Bus 861 connecting Yishun East and Khatib MRT is first under new scheme

Residents better linked to local amenities, schools when service starts from Sept 15

- Vanessa Paige Chelvan

The first bus service under a new initiative to improve the public bus network will connect residents of Yishun East to Khatib MRT station from Sept 15, Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said on Aug 29.

Service 861 will be run by bus operator Tower Transit Singapore.

The service will operate between Sembawang Bus Interchange, Canberra MRT station and Khatib MRT station, according to Tower Transit Singapore.

The service will also better connect residents of Yishun and Sembawang to local amenities and schools, Mr Chee said in a Facebook post.

These include Khatib Polyclinic, Wisteria Mall and the Bukit Canberra integrated sports and community hub, as well as Chung Cheng High School (Yishun), Naval Base Primary School, Northland Secondary School and Chongfu School, among others.

The first bus of the day will depart from Sembawang Bus Interchange at 5.30am. The service will make its last trip from the same interchange at 11.30pm as service 861A, which will terminate at Khatib MRT station.

Service 861 is the first to be rolled out under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP) announced in July.