Bus Service 653

!	TRAVEL ADVISORY					!
	From Sunday, 14 November 2024 to 31 October 2025, Train services on the Bukit Panjang LRT will end an hour earlier at 22:30 every Thursday to Sunday (except Public Holidays). This is to facilitate the upgrading of the BPLRT signalling system, as well as the testing of the new and retrofitted Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) on the BPLRT network. Please refer here for more information. Train services will be extended on the eve of Christmas (Tuesday, 24 December 2024), and on the eve of New Year (Tuesday, 31 December 2024). Selected bus service will be extended to coincide with the last train timings. There will also be a change in selected bus service operating timing. Please refer to the following for more information: (Extension of Train & Bus services) (Change in bus service's Operating Hours for Christmas & New Year Eves) (Extension of bus service on Christmas Eve) (Extension of bus service on New Year Eve) From 22 December 2024, bus service 193 will serve an additional bus stop along Benoi Road, opposite Joo Koon Interchange. Please refer here for more information. From Thursday, 2 January 2025, City Direct Services 675, 676, 677 & 678 will be introduced to provide a faster connection to the city for commuters along the North-East Corridor. Please refer here for more information. From Sunday, 12 January 2025, bus service 967 will be introduced to enhance connectivity for commuters in Marsiling and Admiralty to nearby transport nodes and local amenities in Woodlands. Please refer here for more information. From Monday, 13 January 2025, bus service 912M will be withdrawn with the introduction of new bus service 967 under the Land Transport Authority’s Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP). Please refer here for more information.

Service 653
Route Information
Route	Hume/Bukit Batok ↔ Central Business District
Route Length	21.8 km (towards Central Business District) 21.5 km (towards Hume/Bukit Batok)
Travelling Time	61 mins (1 h 1 mins)
Operator	(Bulim Bus Package)

City Direct Service 653 provides residents of Hume and Bukit Batok with greater connectivity to the Central Business District (CBD). By running parallel to existing rail lines, the service provides a travel alternative for commuters who relied on the rail network and feeder buses to and from work. The route incorporates an express sector between Bukit Batok East Ave 3 and Shenton Way via PIE, Clementi Avenue 6 and AYE.

This service is introduced under Land Transport Authority (LTA)'s Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP). On eves of Christmas, New Year, and Chinese New Year, the PM trips will be brought forward to depart earlier in the afternoon instead.

Service Information

Bus Duty & Fleet

Service 653

Depot	Fleet Size	Fleet
Bulim Depot (BUDEP)	5	Single Deckers	Double Deckers
		MAN NL323F Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro	Alexander Dennis Enviro500 MAN ND323F Volvo B9TL

Notes
5 buses will perform crossover trips on 106 during Weekdays AM Off-Peak. Full DD fleet during Weekdays PM Peak. Weekdays: 5S (5 buses)

Route Information

Departure Timings

Period	Weekdays Peak Hours
towards Central Business District	07:15	07:25	07:35	07:41	07:48
towards Hume/Bukit Batok	18:15	18:30	N/A	N/A	N/A

Direction 1 (Hume Avenue → Marina Boulevard)

[Show/Hide Full Route Details]

Bus Stops	Nearby Attraction	Weekdays
		First bus	Last bus
Bef Summerhill 43811 Hume Ave		07:15	07:45
Opp Symphony Hts 43821 Hume Ave		07:16	07:46
Aft Hillview Stn 43279 Hillview Rd	DT3Hillview	07:20	07:50
Hillington Green Condo 43268 Hillview Ave		07:22	07:52
Opp Hillbrooks 43259 Hillview Ave		07:24	07:54
Hillview Apts 43249 Hillview Ave		07:25	07:55
The Petals Condo 43239 Hillview Ave		07:26	07:56
Blk 258 43449 Bt Batok East Ave 2		07:28	07:58
Blk 242 43439 Bt Batok East Ave 2		07:29	07:59
Blk 240 43429 Bt Batok East Ave 2		07:31	08:01
Blk 231 43179 Bt Batok East Ave 3		07:33	08:03
Blk 283 43189 Bt Batok East Ave 3		07:35	08:05
Blk 289E 43619 Bt Batok East Ave 3		07:37	08:07
St. Andrew's Mission Sch 43629 Bt Batok East Ave 3		07:38	08:08
Burgundy Hill 42319 Bt Batok East Ave 3		07:41	08:11
Mapletree Anson 03241 Anson Rd	EW15Tanjong Pagar	08:14	08:44
Aft Capital Twr 03111 Robinson Rd		08:16	08:46
80 Robinson Rd 03071 Robinson Rd		08:17	08:47
The Sail 03381 Marina Blvd		08:21	08:51
Marina Bay Financial Ctr 03391 Marina Blvd	NS27CE2TE20Marina Bay	08:23	08:53

Direction 2 (Central Boulevard → Hillview Avenue)

[Show/Hide Full Route Details]

Bus Stops	Nearby Attraction	Weekdays
		First bus	Last bus
Marina Bay Stn 03539 Ctrl Blvd	NS27CE2TE20Marina Bay	18:15	18:30
Downtown Stn Exit E 03529 Ctrl Blvd	DT17Downtown	18:17	18:32
UIC Bldg 03129 Shenton Way	TE19Shenton Way	18:22	18:37
Opp MAS Bldg 03218 Shenton Way	EW15Tanjong Pagar	18:24	18:39
Opp Burgundy Hill 42311 Bt Batok East Ave 3		18:57	19:12
Opp Parkview Apts 43621 Bt Batok East Ave 3		18:58	19:13
Blk 290H 43611 Bt Batok East Ave 3		18:59	19:14
Keming Pr Sch 43181 Bt Batok East Ave 3		19:00	19:15
Blk 229 43171 Bt Batok East Ave 3		19:02	19:17
Blk 503 43421 Bt Batok East Ave 2		19:04	19:19
Opp Blk 242 43431 Bt Batok East Ave 2		19:05	19:20
Opp Blk 258 43441 Bt Batok East Ave 2		19:06	19:21
Opp The Petals Condo 43231 Hillview Ave		19:08	19:23
Opp Hillview Apts 43241 Hillview Ave		19:09	19:24
Hillbrooks 43251 Hillview Ave		19:10	19:25
Bef Summerhill 43811 Hume Ave		19:11	19:26
Opp Symphony Hts 43821 Hume Ave		19:12	19:27
Aft Hillview Stn 43279 Hillview Rd	DT3Hillview	19:16	19:31
Hillington Green Condo 43268 Hillview Ave		19:18	19:33

Historical Information

Operator	Route	Year	Date	Service changes
	AMHume Ave → Marina Blvd PMCentral Blvd → Hillview Ave	2014	13 January	Introduced between Hume Ave (Bef Summerhill) and Marina Blvd (Marina Bay Financial Ctr) during morning peak hours and between Central Blvd (Aft Marina Stn Rd) and Hillview Ave (Hillington Green Condo) during evening peak hours, operating 2 trips in each direction as a peak hour one-directional service on weekdays under the LTA's Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP).
			31 March	3rd AM peak trip added.
			4 August	4th AM peak trip added.
		2015	16 March	5th AM peak trip added.
			23 March	Serves new staggered bus stop outside Mapletree Anson along Anson Rd, skipping the bus stop outside Hub Synergy Pt.
			29 June	3rd PM peak trip added.
			26 October	6th AM peak trip added.
		2017	13 April	Operations transferred to SMRT Buses.
				2 AM peak trips and 1 PM peak trip removed.
				Designated wheelchair-accessible bus service (WAB).
	N/A	2020	8 April	Suspended due to COVID-19 Circuit Breaker measures.
	AMHume Ave → Marina Blvd PMCentral Blvd → Hillview Ave		2 June	Resumed normal operations.
(Current)		2021	31 May	Operations transferred to Tower Transit Singapore.
		2024	15 April	5th AM peak trip added.