An upcoming bus-themed resort development, The Bus Collective (then tentatively named The Bus Resort), was launched by tour agency WTS Travel in partnership with LHN Group and Sky Win Holding.
The resort is currently being built at Changi Village, in the empty space next to Changi Village Hawker Centre, and was initially expected to open in April 2023. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on 28 August 2022. Recruitment notices placed onsite in June 2023 referred to the development as “The Bus Collective”.
| Name | The Bus Collective |
| Operator | The Bus Hotel Pte Ltd |
| Address | 5 Telok Paku Road, Singapore 508883 |
The estimated date of completion for construction is Q3 2023, based on the project information board on site.
The Development
The resort development, which spans an area of more than 8,600 square metres, will feature twenty decommissioned public buses from SBS Transit that will be refurbished into accommodation rooms. Renders of the site also show 20 white buses distributed around the resort site.
In addition to creating a new tourist attraction in Changi Village, the resort project also wants to complement the upcycling of retired buses by creating new experiences for visitors through creative and sustainable means.
A night at The Bus Resort is expected to be priced around $300-400. Each bus-turned-room will have 28 sq m of floor space, with an additional 15 sq m area outside each room which can be used for barbecues.
Repurposed Buses
20 buses would be repurposed as accommodation rooms as part of The Bus Resort. A news article published by Today confirms that the buses for The Bus Resort were purchased from SBS Transit.
These buses are retired SBS Transit Scania K230UB (Euro IV) buses which first entered service between 2007-2009. The retirement of these buses commenced in 2022.
Back in July 2022, retired Scania K230UB (Euro IV) buses were spotted at 43 Keppel Road, a warehouse building owned by LHN Group. Buses parked there carried notices implying that these buses were among 20 units reserved for RVS Global, a local motor dealer.
When first spotted, these buses were received from SBS Transit with revenue service equipment removed (i.e. farecard readers, coin box, driver display consoles, etc.) but otherwise appear unmodified.
The product of further modification works was first seen in August 2022, when SBS8054T had most interior fittings, drivetrain components and electronics stripped out, leaving just the empty body shell on wheels. The exterior of these buses was also repainted white.
The 20 buses which are to be converted to accommodation rooms:
- SBS8045U, SBS8046S, SBS8049J, SBS8050D, SBS8054T, SBS8059E, SBS8060A, SBS8062U, SBS8066J, SBS8076E, SBS8115B, SBS8121H, SBS8130G, SBS8210J, SBS8257A, SBS8320A, SBS8408G, SBS8438U, SBS8443D & SBS8510T
Post-retirement modification works
In August 2022, the first of these modified buses was spotted at Keppel in a white base coat.
Nearly all interior fittings of the bus had been removed, with the exception of the driver’s cab area.
Some observed modifications include:
- Removal of all cabin interior fittings, including lights and air conditioning ducts
- Floorboards replaced with aluminium panels
- Inclined floorboard at the rear replaced with a flat podium
- Exit door removed, with entrance door fixed shut (door mechanisms removed)
- Smaller front wheel arch offering more interior space
- Bodywork patches over holes where equipment was once installed (such as coinbox, driver display units, EDS controller)
- Staircase between front/rear sections is offset to the left, where the fuel tank was formerly located
- Removed engine, transmission and radiator, leaving the engine bay now empty
- Removal of 2 of 4 rear wheel tyres
Further renovation work would be required to outfit these bus bodies for use as accommodation rooms, such as air-conditioning installation, plumbing, and interior fittings. More details will be added in the future.
Social media
Related:
External Links & References:
- 东南亚首个巴士度假村 2023年落户樟宜村 – Zaobao
- “退役”巴士变酒店客房！樟宜村将设东南亚首个巴士度假村 – 8world
- New resort at Changi Village to be built out of old buses – The Straits Times
- Resort with rooms made out of upcycled public buses to open at Changi Village in April 2023 – Today
- WTS Travel & Tours Pte Ltd Facebook Post
Page 2 – Gallery (Construction progress, buses at Keppel)
We’re already in April of 2023. The Bus Resort still isn’t opened yet…. 🤔
Use Volvo CDGE buses!
HOLY FUCK I WONT BUY A TICKET OF SGD300-400 SO FUCKIN EXPENSIVE
Amazing job! now bus enthusiast will enjoy LIVING in a BUS!!!
Very good move. Happy about this finally old buses being put to gd use in aingapore itself after lifespan instead of just scrapping. Would have been gd if the old Smrt hispano habits were used also n some DDs.
Should use all Hispano Habit bendies and Batch 3 VO3X double deckers.
how can use dds eno