routes and departure timings.
For the Causeway routes, boarding points in Singapore are Kranji MRT / Queen Street Ter / Newton Circus only. On the JB side, a connecting service CWL connects Larkin Terminal with JB CIQ, with through-ticketing offered for CW1/2/5 commuters.
For the CIQ Second Link routes, only CW4G and CW7 are offered, connecting Gelang Patah to Tuas Link MRT. The remaining CW routes have yet to resume.
Travel Tips:
- Causeway Link has increased fares since pre-COVID times; please check with ground staff for the new fares
- Contactless card payment via Manjalink is allowed on cross-border services
- The operating hours of Causeway Link services from Singapore are shorter than that of SBS Transit. After the last CW1 departs Kranji at 2330hrs, passengers can still rely on Bus Service 170 (last bus is ~1:05 am from Opp Kranji Stn)
Singapore Johore Express
Singapore-Johore Express resumes its single route between Queen Street and Larkin
| SJE | Queen Street Terminal – Larkin Terminal via Woodlands CIQ · JB CIQ |
Transtar
Transtar Travel operates TS-prefixed routes that operate at infrequent intervals as follows:
| TS1 | Changi Airport – JB CIQ via Expo · Woodlands MRT · Marsiling MRT · Woodlands CIQ |
| TS3 | Marina Square – JB CIQ via Marina Bay Sands · Telok Ayer · Chinatown · Woodlands · Woodlands CIQ |
| TS6 | Buona Vista MRT – Gelang Patah Sentral via one-North MRT · Kent Ridge MRT · AYE · Jln Ahmad Ibrahim · Gul Circle MRT · Tuas West Road MRT · Tuas Link MRT · Tuas CIQ · CIQ Second Link |
| TS8 | Resorts World Sentosa – JB CIQ via Cantonment Link · Outram Park MRT · Great World · Scotts/Stevens/Whitley Road · Woodlands CIQ |
Refer to the individual articles for bus routes and departure timings. Take note that Service TS3 only operates 2 departures in each direction on weekdays, which reduces to just 1 departure on weekends. Ticketing is available via the Transtar Travel website.
New Bus Fleet for Cross-Border Public Buses
SBS Transit will operate Bus Services 160, 170 & 170X using Mercedes-Benz Citaro, MAN A22 (Euro V)Â and MAN A22 (Euro VI) buses which have recently been registered for Cross-Border operation.
These buses replace the former Scania K230UB (Euro IV) fleet deployed on its cross-border bus services prior to the Malaysia Movement Control Order in March 2020.
Operator Posters
7 B2 E6 A95 & 13 B9TL WEG cover for those remaining 20 CDGE B9TL.
62 E6 A22,18 B3 E5 A22 & 25 Citaro enough to cover remaining B1 E4 & some B2 E4 KUB.
TTS start their pattern to send more SG plate buses to storage and keep on maximise fleets.
Question is,where do the 39 B2 E5 A22 will go?
1. Stay in Storage
2. 62 E6 A22, 18 B3 E5 A22 & 25 Citaro i dont think is enough to replace the remaining KUBS E4 if u include the refurbished ones. If u didnt include the refurb ones, it should be enough. If not, likely those 39 B2 E5 A22 would help with the E4 KUB replacement…unless they plan to replace the E5 KUBS as well though i doubt it is a smart move considering the E5 KUBS recently gotten refurbished
3. Go over to TTS most likely compared to GAS in my opinion.
4. Preparing for another operator to snatch a bus package and send these buses to the choosen one
I think if GAS bag Seletar,LTA will ask for more SG Citaro to be leased over to SBST and GAS might be force to lease those SMB A22.
If GAS bags seletar, u think SBS will transfer their MAN A24 to GAS?
So guess AC 7 will be withdrawn. ? So far no news of change of operater or anything abt this service. Cos i dont think that advance c company is capable of operating. Even while while on service they were providing lousy shity service. I hope they give AC 7 to be operated by SMRT.
Better give to TTS operate as 870..
AC7 better off extended to compassvale and operated by GAS
Causeway Link buses also starting their cross-border services too
CW1, CW2, CW5, CW7 starts 1 may
CW3, CW4, CW6 starts 1 june
LTA will try hard to get rid of those SBST-owned buses as they’re paying lease fee to SBST.Scania replacement will be electric buses gradually.
Not sure if all electric buses will be a good idea though…Btw u think lta will try hard to get rid of smrt citaros as well too? Recently the E5 KUBS are getting refurbished as well, feel that lta is already planning the retirement. After that, sbs would be left with their WEG2 B9TL Batch 1 which all is under sbs and not under another operator. With the refurbishment of the E5 KUBS, the next models to get refurbished is likely the Citaro SBS Batch 1 or B9TL WEG2 Batch 1…
Seems like some MAN A22 Euro V & VI are being taken from 16/16M. In exchange those Euro V KUBS and Ex Surviving SPAD Euro IV KUBS went to 16/16M to cover those missing spots. Good thing sbs make good use of those KUBS that withdraw from 160/170, LTA would likely send those Euro IV EX SPAD KUBS to laid up….Actually i was thinking, those on 160A Citaros can get SPAD registered while the KUBS run on 160A.
Ok so here the deployments that should be done:
160 –> MAN A22 Euro V & VI, Not enough? Use SG Citaros
170 –> SG Citaros, should add more buses maybe
160A –> KUBS can be use while Citaros can go over to 160/170
57 –> Right now have 4 spots missing, send all the Euro V KUBS over there
16/16M –> Still two spots missing, send maybe 2 Euro IV KUBS/2 Euro V KUBS or 1 and 1.
139 literally have so many MAN A22 Euro VI, some can get swap out for Euro IV/V KUBS or Citaros. If enough for cross border svrs, spread those MAN A22 Euro VI across all sbs services
Extras:
179 –> Six Spots missing, Bring in two MAN A95 Euro VI Batch 1 and Four Volvo B9TL WEG2
156 –> One spot missing, just send in 1 Mercedes Benz Citaro to fill in.
46 –> One Spot missing, send in 1 Volvo B9TL WEG2
22 –> 2 spots missing, since 22 is all KUBS, bring in two Euro V KUBS
24 & 27 –> 1 spot missing in both, send two Citaros in
25 –> Still 3 Spots empty, likely will be fill in by 3 Volvo B9TL WEG2
31 –> Already have 11 MAN A95 Euro VI, two spots missing, can send in Volvo B9TL WEG2 instead.
7 –> 1 spot missing, 1 Volvo B9TL WEG2/MAN A95 Euro V can send in
9 –> 1 spot missing, Likely will be fill by 1 Volvo B9TL WEG2
5 –> Its sole MAN A22 Euro VI was transfered for cross border svrs, replacement should be a Citaro or Euro V KUB
10 –> 1 spot missing, 1 Volvo B9TL WEG2/ MAN A95 Euro VI can send in
120 –> Send in 1 Citaro for full fleet of Citaros
121 –> 1 spot missing, 1 Citaro/1 Euro V KUB
122 –> 3 spots missing, either Citaro or Euro V KUB
123M –> 1 spot missing, Euro V KUB can send in
124 –> 1 spot missing, Euro V KUB can send in
Okay so since its only less than two years left for majority of the Euro IV KUBS because lets face it, more will be taken out in 2023 or even late 2022. There are still many of them on services especially feeders even unrefurbished ones. I honestly think sbs have stop refurbishing the Euro IV ones and did it on the Euro V Instead now.
They should do this:
1) Make sure theres enough buses(mostly single deck buses) lease some from lta if not enough. Bus fleet: Euro V KUBS, Citaros, MAN A22 Euro V/VI but majority likely the first two.
2) Take out all unrefurbished Euro IV Buses first
3) Prioritise Feeder services. Bishan & Toa Payoh since most are elderly, the Euro IV unrefurb can be replaced by most Euro V KUBS
4) Afterwards when lifespan expiry for the Refurbished Euro IV KUBS is near, take out all the remaining ones and throw in whatever buses left.
More will be taken out only if they have purchased:
50 Volvo BZL electric double decker buses
200 Yutong hydrogen buses
Didnt Lta pledge from now on only to buy pure electric buses? Btw some services still have missing slots from the early retirement of the Euro III Volvo B9TL CDGE & Euro IV Scania K230UB like Service 25 despite the Depot which in this case has plenty of B9TL WEG2 to slot in. Whats with the delay and i notice serveral buses from some sbs buses have either gotten their B9TL WEG2 swap with MAN A95 or MAN A95 swap with B9TL WEG2 and the ones that get swap out gets send to other services or stay in depot. Whats up with it? The most notable swapping to me is: 161, 168, 114…etc