The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has called a tender for the Tampines Bus Package on 19 December 2024, under Contract PT220: Bus Contracting – Tampines Bus Package.
As part of the Bus Contracting Model implemented in 2016, the LTA entered into a Negotiated Contract with SBS Transit to operate bus services under the Tampines Bus Package for an initial 8-year duration, ending in 2024. In November 2021, this contract was further extended for 1 year and 10 months (ending in July 2026), as part of an LTA–SBS Transit Framework Agreement that saw the Downtown Line transition to the New Rail Financing Framework (Version 2).
Bus services under the tendered package term from July 2026 will be operating out of the East Coast Bus Depot, which is expected to be completed and opened in 2026.
Bus Services
In response to queries by Lianhe Zaobao in December 2024, an LTA spokesperson revealed that the tendered package term for the Tampines Bus Package will commence in July 2026.
The package contains 27 bus services: 26 existing bus services, and one upcoming new service to be launched under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP) in 2025.
As of December 2024, the 26 existing bus services under the Negotiated Contract (PT207) of the Tampines Bus Package are:
| Service | Route | Type |
| 4 | Tampines ↺ Changi North Way | Trunk |
| 10 |
Tampines ↔ Kent Ridge | Trunk |
| 10e |
Bedok Road ⇄ Shenton Way / Anson Road | Express |
| 18 | Tampines North ↔ Bedok North Bus Depot | Trunk |
| 19 |
Tampines ↺ Airport Cargo Road | Trunk |
| 20 |
Tampines ↺ Changi Business Park Avenue 3 | Trunk |
| 23 | Tampines ↺ Rochor Canal Road | Trunk |
| 28 | Tampines ↔ Toa Payoh | Trunk |
| 29 | Tampines ↺ Changi Village | Trunk |
| 31 |
Tampines ↔ Toa Payoh | Trunk |
| 37 | Tampines ↺ Changi North Crescent | Trunk |
| 38 | Tampines ↔ Bedok | Trunk |
| 39 | Tampines Concourse ↔ Yishun | Trunk |
| 47 |
Changi Business Park ↺ Amber Road | Trunk |
| 65 |
Tampines ↔ HarbourFront | Trunk |
| 69 |
Tampines ↺ Bedok | Trunk |
| 72 |
Yio Chu Kang ↔ Tampines | Trunk |
| 81 |
Tampines ↺ Serangoon Central | Trunk |
| 127 |
Tampines ↺ Tampines Industrial Avenue 5 | Trunk |
| 129 |
Tampines North ↔ Saint Michael’s | Trunk |
| 291 |
Tampines ↺ Tampines Street 81 / Tampines Street 32 | Feeder |
| 292 |
Tampines ↺ Tampines Street 22 | Feeder |
| 293 |
Tampines ↺ Tampines Street 71 / Tampines Avenue 7 | Feeder |
| 296 | Tampines ↺ Tampines North Drive 2 | Feeder |
| 298 |
Tampines North ↺ Tampines Avenue 5 | Feeder |
| 513 | Tampines Avenue 5 ⇄ Shenton Way / Anson Road | Express |
Short Trip & Supplementary Bus Services
These services do not add to the overall service count for the bus package.
| Service | Route | Type |
| 20A |
Simei Street 1 (Blk 148) → Changi South Avenue 1 (Expo Stn Exit B) | Short Trip |
| 29A | Tampines → Tampines Avenue 7 (Blk 497D) | Short Trip |
| 31A | Tampines → New Upp Changi Road (Tanah Merah Stn Exit A) | Short Trip |
| 39A |
Pasir Ris Central (Opp Pasir Ris Stn Exit B) → Jalan Kayu (Aft Seletar Camp G) | Short Trip |
| 39B |
Punggol Way (Blk 220C) → Pasir Ris Central (Pasir Ris Stn Exit B) | Short Trip |
| 72A |
Yio Chu Kang → Hougang Central (Opp Hougang Ctrl Int) | Short Trip |
| 72B |
Yio Chu Kang → Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 (ITE Coll Ctrl) | Short Trip |
| 127A |
Tampines → Tampines North Drive 1 (Opp Blk 610C) | Short Trip |
| 129A | Tampines Avenue 1 (Temasek Poly East G) → Bartley Road (Bartley Stn Exit A) | Short Trip |
| 129B | Bartley Road (Gambir Ridge) → Tampines Avenue 1 (Opp Temasek Poly East G) | Short Trip |
| 291T |
Tampines ↺ Tampines Street 81 / Tampines Street 32 | Terminating Trip |
| 293T | Tampines ↺ Tampines Street 71 / Tampines Avenue 7 | Terminating Trip |
| 298X |
Tampines North ↺ Tampines Street 86 | Supplementary (Express Feeder) |
Bus routes primarily operate from Tampines, Tampines Concourse and Tampines North bus interchanges, where the awarded operator will likely be the anchor operator.
Tender Details
The contract listing in GeBIZ states a contact delivery date of 4 July 2031. Given a 5-year base period for BCM tendered contracts, this indicates a likely contract start date sometime in July 2026.
Similarly, East Coast Bus Depot is also projected to open in 2026. The multi-storey bus depot is part of the East Coast Integrated Depot site and can accommodate over 500 buses, including the capacity to charge about 240 electric buses.
LTA later confirmed the July 2026 start date, and that buses would be based at East Coast Depot.
The tender will close on 17 April 2025.
Tender Evaluation
In addition to the usual quality factors, LTA will also consider the bidders’ plans for operating an electric bus fleet, as revealed by the LTA spokesman to Lianhe Zaobao. The considerations include:
- Optimising the deployment of electric buses
- Maintenance of assets such as the electric buses and infrastructure
- Ensuring the safe operation of the electric buses
1st:SBST
2nd:GAS
3rd:TTS
4th:SMRT
If SBST retains Tampines Bus Package, Choa Chu Kang – Bukit Panjang Bus Package will lose from SMRT Buses to Go-Ahead Singapore as well as Sengkang – Hougang Bus Package will lose from SBST to SMRT Buses and this is how BCM works. If Cross Island Line is awarded to SMRT, Choa Chu Kang – Bukit Panjang Bus Package will take Go-Ahead Singapore and Sengkang – Hougang Bus Package will retain SBST or take SMRT Buses. If Cross Island Line is awarded to SBST, Sengkang – Hougang Bus Package will take SMRT Buses.