Bus Service 656

!	TRAVEL ADVISORY					!
	The editors are upgrading the template for station code and colour scheme. As such, the page formatting will look weird in the meantime as we are implementing the new format. 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 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 From Monday, 13 January 2025, bus service 912M will be withdrawn with the introduction of new bus service 967 under the Land Transport Authority’s Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP).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 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)

City Direct Service 656 provides residents of Sembawang 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 Sembawang Avenue and Dhoby Ghaut via SLE and CTE.

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 656

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

Notes
1 Service 882 DD (Duty 656S02) will perform one (1) crossover trip on City Direct 656 during Weekdays AM Peak depearting at 0740 hours, then perform three (3) crossover trips on Service 859A during Weekdays AM Off-Peak. Weekdays: 2S (2 buses)

Route Information

Departure Timings

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

Direction 1 (Canberra Road → Shenton Way)

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

Direction 2 (Anson Road → Canberra Road)

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