New City Direct Service 684 launched, offering Brickland and Bukit Batok West residents shorter commutes to the city

SINGAPORE: Residents in Brickland and Bukit Batok West now have a more direct route into the city, with the launch of City Direct Service (CDS) 684 aimed at enhancing connectivity and cutting down commute times for those living in the west.

The launch event saw MP for Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC (Bukit Batok) Murali Pillai joined by SMRT Buses Managing Director Tan Peng Kuan, along with residents and bus enthusiasts who turned up early to celebrate the new service and be among the first to ride it.

What the new service offers

According to an SMRT service announcement, CDS 684 officially began operating from Monday, June 15, 2026, plying between Brickland, Bukit Batok West, and the Central Business District (CBD).

The service runs on weekdays, excluding public holidays, with a total of four trips a day: two in the morning peak period and two in the evening peak period. In the mornings, buses depart from opposite Block 816A along Keat Hong Link at 7:30 a.m. and 7:45 a.m., terminating at Marina Bay Financial Centre on Marina Boulevard. In the evenings, buses make the return journey from Marina Bay Station on Central Boulevard at 6:10 p.m. and 6:25 p.m., ending at Block 816B along Keat Hong Link.

City Direct Services are typically designed to offer a faster, more direct alternative to regular bus routes, often with fewer stops, making them especially useful for commuters travelling longer distances into the city centre during peak hours, and CDS 684 follows that same model, with just two trips each way during the morning and evening rush.

A community celebration to mark the occasion

The launch wasn’t just a routine service rollout; it also came with a community celebration aimed at engaging residents directly. Exclusive City Direct Service 684 fans were distributed to mark the occasion, while passenger engagement activities were held at key bus stops along the route, giving residents a chance to interact with the team behind the new service and learn more about it firsthand.

Why this matters for residents in the west

For commuters living in the western parts of Singapore, particularly in newer estates like Brickland, transport connectivity is often one of the first concerns to address as a neighbourhood develops. The introduction of a direct service to the city addresses a common pain point for residents in newer or less centrally located estates: having to rely on multiple transfers or longer bus rides to reach work, school, or other parts of the island.

With Brickland continuing to grow as a residential area, the addition of City Direct Service 684 shows an effort to ensure that transport infrastructure is keeping up with residential development in the west, giving residents one more option to get around the island more efficiently.

Commuters looking for full route and timing details can refer to the official SMRT service announcement, or contact the SMRT Customer Hotline at 1800-336-8900, available daily from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.