Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange was a completed and opened along with the Woodlands extension of the North South line in 1996. It was the first underground and third-biggest bus interchange in Singapore. It accommodate articulated buses and double decker buses. Double deckers made their debut appearance on 19 February 1996 as an off-service SBS bus, one of which is a Leyland Olympian 2-Axle and Mercedes-Benz O305 double-deckers. The old Woodlands Bus Interchange at Woodlands Centre Road was converted into a terminus for people leaving Singapore, as well as for Woodlands intra-town services that are serving the old town centre there. Later, it was deemed obsolete and ceased operations. Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange took over operations from Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange on 12 March 2016, for it to be converted to an air-conditioned bus interchange, as part of the planned Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub. It is now the busiest bus interchange in Singapore, with 43 services operating from it.
Unique Orientation
Woodlands Regional Interchange has a unique orientation as it is divided into two sides, depending on which direction it will exit the interchange. Bus Services between Berths 1 to 8 will exit towards Woodlands Avenue 7 whereas bus services between Berths 9 to 16 will exit towards Woodlands Avenue 3. Although SBS Transit Services 161 and 168 exit towards Woodlands Avenue 7, they are located in Berths 15 and 16 due to space constraints.
Redevelopment
Due to the construction of the Thomson–East Coast line which goes underneath Woodlands Regional Interchange, alteration works would be carried out to the existing bus interchange together with the upgrade to an air-conditioned bus interchange thus, focusing to be an Integrated Transport Hub in 2020. A temporary interchange is constructed next to Woodlands MRT station for the relocation of all of the bus services currently serving Woodlands Regional Interchange. Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange was launched on 12 March 2016. The estimated date of completion for the Woodlands Regional Interchange would be second half of 2020.
Bus Contracting Model
Under the new bus contracting model, all the bus services were split into 4 route packages: Services 169, 856, 858, 963, 965, 966 and 969 under Mandai, Service 161 under Sengkang–Hougang, Service 168 under Bedok and the rest are under Woodlands Bus Package.
