Remember that first bus ride to Yishun Bus Interchange? The Yishun Bus Interchange isn’t just a place to catch a bus. It’s a living testament to Yishun’s growth. From humble beginnings as roadside bus terminals at Yishun Avenue 5 and Yishun Central it evolved. Imagine the scene in 1987. The original Yishun Bus Interchange opened its doors. This S$2 million marvel served the burgeoning Yishun New Town. The bus numbers 80x and 81x indicated feeder services. 85x designated trunk routes. Trans-Island Bus Services TIBS was the sole operator. It was a unique structure designed to keep double-decker buses out.
The Yishun Bus Interchange wasn’t static. It adapted and changed. In 2012 nearby shops were demolished to make way for progress. Residents moved. Land was sold. The Yishun Bus Package was reorganized. Routes shifted between the Sembawang-Yishun and Seletar packages. This paved the way for the Yishun Integrated Transport Hub ITH.
The LTA announced plans in 2015. The old interchange was to become an air-conditioned hub. It would connect to the Yishun MRT station via an underpass. A temporary interchange opened in March 2015. The old one closed for good in September 2019. The integrated hub finally opened on September 8 2019.
The Yishun Bus Interchange now stands proudly. It’s integrated with Northpoint City shopping mall. It’s a model of seamless transportation. Tower Transit Singapore manages this transport hub. The bus routes are divided into five packages each run by a different operator. Go-Ahead Singapore SBS Transit and Tower Transit Singapore are among them. The interchange’s evolution mirrors Yishun’s growth. It connects past present and future. It’s more than a transit point. It’s a story of Yishun’s journey. A journey we’re all a part of.