Hougang South Bus Interchange

Hougang South Bus Interchange was a former bus interchange that permanently closed on 15th February 2004.

Located at Hougang St 21, the interchange's structure continues to stand pending a major redevelopment of the site, and is currently known as Kovan Hub. In the meantime, the vacated building is used as a community space for exhibitions and for commercial purposes, and the bus lots as parking spaces, similar to the former Serangoon Interchange site.

Historical Infomation

The Hougang South Bus Interchange started operations on 30th October 1983, as Hougang Bus Interchange, serving Hougang New Town, with 3 trunk services & 2 feeder services. The new town, at that time had four neighbourhoods, with large tracts to the northwest of Upper Serangoon Road still undeveloped. The commercial centre at Hougang Street 21 thus served as a town centre. From the 1990s, however, the town was rapidly expanded with five more neighbourhoods constructed, and a new, permanent town centre further north was built.

When this plan was publicised, it created an uproar amongst the local populance, particularly shopowners in Hougang Street 21. With the help of local politicians, the protests were made to the relevant authorities, resulting in a delay in the interchange's closure.

It proceeded to build a new, permanent interchange, known as the Hougang Central Interchange, and renamed the existing interchange as the Hougang South Bus Interchange, which took effect on 17th December 1994.

The relevant authorities remained adamant on removing the bus interchange, as it insists it makes little sense to have two bus interchanges in one town. With the opening of the Kovan MRT Station on the North East Line, this will help to continue bringing in the crowds.

As is the case for all other bus interchanges (except Eunos Bus Interchange) in which they are located in their respective town centres, the Hougang Bus Interchange was to be moved to the new town centre, while the existing facility was decommissioned as community spaces. The trunk bus services (51, 62, 132 & 151) were then amended to terminate at Hougang Central Interchange or Punggol Interchange after its closure, with its feeder services (321, 322, 326, 327, & 328) integrated into trunk services (101, 112 & 113) from Serangoon Interchange and Hougang Central Interchange.

Operations

Although the Hougang South Bus Interchange no longer functions as a bus interchange after its closure on 15th February 2004, commuters can still board and alight at the sawtooth berths as it is retained as a bus stop named Hougang St 21 FC, later renamed to Kovan Hub. Additionally, Services 53M and 115 use the stop as a terminus. However during events like Paya Lebar Chinese New Year Dinner, buses will skip Kovan Hub.

Kovan Hub also serves as a transit stop for CitiExchange express coaches to and from Malaysia with popular destinations such as Genting Highlands, Malacca and Kuala Lumpur, most of which are of the Super VIP type.

Currently, Services 53M, 112, 113, 115 & 119 stop here.

63221 Kovan Hub
Service	Destination	Notes
53M	↺ Serangoon MRT	Terminus
112	Hougang Central	Enroute stop
113	↺ Upper Paya Lebar Road
115	↺ Hougang Avenue 3	Terminus
119	Punggol	Looping point