Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub (or WITH) is located at Woodlands Town Centre, serving the Woodlands, Marsiling, and Admiralty regions. Nearby amenities include the Causeway Point Shopping Mall, Woods Square, Woodlands Civic Centre, and Woodlands Regional Library.
The interchange is the eleventh Integrated Transport Hub (ITH) in Singapore; referring to air-conditioned bus interchanges integrated with MRT stations and commercial developments. Although the interchange first opened in 1996 as Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange, it was closed between 2016-2021 for extensive upgrading works, during which it was replaced by Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange.
Rail connections are offered via Woodlands station along the North South Line (NSL) and Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL).
The interchange opened on 13 June 2021. All bus services at Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange shifted over to the new interchange, except Services 925, 950, 961 & 965 and their respective route variants, which remained at the old interchange.
Details:
Name | Woodlands Bus Interchange | 兀兰巴士转换站 |
Address | (Level B1) 30 Woodlands Avenue 2, Singapore 738343 |
BCM Route Package | Woodlands Bus Package |
Anchor Operator | SMRT Buses |
Bus Routes | 14 (SMRT Buses) 2 (SBS Transit) 7 (Tower Transit) |
Berths | 14 Boarding Berths, 2 Alighting Berths |
Rail Connection | NS9TE2 Woodlands |
Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub (WITH) is an underground bus interchange in Woodlands. Connecting with Woodlands MRT Station along the North South Line and Thomson-East Coast Line, the interchange is a key transport node for commuters, allowing for convenient transfers between the rail network and the many bus services at the interchange.
Opened on 13 June 2021, Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub is the eleventh Integrated Transport Hub (ITH) to be opened in Singapore. Built underneath the elevated NSL Woodlands MRT Station, the space-saving design was intended to free up valuable space around Woodlands Regional Centre for future development.
At 41,500 sq m, Woodlands ITH is the largest ITH in Singapore. The underground interchange has two pairs of access ramps for vehicular entry/exit; the West exit leads to Woodlands Avenue 3 and 5, while the East exit leads to Woodlands Avenue 2 and 7. The open-air bus park is located at the west end of the interchange, partially underneath the North South Line viaducts.
The basement passenger concourse is located underneath the elevated NSL station and fully air-conditioned. Access is offered from street level via lifts, escalators and staircases from ground level.
Unlike some of the Integrated Transport Hubs constructed before it, Woodlands ITH benefits from full-height glass walls separating the passenger concourse from the bus park. This maximizes the amount of natural lighting within the interchange and allows commuters to easily observe buses moving around the interchange.
Introduction Video:
Bus Services List:
Service | Berth | Destination | Remarks |
161 | B10 | Hougang Central | |
168 | B10 | Bedok | |
168A | B10 | Tampines Avenue 4 (Opp Tampines Stn/Int) | Short Trip Service |
169 | B2 | Ang Mo Kio | |
169A | B2 | Yishun Avenue 2 (Opp Yishun Stn) | Short Trip Service |
169B | B2 | Woodlands Avenue 8 (Bef W’lands Ind Pk E3) | Short Trip Service |
178 | B13 | Boon Lay | |
178A | B13 | Woodlands Road (Kranji Stn) | Short Trip Service |
187 | B9 | Boon Lay | |
856 | B11 | Yishun | |
856A | B11 | Woodlands Centre Road (W’lands Train Checkpt) | Short Trip Service |
856B | B11 | Canberra Road (Aft Admiral Hill) | Short Trip Service |
858 | B1 | ↺ Changi Airport | |
858A | B1 | Yishun Avenue 2 (Opp Yishun Stn) | Short Trip Service |
900 | B4 | ↺ Woodlands Avenue 1 | |
901 | B5 | ↺ Woodlands Avenue 6 | |
901M | B5 | ↺ Woodlands Avenue 7 | |
902 | B2 | Woodlands Avenue 9 (Republic Poly) | Weekday Morning Peak Hours during Republic Polytechnic School Term only |
903 | B4 | ↺ Woodlands Centre Road | |
903M | B4 | ↺ Marsiling Lane | Weekdays Morning & Evening Peak hours only |
904 | B5 | ↺ Woodlands Crescent | |
911 / 911T |
B6 | ↺ Woodlands Avenue 2 | |
B12 | ↺ Woodlands Centre Road | ||
911A |
B12 | Woodlands Street 13 (Blk 146) | Weekdays Evening Peak hours only |
912 / 912A | B7 | ↺ Woodlands Avenue 7 | |
912 / 912B | B12 | ↺ Woodlands Centre Road | |
912M | B12 | ↺ Woodlands Street 41 | [Till 10 Jan 2025] Weekdays Morning & Evening Peak Hours only |
913 / 913T | B3 | ↺ Woodlands Circle | |
B13 | ↺ Woodlands Avenue 3 | ||
913M | B13 | ↺ Woodlands Street 13 | |
960 | B14 | Marina Centre | |
960e | B14 | Marina Centre | Express Bus Service |
962 | B6 | ↺ Admiralty Street | |
963 | B9 | HarbourFront | |
963e | B9 | HarbourFront | Express Bus Service Weekday Morning Peak Hours only |
964 | B3 | ↺ Woodlands Link | |
966 | B11 | ↺ Marine Parade Road | |
966A |
B11 | Marine Parade Road (Marine Pde Stn Exit 2) | Short Trip Service |
969 | B2 | Tampines |
Notes:
Bus services 925, 950, 961 & 965 and their respective route variants will continue to operate from Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange:
In the event of an MRT service disruption affecting NSL Woodlands station, the boarding point for North South Line Free Bridging Bus services is also at Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange.
Berth Allocation:
Berth | Services |
A1 A2 | For Alighting |
B1 | 858/858A |
B2 | 169/169A/169B, 902, 969 |
B3 | 913 (Wdl Circle), 964 |
B4 | 900, 903/903M |
B5 | 901/901M, 904 |
B6 | 911 (Wdl Ave 2), 962 |
B7 | 912 (Wdl Ave 7), 912A |
A3 A4 | For Alighting |
B8 | – |
B9 | 187, 963/963e |
B10 | 161, 168/168A |
B11 | 856/856A/856B, 966/966A |
B12 | 911 (Wdl Ctr Rd)/911A, 912 (Wdl Ctr Rd)/912B/912M |
B13 | 178/178A, 913 (Wdl Ave 3), 913M |
B14 | 960, 960e |
The berth allocation is such that Berths 1 to 7 will depart towards the East exit, and Berths 8 to 14 depart towards the West exit, which means that buses do not have to turn back after picking up passengers. The only exceptions are Service 161 and 168 which depart at the east exit but are located at Berth 10.
Facilities:
- SMRT WeCare Concierge
- SMRT WeCare Room
- Priority Queue Zone Seats
- Bus Boarding Assistance Panel
- Dementia Go-to Point
- Heart Zone
- Tactile paving & NaviLens App for Navigation Assistance
- Information panels & Bus departure timing screen
- Passenger Service Offices (SMRT Buses & Tower Transit)
- NTWU Canteen
- Nursing Room
- SMRT Happy Toilets
- SimplyGo Kiosk (in SimplyGo Lobby)
- Top Up Kiosk
- Heritage Walkway
WITH was not launched with a service guide rack. Instead, QR codes were affixed to bus service berths that linked to TransitLink’s website for bus service information.
Interchange History
History of Bus Interchanges & Terminals in Woodlands (Click to expand)The history of bus termini in Woodlands started in the 1970s, in tandem with the construction of Woodlands New Town and the first Housing & Development Board (HDB) estates in Marsiling. Roadside bus termini were known to have existed at the time included:
- Marsiling Avenue (outside Marsiling Sch). The road has since been expunged; site of present-day HDB Marsiling Grove. Served by Bus Service 208.
- Marsiling Drive (outside Blk 1). Served by Bus Service 180 and 182.
- Rotherham Gate (H.M. Naval Dockyard). Served by Bus Service 160 in the early 1970s. Present-day Admiralty Road West (near Woodlands Causeway).
A centralised bus terminal was opened sometime around 1976 to serve the new HDB estate. Marsiling Bus Terminal was built off Admiralty Road, next to Block 19 and 20 where neighbourhood shops and the hawker centre were located. This terminal was also referred to as Admiralty Road Terminal and Woodlands Bus Terminal by bus literature at the time.
With the opening of Woodlands Town Centre next to Woodlands Checkpoint, Woodlands Bus Interchange was opened on 29 November 1981 to serve the new regional centre, which contained shops, eateries and a cinema, and was frequented by cross-border workers. The interchange featured 17 berths, and started with five bus services (169, 178, 181, 204, 208).
The bus interchange was planned and built by Singapore Bus Service (SBS), but ownership was taken over by the Government in 1983, and later transferred to the newly-formed Trans-Island Bus Service (TIBS), which gradually took over bus routes in Woodlands in stages between Apr-Oct 1983. Most bus routes were shifted from Marsiling Ter to Woodlands Int, with only a handful remaining at Marsiling, most notably Services 950, 951 and 952, which went to Shenton Way, Jurong and Marina Centre respectively.
1996 onwards: Relocation to Woodlands Regional Centre
When the Government announced plans to extend the North-South Line MRT from Yishun to Choa Chu Kang via Woodlands, there were accelerated plans to relocate and develop a new town centre for Woodlands, to be located at Woodlands Square.
Built at a cost of $34 million, the Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange was built underneath the elevated Woodlands MRT Station, with station facilities occupying the ground floor. This space-maximizing design was the first of its kind in Singapore and could accommodate both articulated and double-deck buses. It opened on 4 February 1996, and Woodlands MRT Station opened less than a week later, on 10 February 1996.
The reorganization of bus routes in Woodlands that accompanied the opening of Woodlands Regional Int led to the disuse of Marsiling Ter, with bus services being extended to the new interchange or withdrawn. As for Woodlands Int, Bus Service 901 remained at Woodlands Int for several more months until its withdrawal on 14 July 1996. Woodlands Int also continued to be used by Bus Service 900, 902 & 904 (later renumbered Intratown 911, 912 & 913 in December 1996) as a looping point, referred to as Woodlands Checkpoint Terminal from bus literature, until 23 March 2003 when the three Intratown services were made to loop at Woodlands Centre Road instead, skipping Woodlands Checkpoint Ter.
While Marsiling Ter was fully demolished, Woodlands Int was used as a car and bus park until late 2017, when the entire Woodlands Town Centre was closed and eventually torn down.
2016: Upgrading to Integrated Transport Hub (ITH)
With the construction of the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) and a new underground station underneath Woodlands Regional Interchange, the existing interchange had to be closed to facilitate the extensive addition and alteration works, which included a conversion to a fully-air-conditioned concourse, underground linkway to the TEL station, and an expansion of the bus park to accommodate more bus parking.
In 2016, Woodlands Regional Int was closed, with bus operations relocated to a newly-built Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange north of the existing site. Contract T221 for the construction of the temporary interchange was awarded to JS Metal Pte. Ltd. on 17 Mar 2014, at a sum of S$12,650,000.00. The temporary interchange opened on 12 March 2016, with all bus services relocated there.
The upgraded interchange was renamed to Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub and opened on 13 June 2021, with all bus services except Services 925/925M, 950, 961/961M & 965/965A/965T being shifted over.
Construction
With the construction of the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) entrance and exit for Woodlands MRT Station underneath Woodlands Regional Interchange, addition & alteration works were required to be carried out to the old Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange. As such, a temporary bus interchange was constructed nearby to facilitate these works, which opened on 12 March 2016. All existing bus services were moved to the temporary bus interchange.
Contract PT247 – Upgrading of Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange was awarded to CCECC Singapore Pte Ltd at a sum of S$21,567,800.00 on 26 Dec 2017.
According to CCECC, the scope of works comprises “the design and construction A&A works to Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange (Concourse, Bus Parking Area, Driveway, Annex Building and Plantrooms Building), New M&E Plantrooms Building and Expansion of New Bus Parking Area inclusive of demolition, decommissioning works for all existing facilities and services, site clearance, electrical works, Air-conditioning and Mechanical Ventilation System (ACMV), Fire Protection System, Escalator system, Lift system, Building Management System (BMS), automated screen doors with air curtains, retaining wall (CBP) and reinstatement of all associated works.”
Scope of Modification Works
The extensive upgrading work included the following observable changes:
- Conversion of the existing bus interchange concourse into an air-conditioned facility, with full-height glass panels and automatic doors at bus alighting and boarding berths
- Southward extension of passenger concourse & driveway to accommodate TEL escalator and lift, protruding into existing driveway
- Removal of old U-turn lanes at both ends of the interchange to accommodate expanded interchange concourse
- Narrowing of bus park driveway to accommodate larger kerb (facilitating wheelchair boarding)
- New row of reverse-parking lots within bus park
- Reduced number of parking lots within existing parking area (under MRT viaduct) to increase distance between parking lots
- Relocation of NTWU canteen from bus park building to interchange concourse
Heritage Wall
The Heritage Wall features a mock-up of a Mercedes-Benz O405G (Hispano Habit) bus, bearing the registration TIB1238H. The since-retired articulated bus was a common sight on Woodlands feeder bus services for the past decade.
Also featured are brief write-ups of five bus termini that have served Woodlands over the years, namely Marsiling Bus Terminal, Woodlands Bus Interchange, Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange, Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange, and Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub.
Heritage Corner
The Heritage Corner exhibits various SMRT and TIBS-related mementoes that document Singapore’s public bus transformation. Several of the items on display are:
- Old bus route destination signs (“destos”)
- Bus manufacturer/model badges and VIN plates
- “Door Closing” and “Bus Stopping” modules
- Bus magnetic farecard validator, old ticket rolls, and fare rulers
- Diecast models of CSS, TIBS and SMRT buses:
- Nissan Diesel U31RCN in CSS livery
- Mercedes-Benz O405G (Hispano Habit) in TIBS livery
- Mercedes-Benz O405G (Hispano Habit) in SMRT Buses livery
- Alexander Dennis Enviro500 in SMRT Buses livery
- MAN Lion’s City SD (3-door) in Lush Green livery
- MAN A95 – Euro 5 in Lush Green livery
- Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange opening plaque, dated 10 February 1996
- Mercedes-Benz O405G bus dashboard and steering wheel (preserved from TIB1247G)
- Old TIBS and SMRT bus driver uniforms, with accompanying write-ups
These exhibits are accompanied by a wall poster that documents the evolution of TIBS and SMRT’s bus fleet over the years.
Promotional Bus Wrap & Signage
A promotional bus wrap for the opening of Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub was put up on two buses (SG5781J and SG5828J, both MAN A95 buses) which frequently plied Woodlands feeder services.
In addition, buses also displayed the “Moving WITH you – 13 June” message on the EDS.
Gallery:
More photos on Page 2.
More photos on Page 2.
References
- Five bus routes to end at Woodlands. The Straits Times, 27 November 1981, Page 13. Accessed online via NewspaperSG.
- Govt takes over all five bus interchanges. The Straits Times, 7 January 1983, Page 12. Accessed online via NewspaperSG.
- Contract PT247 – Upgrading of Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange – CCECC Singapore Pte Ltd
- Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub to Open on 13 June 2021 – Land Transport Authority
- SMRT Service Announcement – Opening of Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub
Back to Bus Interchanges and Terminals
Continued on Page 2 – Gallery
- Gallery:
- Alighting Berths
- Boarding Berths
- TEL Link
- Passenger Facilities
- Promotional Bus Wrap
- Construction Progress
I was hoping for one or two feeders would still operate from the temp interchange. But then none operate from the temp interchange.
Anyways, would like to suggest some of the buses using more of Ave 2/Ave 7 entrance/exit way rather than Ave3/Ave 5 entrance/exit way. Can give connection to those working at the factory near Al-Ameen.
Suggesting to use Ave 2/Ave7 Exit Way:
Service 178 (Skipping the bus stop in front of Blk 106 & Opposite Blk 106)
– Serving Ave 2 (Opp Blk 802 & Blk 802 bus stop)
– Suggesting erection of 1 pair of bus stop along Woodlands Ave 5 (Opp Al-Ameen & In front of Al-Ameen)
Service 966
– Serving Ave 2 (Opp Blk 802 & Blk 802 bus stop)
– Calling at the suggested pair of bus stop along Woodlands Ave 5 (Opp Al-Ameen & in front of Al-Ameen) & calling at bus stop in front of Blk 106 & Opp Blk 106)
I don’t think it is a good idea for Woodlands feeders to retain at the tempoary interchange. Feeders are supposed enhance connectivity for the Woodlands residents to the renovated interchange where it is more accessible to amenities, I also don’t think there is a need to purposely change the bus routes of 178 and 966. I feel that it is a bit unnecessary.
Also, even if your ideas are good, I don’t think SMRT will do it. If the services are in the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package, maybe Tower Transit will consider. (Changing of operators is the time when bus services are enhanced)
I disagree, there are literally so many services using the Ave 2/Ave 7 exit and forcing more services to use that exit would lead to traffic jam. And besides, one half of the berths (B1-B7) in the ITH are meant to accommodate the east-exiting services (Ave 2/7 exit) and the other half of the berths (B8-B14) are meant for the west-exiting services (Ave 3/5)
If LTA statement says to spread out loads then I recommend svc 960,960e,961,962 & 964 operate from the temp Int.
The measure of letting a few bus services remain at the temporary bus interchange bears resemblance to the time when the Boon Lay Integrated Transport Hub opened on 27 December 2009, and bus services 179 and 199 remained at the temporary bus interchange for a few months before they were relocated to the Boon Lay Integrated Transport Hub.
For the case of the few bus services remaining at the Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange, I believe this may be an indication that some bus services at Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub and Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange will eventually be amended away, or removed altogether.
Or it may be just like 179 and 199 that time, whereby the authorities need some time to adjust, before those bus services can also relocate to the Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub.
961 can end at gali batu ter coz duplicate with 960?
950 & 965 can start at woodlands north (if they plan to have ITH/ter/int?)
925/925M start at gali batu, pass by yew tee mrt & to sungai kadut?
It may last until the MCO is lifted
Wonder why those 4 service still @ Old Int?
from the sneak peek video on instagram, i think for berth b7, it was svc 912 and 912a and for berth b6, it was 962 and 1 more
Strangely Svc 925, 950, 961 & 965 are operating from the Temp Interchange. I would understand if Svc 960 was operating out from the temp instead of Svc 965 where almost all the buses under the SBW-YIS Package are operating out of the Integrated hub.
I wonder the following:
1) Exclude Svc 965 operating out of Integrated Hub
2) Not all the services are operating out of the Intergrated Hub