The Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) Rail Bridging Service (or TEL Free Shuttle Bus Service / TEL Bridging Bus) is an emergency bus service which is provided in the event of a Train Service Disruption involving the Thomson-East Coast Line
When a section of the Thomson-East Coast Line is suspended, this service may be activated to ferry affected commuters between affected stations, hence minimizing the impact of rail disruptions on commuters. This service may also be activated should there be a significant addition of expected travelling time along the TEL.
Activation:
When the TEL free bridging bus service is activated along a specific stretch of the TEL, information will be disseminated through SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA)’s media platforms. The service will only stop at specific bus boarding points (either at bus stops or bus interchanges) which are marked out in the ticket concourse of every station.
This service is offered for free, in addition to free bus boarding of regular bus services during a disruption.
Route Map:
Route changes effective 6 Dec 2026.
Preview upcoming →
94039 Bef Bayshore Stn Exit 3 TE29 Upp East Coast Rd
93201 Victoria Sch TE28 Marine Parade Rd
92079 Marine Terr Stn Exit 1 TE27 Marine Parade Rd
92059 Marine Pde Stn Exit 6 TE26 Marine Parade Rd
92049 Marine Pde Stn/Parkway Pde TE26 Marine Parade Rd
82059 Bef Tg Katong Stn Exit 3 TE25 Tg Katong Rd Sth
91081 Aft Katong Pk Stn Exit 2 TE24 Fort Rd
90049 Tanjong Rhu Stn Exit 1 TE23 Tg Rhu Rd
03361 Gardens by the Bay Stn Exit 2 TE22 Marina Gdns Dr
03539 Marina Bay Stn NS27 TE20 CC33 Central Blvd
03129 UIC Bldg TE19 Shenton Way
05241 Opp Blk 333 TE18 Kreta Ayer Rd
05019 Aft Duxton Plain Pk EW16 NE3 TE17 New Bridge Rd
06081 Havelock Stn Exit 3 TE16 Zion Rd
06131 Aft Blk 87 TE15 Zion Rd
13191 Opp Orchard Stn Exit 12 NS22 TE14 Paterson Rd
09131 Opp Orchard Blvd Stn TE13 Grange Rd
13011 Napier Stn Exit 2 TE12 Napier Rd
40231 Raffles Town Club DT10 TE11 Whitley Rd
52219 Bef Caldecott Stn Exit 3 CC17 TE9 Toa Payoh Rise
53051 Upp Thomson Stn Exit 5 TE8 Upp Thomson Rd
53349 Bright Hill Stn Exit 1 TE7 Sin Ming Ave
54191 Mayflower Stn Exit 2 TE6 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4
55019 Aft Lentor Stn Exit 4 TE5 Yio Chu Kang Rd
56091 Springleaf Stn Exit 3 TE4 Upp Thomson Rd
46989 W'lands Sth Stn Exit 1 TE3 Woodlands Ave 1
46639 W'lands Stn Exit 4 NS9 TE2 Woodlands Ave 2
47201 W'lands Nth Stn TE1 Woodlands Nth Coast Rd
47201 W'lands Nth Stn TE1 Woodlands Nth Coast Rd
46631 W'lands Stn Exit 5 NS9 TE2 Woodlands Ave 2
46981 W'lands Sth Stn Exit 2 TE3 Woodlands Ave 1
56099 Springleaf Stn Exit 2 TE4 Upp Thomson Rd
55011 Bef Lentor Stn Exit 5 TE5 Yio Chu Kang Rd
54199 Bef Mayflower Stn Exit 3 TE6 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4
53341 Bright Hill Stn Exit 2 TE7 Sin Ming Ave
53059 Upp Thomson Stn Exit 2 TE8 Upp Thomson Rd
52211 Lighthouse Sch CC17 TE9 Toa Payoh Rise
40239 Bef Stevens Stn Exit 4 DT10 TE11 Whitley Rd
13019 Napier Stn Exit 1 TE12 Napier Rd
09139 Orchard Blvd Stn Exit 1 TE13 Grange Rd
13199 Aft Orchard Stn Exit 12 NS22 TE14 Paterson Rd
13119 Great World Stn Exit 3 TE15 Kim Seng Rd
06129 Grand Copthorne Hotel TE16 Kim Seng Rd
05012 Bef Pearl's Hill Terr EW16 NE3 TE17 Eu Tong Sen St
05269 Maxwell Stn Exit 2 TE18 Sth Bridge Rd
03111 Aft Capital Twr TE19 Robinson Rd
03391 Marina Bay Financial Ctr NS27 TE20 CC33 DT17 Marina Blvd
03369 Gardens by the Bay Stn Exit 1 TE22 Marina Gdns Dr
90041 Tanjong Rhu Stn Exit 2 TE23 Tg Rhu Rd
91089 Opp Katong Pk Stn TE24 Fort Rd
82051 Aft Tg Katong Stn Exit 2 TE25 Tg Katong Rd Sth
92041 Marine Pde Stn Exit 2 TE26 Marine Parade Rd
92051 Marine Pde Stn Exit 4 TE26 Marine Parade Rd
92071 Marine Terr Stn Exit 4 TE27 Marine Parade Rd
93031 Siglap Stn/Opp Victoria Sch TE28 Marine Parade Rd
94031 Opp Bayshore Stn Exit 3 TE29 Upp East Coast Rd
This route will start from 6 Dec 2026.
← View current route
47201 W'lands Nth Stn TE1 Woodlands Nth Coast Rd
46631 W'lands Stn Exit 5 NS9 TE2 Woodlands Ave 2
46981 W'lands Sth Stn Exit 2 TE3 Woodlands Ave 1
56099 Springleaf Stn Exit 2 TE4 Upp Thomson Rd
55011 Bef Lentor Stn Exit 5 TE5 Yio Chu Kang Rd
54199 Bef Mayflower Stn Exit 3 TE6 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4
53341 Bright Hill Stn Exit 2 TE7 Sin Ming Ave
53059 Upp Thomson Stn Exit 2 TE8 Upp Thomson Rd
52211 Lighthouse Sch CC17 TE9 Toa Payoh Rise
40239 Bef Stevens Stn Exit 4 DT10 TE11 Whitley Rd
13019 Napier Stn Exit 1 TE12 Napier Rd
09139 Orchard Blvd Stn Exit 1 TE13 Grange Rd
13199 Aft Orchard Stn Exit 12 NS22 TE14 Paterson Rd
13119 Great World Stn Exit 3 TE15 Kim Seng Rd
06129 Grand Copthorne Hotel TE16 Kim Seng Rd
05012 Bef Pearl's Hill Terr EW16 NE3 TE17 Eu Tong Sen St
05269 Maxwell Stn Exit 2 TE18 Sth Bridge Rd
03111 Aft Capital Twr TE19 Robinson Rd
03391 Marina Bay Financial Ctr NS27 TE20 CC33 DT17 Marina Blvd
03369 Gardens by the Bay Stn Exit 1 TE22 Marina Gdns Dr
90041 Tanjong Rhu Stn Exit 2 TE23 Tg Rhu Rd
91089 Opp Katong Pk Stn TE24 Fort Rd
82051 Aft Tg Katong Stn Exit 2 TE25 Tg Katong Rd Sth
92041 Marine Pde Stn Exit 2 TE26 Marine Parade Rd
92051 Marine Pde Stn Exit 4 TE26 Marine Parade Rd
92071 Marine Terr Stn Exit 4 TE27 Marine Parade Rd
93031 Siglap Stn/Opp Victoria Sch TE28 Marine Parade Rd
94031 Opp Bayshore Stn Exit 3 TE29 Upp East Coast Rd
94051 Opp Temasek Sec Sch Upp East Coast Rd
94071 Opp Bedok Camp 2 Upp East Coast Rd
94079 Bedok Camp 2 Upp East Coast Rd
94059 Temasek Sec Sch Upp East Coast Rd
94039 Bef Bayshore Stn Exit 3 TE29 Upp East Coast Rd
93201 Victoria Sch TE28 Marine Parade Rd
92079 Marine Terr Stn Exit 1 TE27 Marine Parade Rd
92059 Marine Pde Stn Exit 6 TE26 Marine Parade Rd
92049 Marine Pde Stn/Parkway Pde TE26 Marine Parade Rd
82059 Bef Tg Katong Stn Exit 3 TE25 Tg Katong Rd Sth
91081 Aft Katong Pk Stn Exit 2 TE24 Fort Rd
90049 Tanjong Rhu Stn Exit 1 TE23 Tg Rhu Rd
03361 Gardens by the Bay Stn Exit 2 TE22 Marina Gdns Dr
03539 Marina Bay Stn NS27 TE20 CC33 Central Blvd
03129 UIC Bldg TE19 Shenton Way
05241 Opp Blk 333 TE18 Kreta Ayer Rd
05019 Aft Duxton Plain Pk EW16 NE3 TE17 New Bridge Rd
06081 Havelock Stn Exit 3 TE16 Zion Rd
06131 Aft Blk 87 TE15 Zion Rd
13191 Opp Orchard Stn Exit 12 NS22 TE14 Paterson Rd
09131 Opp Orchard Blvd Stn TE13 Grange Rd
13011 Napier Stn Exit 2 TE12 Napier Rd
40231 Raffles Town Club DT10 TE11 Whitley Rd
52219 Bef Caldecott Stn Exit 3 CC17 TE9 Toa Payoh Rise
53051 Upp Thomson Stn Exit 5 TE8 Upp Thomson Rd
53349 Bright Hill Stn Exit 1 TE7 Sin Ming Ave
54191 Mayflower Stn Exit 2 TE6 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4
55019 Aft Lentor Stn Exit 4 TE5 Yio Chu Kang Rd
56091 Springleaf Stn Exit 3 TE4 Upp Thomson Rd
46989 W'lands Sth Stn Exit 1 TE3 Woodlands Ave 1
46639 W'lands Stn Exit 4 NS9 TE2 Woodlands Ave 2
47201 W'lands Nth Stn TE1 Woodlands Nth Coast Rd
Technical Information
Route Woodlands North Coast Rd (Woodlands North MRT) ↔ Upper East Coast Road (Bayshore MRT)
Passes Through Specific Thomson-East Coast Line
Fare Free Travel
Operator Information
Current Operators SBS Transit Ltd Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd
Current Fleet Any Public Bus
Departure Times Activated and withdrawn only when disseminated
Routes are compiled based on observations during a rail disruption.
Operator Information
TE1 Woodlands North – TE9 Caldecott SMRT Buses Ltd TE9 Caldecott – TE22 Gardens by the Bay Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd TE22 Gardens by the Bay – TE29 Bayshore SBS Transit Ltd
As SMRT Trains SMRT Buses Ltd
MRT Stations Served:
Recent History of Activation
Date Sector Served Disruption Reason
4 Dec 2020
Woodlands North ↔ Woodlands South
Signalling Fault
27 Apr 2022
Woodlands North ↔ Caldecott
Track Signal Fault
6 Jul 2022
Woodlands North ↔ Caldecott
Signal Fault
25 Dec 2022
Caldecott ↔ Gardens by the Bay
Train Fault
6 Jan 2023
Woodlands North ↔ Gardens by the Bay
Train Fault
2 Feb 2023
Woodlands North ↔ Orchard
Train Fault
7 Mar 2023
Caldecott ↔ Orchard
Train Fault
12 Aug 2023
Woodlands North ↔ Lentor
Train Fault
6 Nov 2023
Orchard ↔ Gardens by the Bay
Signalling Fault
1 Jul 2025
Caldecott ↔ Gardens by the Bay
Signalling Fault at Orchard
17 Sep 2025
Woodlands North ↔ Bayshore
Signal Fault
3 May 2026
Woodlands North ↔ Marina Bay
Signalling Fault
Gallery:
See Also
External Links & References
Back to Rail Bridging Services
Continued on Page 2 – Full Gallery
does Rhu cross not have height restrictions? surely can’t be that WB buses are all SD
Why does Bus stops at Lighthouse Sch (TE9) and Aft Capital Twr (TE19) not have a code with it? They operate Caldecott and Shenton Way, respectively.