Shuttle bus services in Singapore
Don’t let rising petrol prices, the reopening of ERP gantries and increased cab fares keep you from enjoying this new era of mask-free outdoor freedom. There are many shuttle bus services available in Singapore that can get you to your favourite attractions and malls from the heartlands and nearby MRT stations.
These shuttle bus services are affordable – and some are even free. They’ll also help you do your part for the environment by cutting down on single-car trips.
More ways to up your public transport game:
- Secret public transport hacks
- Nature reserves and parks accessible by public transport
- Scenic bus routes in Singapore
1. Mandai Wildlife Reserve – Shuttles from MRT
Image credit: @mandaiwildlifereserve
If, like me, you can’t wait to meet Le Le in person but don’t really fancy the long trek to Mandai, it’s really good news to learn that the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and River Wonders – along with Bird Paradise by the end of the year – has the daily Mandai Khatib shuttle from Khatib MRT station that costs only $1 per trip. Children below 3 ride free.
On weekends and public holidays, the parks are additionally serviced by the Mandai Express. This other shuttle picks up passengers from Bedok Point Shopping Centre, Sengkang MRT station and Tampines Hub in the mornings, with return trips in the afternoons. A single trip costs $3 for adults, $1 for children, and children below 3 ride free.
Mandai Wildlife Reserve shuttle website
2. IKEA – Free shuttles for your meatball & chicken wing fix
Image credit: @ahpekeats
IKEA Tampines is a little off the beaten track, but there are daily free shuttle services from Bedok and Tampines MRT stations, and additionally from Sengkang and Pasir Ris MRT stations on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
This branch of our favourite furniture basics store is the biggest in Singapore, so you can enjoy your favourite chicken wings and meatballs while shopping for furniture for your new BTO.
3. Sungei Kadut – Eco bus to Kranji countryside
Our little city-state isn’t just about skyscrapers and shopping malls. If you’re longing for some greenery and haven’t been able to travel overseas since borders reopened, take the Sungei Kadut On-Demand Eco Bus to Singapore’s countryside in Kranji.
The shuttle bus picks passengers from Kranji MRT station to the various farms in the Kranji countryside area, such as the Jurong Frog Farm and Hay Diaries. Book the daily on-demand service via the RushTrail App (iOS/Android). Each trip costs $2, but ticket bundles are also available for more frequent visitors to the area.
4. East Coast Park – Only 10 mins from Bedok MRT via shuttle
Image credit: @maxchanimagery
East Coast Park is every family’s favourite holiday and weekend hangout – there’s nowhere else in Singapore you can skate, cycle, run, surf, eat, wakeboard, go glamping and do a whole host of other outdoor activities all in one place. And now that we can gather in groups of 10, we can jio our long-lost friends for a barbecue at the pits that have recently reopened.
Image adapted from: RushOwl
ECP is a bit far away from the nearest MRT station, but the RushOwl on-demand bus service brings you from Bedok MRT to 7 locations along East Coast Park for only $2 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 7am-9pm. The journey takes 10 mins.
Like the Sungei Kadut shuttle service, the ECP shuttle is accessible via the RushTrail app.
East Coast Park shuttle website
5. Downtown East – Daily shuttle from Pasir Ris MRT
Wild Wild Wet is a fantastic place to spend the whole afternoon, especially during the school holidays. Downtown East, the resort and mall where the water theme park is located, has a free shuttle service to make short work of the trip from Pasir Ris MRT.
The free loop shuttle service runs daily from 11am-10pm.
Downtown East shuttle service website
6. Sentosa – Free shuttles to & within the island
Image credit: @taureantraveler
If you’re planning a weekend getaway without having to dust off your passport, Sentosa is a great place to hang out, especially now that beach bookings are no longer required and you don’t have to wear your mask outdoors.
There are lots of shuttle bus services to get in and around our favourite island resort. A free shuttle bus operates daily from bus stops in front of VivoCity and HarbourFront to the Resorts World Sentosa drop-off point.
Another free shuttle bus that runs only during public holidays can bring you from HarbourFront bus interchange to Imbiah Lookout and Siloso Point in Sentosa, with return trips.
Within Sentosa, there are three free shuttle buses between Beach Station and various attractions like Fort Siloso and the new pop-up beach club at Shangri-la Rasa Sentosa. The shuttles run all day every day, but check websites for timings and exact pick-up/drop-off locations.
7. Great World City – Daily shuttle to the mall’s indoor playground, shops & cinema
Image credit: Playpoint
Before the MRT station at Great World City makes this mall more accessible for you and the kiddos run errands, a daily free shuttle service can bring you from Newton, Chinatown and Queenstown MRT stations and back on weekends and public holidays.
This centrally located mall has a supermarket, cinema and a delightful indoor playground, as well as a wide range of shops, restaurants and other services.
Great World City shuttle bus website
8. The Grandstand – Take a free shuttle to a pre-owned car mart
With sky-high COE prices, you might want to consider a pre-owned car instead for your next set of wheels. The Grandstand is a shopping centre that also houses one of Singapore’s biggest pre-owned car marts.
Image credit: OEM OEM
The large mall has a megamart and lots of schools and classes for kids, but it’s a bit of a distance from the main road. Fret not – there’s a free daily shuttle service that plies Bukit Timah Road and stops at three MRT stations: Botanic Gardens, Tan Kah Kee and Sixth Avenue, before heading to the mall.
The Grandstand shuttle bus website
9. Sembawang Shopping Centre – Daily buses to this eclectic mall in the North
Image credit: @giftofnature.sg
Sembawang Shopping Centre is a mall with an eclectic mix of shopping, dining, education and fitness stores tucked away in a private estate in the far north of Singapore. It has free shuttle buses so that you can easily get from the neighbourhoods of Yishun and Sembawang every day on weekdays.
The shuttle has additional routes that serve Woodlands and Canberra on weekends and public holidays, as well as lunchtime weekday routes to and from office and industrial areas in Yishun and Woodlands.
Sembawang Shopping Centre shuttle services website
10. one-north shuttle service – On-demand electric shuttle buses convenient for workers
The one-north bus service that goes around the one-north and Buona Vista MRT station is super convenient for those who work at Biopolis, Fusionopolis and Mediapolis, or live or go to school in the area.
Image credit: The ISB Man
The on-demand service with environmentally-friendly electric vehicles covers 31 stops from Mondays to Fridays, except for public holidays. It includes popular lunch locations such as Ghim Moh Market and Holland Drive Market.
Each ride costs only $0.75, and you’ll have to download the SWATRide app (iOS/Android) to book the service.
one-north on-demand bus service website
11. Hospital shuttles – Free shuttles from MRTs for convenient check-ups & visits
Image credit: Singapore General Hospital
If you have a checkup or need to visit a relative at one of our public hospitals, using their free shuttle bus services can make your journey more convenient and cheaper. Make sure you check their respective websites for exact timings and pick-up/drop-off locations:
- Singapore General Hospital has a shuttle service from Outram Park MRT station to various locations in the huge SGH campus. It also operates a free wheelchair shuttle service for those with mobility issues.
- Alexandra Hospital provides a shuttle service between Queenstown MRT station and AH; and another between National University Hospital and AH.
- Changi General Hospital operates a shuttle service between Simei MRT and CGH’s Main Building, and another stop at The Integrated Building.
- Institute of Mental Health has a shuttle service between Hougang MRT station and Buangkok Green Medical Park.
- Khoo Teck Puat Hospital provides free shuttle service rides between Yishun Bus Interchange, Yishun MRT and KTPH.
Best shuttle bus services – save time & money
Singapore may be a relatively small island with a good public transport system. But there are some places that are still a little hard to get to, and it’s always great to be able to save time and money by taking a more direct route to your destination.
Drivers can also save on petrol, ERP and parking costs by taking advantage of shuttle bus services – some in eco-friendly electric vehicles – and doing their part for the environment by going car-lite without sacrificing convenience.
Cover image adapted from: The ISB Man, Singapore General Hospital