Sengkang Bus Interchange

Sengkang Bus Interchange is an Integrated Transport Hub (ITH) located at Sengkang Town Centre, serving residential areas around Sengkang.

The interchange is the second air-conditioned bus interchange in Singapore, integrated within the Sengkang MRT/LRT station building, Compass One shopping mall and Compass Heights condominium. Nearby public amenities include the Sengkang Community Hub and Kopitiam Square.

Details

The Interchange:

Sengkang Bus Interchange is a bus station located in the residential town of Sengkang. Connecting with Sengkang MRT/LRT Station along the North East MRT Line and the Sengkang LRT Line, the interchange is a transport node for commuters heading in and out of town, allowing for convenient transfers between the rail network and the many bus services at the interchange.

Opened in January 2003, Sengkang Bus Interchange was the second Integrated Transport Hub (ITH) to be opened in Singapore, after Toa Payoh in May 2002. The interchange is integrated within the Sengkang MRT/LRT station building and the Compass One shopping mall, and at the same time, occupying the ground floor of Compass Heights condominium, hence combining retail, residential and transportation facilities under one roof.

The interchange has a single vehicular concourse area with a bus park in the middle. The passenger concourse wraps around the bus park, with four sawtooth boarding berths and a single linear alighting berth (with space for 2 buses). The bus park has a combined vehicular entrance/exit at a traffic light junction with Sengkang Square, and a smaller, exit-only lane in front of Berth B4 allows buses to exit left to Sengkang Square, bypassing the traffic light junction.

The interchange concourse has two pedestrian entrance/exits located along Sengkang Square. More entrance/exits are located within the interchange building, leading to Sengkang MRT/LRT station and Compass One.

Historical Background

The development of Sengkang as a new residential town in the late 1990s resulted in the need for a bus terminal. In June 1998, a roadside Sengkang Bus Terminal opened along Sengkang East Way, along with the introduction of Service 860 to Hougang Street 21 (Loop). Later that year, Services 864, 865 and 866 would be introduced.

The following year, in July 1999, a series of route handovers between TIBS and SBS led to SBS assuming control of bus services 864, 865 and 866 in Sengkang, after the company was awarded the operating license for the North East Line. More bus routes to Sengkang were rolled out later that same year.

On 28 April 2001, a proper Sengkang Temporary Bus Interchange was built at the junction of Senkang East Way and Compassvale Road to support the growing number of bus routes, and opposite the planned permanent bus interchange along Sengkang Square. Today, the sheltered passenger linkway between the bus stop Opp Blk 241 along Compassvale Road and Sengkang Bus Interchange is all that remains of the old Sengkang Interchange, which used to be a passenger waiting area for buses.

With the construction of the North East Line, an integrated transport hub (ITH) was planned for Sengkang. This would be the first time a bus interchange was integrated with a residential development, a concept widely used in Hong Kong and beginning to appeal to town planners, which had the advantage of convenience and saving precious land space.

On 18 January 2003, the new Sengkang Bus Interchange opened, which was fully integrated with Sengkang MRT/LRT station, Compass Point shopping mall (now Compass One) and Compass Heights condominium. Bus Services 27, 80, 86, 87, 371, 372, 501, 501# and 502 were relocated from the Temporary interchange to the new interchange that same day.

In 2016, a new extension of Sengkang Bus Interchange was built (Compassvale Bus Interchange). Compassvale Bus Interchange later closed on 1 December 2024.

Addition & Alteration Works

Sengkang Bus Interchange has been plagued with air-conditioning problems since its opening, resulting in fans and portable air-conditioners being deployed. A contract for Addition & Alteration Works at Sengkang Bus Interchange (Reference no. PT235) was awarded to Yuan Mei Chen (S) Pte Ltd for S$1.39 million in December 2015 to carry out air-conditioning, refrigeration and ventilation works.

Refrigerant pipe laying, installation of conduit and laying of electrical cables were conducted on several nights, where there is low commuter traffic. Works are expected to be completed by end July 2016.

Bus routes:

Service 27, which used to ply between Sengkang Bus Interchange and Changi Airport, was extended to Hougang Central Bus Interchange on 29 December 2002.

Service 85, 501, and 502, which used to ply from Sengkang Bus Interchange to HarbourFront, Marina Centre and Boon Lay respectively, were withdrawn or re-routed in the North East Line Rationalization Exercise to prevent duplication of the North East Line which opened in June 2003. Service 119 was introduced to replace a segment of Service 85’s route between Sengkang and Hougang Street 21.

Feeder service 371 was re-routed when the East loop of the Sengkang LRT was opened on 20 January 2003, and withdrawn following the opening of the West loop on 29 January 2005. Service 163A (later renumbered as 163M and subsequently withdrawn in 2019) was introduced to compliment the Sengkang West Loop, and runs at specific timings throughout the day. Service 371 was then reintroduced under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme to loop at Rivervale Cres in 2014.

On 21 October 2012, Service 119 was extended to terminate at Punggol Bus Interchange and no longer terminates at Sengkang.

Interchange facilities:

• Passenger Service Office (SBS Transit)
• Drivers lounge
• NTWU Canteen
• Boarding and alighting berths
• Information boards & Service guide racks
• Bus departure timing screens
• Retail outlets
• Top Up Kiosk
• Toilets

Bus Services:

Berth Allocation:

Sengkang Bus Interchange Extension

Initially referred to as the Sengkang Bus Interchange Expansion, Compassvale Bus Interchange was built across the road from Sengkang Bus Interchange to increase the capacity of the existing interchange, and is expected to cater to about 4 to 5 future Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) services.

Refer to the main article, Compassvale Bus Interchange, for more information.

Gallery:

External Links & References:

• Interchanges and Terminals – SBS Transit

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