Just when you think we’ve exhausted the list of the scariest things to do in the country, we’re hitting you with another one: the scariest bus rides in Singapore.
From whizzing past cemeteries to possibly sitting beside “otherworldly” passengers, here are some bus services for chill (read: bone-chilling) night rides that’ll have you thinking, “Maybe I should have just Grab-ed instead.”
Table of Contents
Let’s start strong with what many claim to be the most haunted bus route in Singapore: bus service 975. But why is it so scary?
Imagine waiting here at night.
Image adapted from: Google Maps
For starters, it operates in the West, which is horrifying. This bus will take you from Bukit Panjang Interchange to Lim Chu Kang Road, with the last bus operating at 11.35pm. Keep your eyes peeled for stops like “Opp LP 173” – you know it’s ulu af when your stop’s landmark is a lamp post (LP).
Other sights to look out for in the dark are army camps like Sungei Gedong Camp, the abandoned Neo Tiew Estate, and Choa Chu Kang Cemetery.
Night rides will have you cruising along darkness at certain stretches.
Creepy tales of bus 975 include stories of bus drivers stopping at seemingly empty bus stops to let “something” get off, and even sightings of a mysterious priest walking along the route’s pitch-black roads.
Bus service 975 route: Bukit Panjang Interchange ⭤ Lim Chu Kang Road
As a Tampines kia, I can tell you that bus 72 is great if you’re in the mood for a chill ride from one side of Singapore to the other. Going from Tampines to Yio Chu Kang, 72’s route will take you through quiet roads that are perf for staring out the window. Nighttime, however, is a whole different story.
Like 975, bus 72 is known to stop at empty stops at night sometimes.
Image adapted from: Google Maps
This bus goes through Old Tampines Road, one of the most haunted roads in Singapore. Some bus captains and passengers claim to have spotted (and smelled) the legendary pontianak here – you’ll know she’s near if you smell the sweet fragrance of frangipani on your ride. Take the last bus at 11.45pm from Tampines Interchange for maximum thrills.
Bus service 72 route: Tampines Interchange ⭤ Yio Chu Kang Interchange
Fun fact: Bus service 29 will bring you the closest to Old Changi Hospital (OCH), traversing where no other bus dares to go. But it’s not just OCH that’s spooky – the general Changi area does have a reputation for being eerie, with haunted chalets and a beach that was the site of a WW2 massacre.
Get off at “Aft Turnhouse Rd” if you’d like to cop a peep at OCH.
Image adapted from: Google Maps
The bus operates daily from 5.20am till 11.42pm, so you have the option of spotting Changi’s hantus in the wee hours of the morning or night, hehe.
Bus service 29 route: Tampines Interchange ↺ Tampines Interchange (Loop at Changi Village Terrace)
Image credit: Singapore Ghost Club
Joining Old Tampines Road as a certified freaky street 7 days a week is Jalan Bahar, infamous for being surrounded by several (definitely more than 4) cemeteries. If you’d like a humble tour, hop on bus 172, which will take you to and fro Choa Chu Kang and Boon Lay interchanges through the entire graveyard stretch.
The bus stop along Jalan Bahar is also pretty infamous for being the “most haunted bus stop” in Singapore, with tales of phantom passengers waiting for the bus and odd smells at night.
Bus service 172 route: Choa Chu Kang Interchange ⭤ Boon Lay Interchange
Anyone into the supernatural in Singapore would have heard of the 99 Bends – what many paranormal aficionados call South Buona Vista Road. Besides being one of the scariest roads in Singapore, it is also one of the most dangerous, no thanks to its sharp turns and blind spots.
If you’d like to experience this for yourself, board bus 200, which will take you along the 99 Bends’ steep lanes. The last buses are at 11.35pm (from Buona Vista) and 11.59pm (from Kent Ridge), so make sure you enjoy a late-night ride for maximum creeps.
Bus service 200 route: Buona Vista Terminal ↺ Buona Vista Terminal (Loop at Kent Ridge Terminal)
Image adapted from: Google Maps
For scaredy cats, this is probably the least spooky route on the list. While most of the journey on bus 856 is uneventful, it does pass by one significant landmark – View Road Hospital. Think of it as the sibling in Old Changi Hospital’s shadow; most people don’t know this abandoned hospital exists.
You won’t get to see the building from the bus itself, but get off at ‘Aft View Rd’ bus stop if you’d like to walk around the area to really soak it all in.
Bus service 856 route: Yishun Interchange ⭤ Woodlands Interchange
The thought of Haw Par Villa and Labrador Park is enough to send shivers down one’s spine – so why not hit two haunted birds with one stone by getting on bus 51? It’ll take you past both spooky sites all on a single ride.
The latest bus departs at 11.45pm daily from Jurong East Interchange, so maybe jio a date for this one. It’ll give you guys a good excuse to grab each other in fright, not once, but twice!
Bus service 51 route: Hougang Central Interchange ⭤ Jurong East Interchange
We’ve saved the best – in this case, possibly the “scariest” – for last. What makes bus 405 so special is that it runs only 7 times a year, namely during religious holidays. Its route takes passengers from Boon Lay Interchange to a number of cemeteries in Singapore, and is even known as the “worship bus” amongst some.
Pitstops include Masjid Pusara Aman, Nirvana Memorial Garden, and Choa Chu Kang Cemetery Chapel, amongst various religious cemeteries.
Image adapted from: Google Maps
According to SBS Transit, here’s when the bus operates:
Despite the mystery that surrounds the cemetery route, bus 405 makes visiting departed loved ones so much more accessible for family and friends looking to spend some time with them on these special occasions.
You can still catch the bus on 31st October and 2nd November this year, on Deepavali (and coincidentally, Halloween) and All Souls’ Day respectively.
Bus service 405 route: Boon Lay Interchange ↺ Boon Lay Interchange (Loop at Choa Chu Kang Rd End)
You know we love a good bus ride where we can sit back, plug in, and just stare out the window. Well, maybe not so much on these buses, because who knows what “sights” you’d end up looking at, unless, of course, you’re actually trying to have a scary date night.
If you’re looking for non-scary relaxing things to do, then check out:
Cover image adapted from: Singapore Ghost Club,
Boarding the Knight Bus this fall.
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