Why Taking A Bus Ride Can Be One of Retirement’s Simple Pleasures
Sit Back, Look Out the Window and See Where the Bus Takes You
When was the last time you took a bus when you weren’t rushing somewhere?
Not because you had an appointment.
Not because it was the fastest way to get from A to B.
Just for the ride.
Once we have a little more time on our hands, an ordinary bus ride can become something quite different.
For a few dollars — or simply using our usual concession fare — we can sit in air-conditioned comfort, look out of the window and watch Singapore go by.
And sometimes, get off and discover somewhere new.
That’s the idea behind our new Let’s Go On A Bus Ride series.
🚌 Why the Bus?
Singapore’s buses today are generally clean, comfortable and wonderfully cool — something we appreciate even more on a hot afternoon.
But there’s another reason I enjoy travelling by bus.
You actually get to see Singapore.
Take the MRT and much of the journey is about getting to the destination.
Take a bus and the journey itself becomes part of the outing.
Sit by the window and you’ll pass HDB neighbourhoods, old shophouses, markets, parks, schools, reservoirs, landed estates and stretches of greenery.
One moment you’re travelling along a busy city street.
Twenty minutes later, you could be somewhere that feels completely different.
You may even find yourself thinking:
“Eh, I didn’t know this place was here!”
And that’s when a bus ride starts becoming an adventure.
🌳 Singapore Is Greener Than We Sometimes Realise
One of my favourite things to do on a bus is simply look outside.
There is so much green.
Mature roadside trees forming canopies over the road. Parks tucked between housing estates. Bougainvillea spilling over fences. Rain trees, palms and greenery along expressways.
These are things we may hardly notice when we’re driving because we’re concentrating on the road.
On a bus, somebody else is doing the driving.
So sit back.
Look outside.
You might be surprised at how pleasant Singapore can look from a bus window.
❤️ And Then There Are the People
Perhaps this is the part of bus travel I enjoy most.
Every now and then, you see a little act of kindness.
A younger passenger notices an elderly person boarding and quietly gets up.
Someone gives a seat to a parent carrying a small child.
A passenger moves aside to make space for someone using a wheelchair or who needs a little more help.
Nobody makes a big fuss about it.
It just happens.
I also particularly like seeing bus captains looking out for passengers who may need more time.
An elderly passenger boards slowly.
Someone isn’t very steady on their feet.
Instead of immediately moving off, the driver waits those few extra seconds for the passenger to sit down safely.
It’s a small thing.
But when you notice it, there’s something rather heartwarming about it.
In our rush to complain about inconsiderate behaviour — and yes, there will always be some — perhaps we don’t talk enough about the little acts of consideration happening around us every day.
A bus ride gives us time to notice them.
👀 See Somewhere You’ve Never Seen Before
Here’s another idea.
You don’t always have to know exactly where you’re going.
Choose a bus route you’ve never taken before.
Get on.
Find a window seat if you can.
And watch.
See somewhere interesting?
Make a note of it.
Perhaps it’s an old neighbourhood.
A hawker centre you’ve never tried.
A park.
A row of unusual shops.
A bakery with a queue outside.
A walking trail.
Or simply a street that makes you wonder:
“What’s down there?”
That’s somewhere we can come back and explore another day.
🚏 Or Get Off!
Of course, this is where our Let’s Go On A Bus Ride series becomes more interesting.
We’re not going to spend the whole day sitting on the bus.
For each outing, we’ll choose a bus service and identify an interesting stop.
Then we’ll get off and explore what’s within comfortable walking distance.
We’ll look for:
🍜 EAT — hawker food, cafés and local favourites
🛍️ SHOP — markets, neighbourhood shops and interesting finds
👀 SEE — heritage, architecture, parks and unusual sights
🌿 DO — an easy walk, activity or something worth experiencing
☕ REST — because every good outing deserves a kopi break
And importantly, we’ll tell you roughly how much walking is involved, how long to allow and whether there’s a shorter option for anyone who doesn’t want to walk too far.
No marathon sightseeing here.
🌤️ We Don’t Have to Rush Anymore
Perhaps that’s what makes bus exploration particularly suited to retirement.
For much of our working lives, transport was about efficiency.
What’s the fastest route?
How long will it take?
Can I avoid the traffic?
But when we’re no longer rushing to the office every morning, we can occasionally ask a different question:
“What’s the more interesting way to get there?”
If a bus takes 15 minutes longer but gives us something interesting to look at along the way, perhaps those extra 15 minutes aren’t wasted at all.
🚌 Some Bus Rides We Could Try
Here are a few I’m putting on our list.
🌊 Bus 36 — Airport, East Coast & City
This could be a lovely “Singapore from east to city” ride.
Service 36 runs from Changi Airport through the Marine Parade/East Coast area before heading into the city, including stops around Orchard, Dhoby Ghaut, Bras Basah and Suntec.
Why try it: Airport atmosphere + East Coast neighbourhoods + city sights in one ride.
Possible adventure: Get off around Marine Parade for food and a walk before continuing another day.
🌾 Bus 975 — A Different Side of Singapore
This one interests me because it takes us towards Lim Chu Kang, giving us a glimpse of a much less urban side of Singapore.
Do note that Service 975’s route was amended in June 2025 following the realignment of Lim Chu Kang Road, so we’ll plan this one using the current stops rather than older online itineraries.
Why try it: Open spaces, greenery and a Singapore that can feel surprisingly far removed from Orchard Road.
I’d definitely like this to become one of our future Bus Ride adventures.
✈️ Bus 117 — Seletar & The North
Another interesting possibility is Bus 117.
Its route includes the Seletar Aerospace/West Camp Road area, as well as northern neighbourhoods. The route was specifically amended to provide coverage to places including Seletar Airport and the aerospace area.
Why try it: A very different landscape from central Singapore, with an interesting aviation connection.
This one needs a little research to find the best stop for our Eat · See · Shop · Do format.
🌴 Bus 401 — East Coast Park
This could make a very enjoyable weekend outing.
Service 401 runs from Bedok through Siglap and along East Coast Park Service Road, serving places including Marine Cove and other parts of East Coast Park before looping back. It currently operates on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays only.
Why try it: Sea, greenery, people watching and plenty of possibilities for something to eat.
This sounds like a particularly easy retirement-day outing to me.
🏘️ And First Up — Bus 63
We’ll start somewhere closer to everyday Singapore.
Bus 63 → Tiong Bahru.
We’ll get off, have something to eat, explore the old neighbourhood, look for a few things we may have walked past before and, naturally, find somewhere for coffee.
Nothing too ambitious.
Just a few hours out of the house.
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