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 Monday, 26 May 2025, bus service 671 will operate additional morning and evening trips. Please refer here for more information. From Sunday, 8 June 2025, bus service 135 will serve a new pair of bus stops along Haig Road. Please refer here for more information. From Sunday, 8 June 2025, supplementary bus service 230M will be introduced to better serve residents travelling to the Kim Keat Avenue. This service will operate at a frequency of 15 minutes from Toa Payoh Bus Interchange. 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 rely on the rail network and feeder buses, with a direct travel alternative to the Central Business District (CBD). This service incorporates an express sector between Sembawang Avenue and Central Business District via Sembawang Road, Yishun Avenue 1, Lentor Avenue, Seletar Expressway (SLE), and Central Expressway (CTE).

This service is the 23^rd bus service introduced under the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP).

Evening peak-hour departures will be brought forward to the afternoon on the eves of Christmas, New Year, and Lunar New Year. Revised timing will be announced closer to the respective dates by the operator.

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

From 58121 Blk 424A CP Canberra Rd Departure Time
Weekdays	07:20 (882 DD) 07:40 (882 DD Duty 656S02)

From 03241 Aft Enggor St Anson Rd Departure Time
Weekdays	18:10 (859B SD) 18:25 (859A SD)

Direction 1 (Canberra Road → Shenton Way)

[Show/Hide Full Route Details]

Bus Stops	Point of Interest	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	NS11 Sembawang Sun Plaza	07:28	07:48
58291 Blk 317 Sembawang Dr		07:30	07:50
58391 Blk 303 Sembawang Ave		07:31	07:51
Non-Stop Sembawang Rd		Non-stop
Non-Stop Yishun Ave 1		Non-stop
Non-Stop Lentor Ave		Non-stop
Express SLE		Non-stop
Express CTE		Non-stop
08057 Dhoby Ghaut Stn Orchard Rd	NS24 NE6 CC1 Dhoby Ghaut Plaza Singapura	08:16	08:36
08069 Bencoolen Stn Exit B Bras Basah Rd	DT21 Bencoolen SMU School of the Arts The Cathay	08:18	08:38
04179 Aft Bras Basah Stn Exit A Bras Basah Rd	CC2 Bras Basah NTUC Trade Union House	08:20	08:40
02049 Raffles Hotel Bras Basah Rd	NS25 EW13 City Hall CC3 Esplanade Raffles City South Beach Tower	08:22	08:42
02119 Opp War Memorial Pk Nicoll Highway	CC3 Esplanade	08:25	08:45
03019 OUE Bayfront Collyer Quay	NS26 EW14 Raffles Place CIMB Plaza	08:29	08:49
03059 One Raffles Quay Raffles Quay		08:31	08:51
03129 UIC Bldg Shenton Way	TE19 Shenton Way	08:33	08:53
03218 Opp MAS Bldg Shenton Way	EW15 Tanjong Pagar	08:35	08:55

Direction 2 (Anson Road → Canberra Road)

[Show/Hide Full Route Details]

Bus Stops	Point of Interest	Weekdays
		First bus	Last bus
03241 Aft Enggor St Anson Rd	EW15 Tanjong Pagar	18:10	18:25
03111 Aft Capital Twr Robinson Rd	EW15 Tanjong Pagar	18:13	18:28
03071 80 Robinson Rd Robinson Rd		18:15	18:30
03031 Raffles Pl Stn Exit F Robinson Rd	NS26 EW14 Raffles Place	18:18	18:33
03011 Fullerton Sq Fullerton Rd	NS26 EW14 Raffles Place Asian Civilisations Museum CIMB Plaza Victoria Concert Hall	18:21	18:36
02111 Esplanade Bridge Esplanade Dr	CC3 Esplanade	18:23	18:38
04111 Capitol Bldg Stamford Rd	NS25 EW13 City Hall Capitol Singapore Raffles City	18:26	18:41
04121 SMU Stamford Rd	CC2 Bras Basah SMU National Museum of Singapore	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	NS24 NE6 CC1 Dhoby Ghaut 9 Penang Rd Plaza Singapura	18:34	18:49
Express CTE		Non-stop
Express SLE		Non-stop
Non-Stop Lentor Ave		Non-stop
Non-Stop Yishun Ave 1		Non-stop
Non-Stop Sembawang Rd		Non-stop
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	NS11 Sembawang Sun Plaza	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

• Bus Service Information (Tower Transit)
• SimplyGo eGuide
• Bus Service Route Map