Bus Service 656

!	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. From Sunday, 23 March 2025, supplementary bus service 258M will ply an extended route looping at Boon Lay Place to provide direct connection to amenities such as Boon Lay Shopping Centre. Please refer here for more information. From Monday, 24 March 2025, supplementary bus service 979X will be introduced to provide a faster connection for residents in Yew Tee Village to and from Bukit Panjang MRT / Bus Interchange. Bus service 979X will supplement bus service 979 and serve selected bus stops along its route. It will operate on weekdays (excluding Public Holidays) during the morning and evening peak periods. Please refer here for more information. From Monday, 24 March 2025, supplementary bus service 861M will be introduced to complement existing travel options to Wellington Primary School. It will operate from Canberra Way, terminating at Sembawang Bus Interchange. This service will operate two trips during the morning peak period on weekdays during school term only. Please refer here for more information. From Monday, 24 March 2025, short-trip service 112B will be introduced starting from Hougang Central Bus Interchange and terminating at Hougang Avenue 7. This service will only operate on weekdays (excluding public holidays) during the evening peak period. Please refer here for more information.

Service 656
Route Information
Route	Sembawang ↔ Central Business District
Route Length	28.3 km (towards Central Business District) 28.6 km (towards Sembawang)
Travelling Time	64 mins – 79 mins (1 h 4 mins – 1 h 19 mins)
Operator	(Sembawang – Yishun Bus Package)

Tower Transit City Direct Service 656 provides residents of Sembawang, who relied on rail network and feeder buses, a travel alternative to the Central Business District (CBD). This service incorporates an express sector between Sembawang Avenue and Central Business District via Seletar Expressway (SLE), and Central Expressway (CTE).

This service is introduced under the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP). On the eves of Christmas, New Year, and Chinese New Year, evening peak-hour departures will be brought forward to the afternoon. Revised timing will be announced by the operator closer to the respective dates.

Service Information

Bus Duty & Fleet

Service 656

Depot	Fleet Size	Fleet
Mandai Depot (MDDEP)	4	2 Single Deckers	2 Double Deckers
		MAN NL323F Mercedes-Benz OC500LE	SG6133Z MAN ND323F

Notes
Weekdays: 2S (2 buses)

Route Information

Departure Timings

Period	Weekdays Peak Hours
towards Central Business District	07:20 (882 DD)	07:40 (882 DD Duty 656S02)
towards Sembawang	18:10 (859B SD)	18:25 (859A SD)

Direction 1 (Canberra Road → Shenton Way)

[Show/Hide Full Route Details]

Bus Stops	Nearby Attraction	Weekdays
		First bus	Last bus
58121 Blk 424A CP Canberra Rd			07:20	07:40
58401 Opp Blk 491 Admiralty Lk			07:21	07:41
58411 Blk 404A CP Admiralty Lk			07:22	07:42
58341 Blk 405 Sembawang Dr			07:24	07:44
58311 Blk 354 CP Sembawang Dr			07:26	07:46
58251 Sun Plaza/Sembawang Stn Sembawang Dr	NS11Sembawang Sun Plaza	NS11Sembawang	07:28	07:48
58291 Blk 317 Sembawang Dr			07:30	07:50
58391 Blk 303 Sembawang Ave			07:31	07:51
08057 Dhoby Ghaut Stn Orchard Rd	NS24NE6CC1Dhoby Ghaut Plaza Singapura	NS24NE6CC1Dhoby Ghaut	08:16	08:36
08069 Bencoolen Stn Exit B Bras Basah Rd	DT21Bencoolen SMU School of the Arts The Cathay	DT21Bencoolen	08:18	08:38
04179 Aft Bras Basah Stn Exit A Bras Basah Rd	CC2Bras Basah NTUC Trade Union House	CC2Bras Basah	08:20	08:40
02049 Raffles Hotel Bras Basah Rd	NS25EW13City Hall CC3Esplanade Raffles City South Beach Tower	NS25EW13City Hall CC3Esplanade	08:22	08:42
02119 Opp War Memorial Pk Nicoll Highway	CC3Esplanade	CC3Esplanade	08:25	08:45
03019 OUE Bayfront Collyer Quay	NS26EW14Raffles Place CIMB Plaza	NS26EW14Raffles Place	08:29	08:49
03059 One Raffles Quay Raffles Quay			08:31	08:51
03129 UIC Bldg Shenton Way	TE19Shenton Way	TE19Shenton Way	08:33	08:53
03218 Opp MAS Bldg Shenton Way	EW15Tanjong Pagar		08:35	08:55

Direction 2 (Anson Road → Canberra Road)

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Bus Stops	Nearby Attraction	Weekdays
		First bus	Last bus
03241 Aft Enggor St Anson Rd	EW15Tanjong Pagar	EW15Tanjong Pagar	18:10	18:25
03111 Aft Capital Twr Robinson Rd	EW15Tanjong Pagar		18:13	18:28
03071 80 Robinson Rd Robinson Rd			18:15	18:30
03031 Raffles Pl Stn Exit F Robinson Rd	NS26EW14Raffles Place	NS26EW14Raffles Place	18:18	18:33
03011 Fullerton Sq Fullerton Rd	NS26EW14Raffles Place Asian Civilisations Museum CIMB Plaza Victoria Concert Hall		18:21	18:36
02111 Esplanade Bridge Esplanade Dr	CC3Esplanade	CC3Esplanade	18:23	18:38
04111 Capitol Bldg Stamford Rd	NS25EW13City Hall Capitol Singapore Raffles City	NS25EW13City Hall	18:26	18:41
04121 SMU Stamford Rd	CC2Bras Basah SMU National Museum of Singapore	CC2Bras Basah	18:29	18:44
08041 YMCA Orchard Rd	National Museum School of the Arts		18:31	18:46
08031 Dhoby Ghaut Stn Exit B Penang Rd	NS24NE6CC1Dhoby Ghaut 9 Penang Rd Plaza Singapura	NS24NE6CC1Dhoby Ghaut	18:34	18:49
58399 Opp Blk 303 Sembawang Ave			19:17	19:32
58299 Blk 328 Sembawang Dr			19:18	19:33
58259 Opp Sun Plaza Sembawang Dr	NS11Sembawang Sun Plaza	NS11Sembawang	19:20	19:35
58319 Blk 357C Sembawang Dr			19:22	19:37
58349 Blk 478 Sembawang Dr			19:23	19:38
58419 Blk 482A CP Admiralty Lk			19:25	19:40
58409 Blk 491 Admiralty Lk			19:26	19:41
58129 Blk 508 CP Canberra Rd			19:28	19:43

Historical Information

Operator	Route	Year	Date	Service changes
	AMCanberra Rd → Shenton Way PMAnson Rd → Canberra Rd	2014	17 February	Introduced between Canberra Rd (Blk 424A CP) and Shenton Way (Opp MAS Bldg) during morning peak hours and between Anson Rd (Hub Synergy Pt) and Canberra Rd (Blk 508 CP) 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).
			10 March	3rd AM peak trip added.
			14 July	4th AM peak trip added.
		2015	23 March	Serves new staggered bus stop outside Mapletree Anson along Anson Rd, skipping the bus stop outside Hub Synergy Pt.
		2017	17 April	Operations transferred to SMRT Buses.
				1 AM peak trip removed.
				Designated wheelchair-accessible bus service (WAB).
	N/A	2020	8 April	Suspended due to COVID-19 Circuit Breaker measures.
	AMCanberra Rd → Shenton Way PMAnson Rd → Canberra Rd		2 June	Resumed normal operations.
				1 AM peak trip removed.
(Current)		2021	3 October	Operations transferred to Tower Transit Singapore.

External Links

• SimplyGo eGuide
• Bus Service Route Map