Where does SBS Transit Bus Service 40 go, and which interesting places can you visit? It is a Bedok Interchange neighbourhood loop connecting Chai Chee and Siglap Road with East Coast Road and Katong, Geylang Road and City Plaza, Aljunied MRT, Mattar MRT, MacPherson MRT and the Circuit Road Block 79 food-centre area, before returning via Aljunied and Katong to Bedok. Its most useful public outings are a short Katong heritage walk, a neighbourhood meal near Circuit Road or a visit to one legitimate local shop or community activity.

The key warning is that Bus 40 does not go to Singapore’s central business district. The route turns around at Merpati Road, Mattar Road, Circuit Road and Pipit Road and comes back to Bedok. It does not continue towards Suntec City, Orchard, Chinatown or HarbourFront. A bus passing Geylang Road should not be confused with another service that continues farther west. It is also not an East Coast Park coastal-service-road bus.

Quick stop sequence: 84009 Bedok Int → 83249 Flamingo Valley → 92119 Roxy Sq → 92109 Opp Katong Shop Ctr → 82109 City Plaza → 81081 Opp Aljunied Stn → 70161 Mattar Stn Exit A → 70201 Opp MacPherson Stn Exit D → 70221 Blk 79 FC → 70231 Opp Mattar Stn Exit B → 81089 Aljunied Stn → 82119 Tanjong Katong Cplx → 92111 Opp Roxy Sq → 84009 Bedok Int. The published circuit is approximately 23.4km, with first Bedok departure 5.45am weekdays/Saturdays, 6am Sundays and last origin departure 11.30pm daily.

Quick route and operating facts

• Operator: SBS Transit. Origin/end at Bedok Int 84009; one circular route.
• First/last at Bedok: 5.45am–11.30pm Monday–Saturday, 6am–11.30pm Sunday/PH.
• Full circuit: about 23.4km through Siglap, Katong, Geylang, Aljunied, Mattar and MacPherson.
• Early neighbourhood: 84029 Opp Blk 32, 83249 Flamingo Valley, 93069 Aft Siglap Rd.
• Katong: 92119 Roxy Sq, 92109 Opp Katong Shop Ctr, then Tanjong Katong Road.
• Geylang shopping: 82109 City Plaza, a public retail reference not a guaranteed shop opening.
• Rail links: 81081 Opp Aljunied Stn (EW9), 70161 Mattar Stn Exit A (DT25), 70201 Opp MacPherson Exit D (CC10/DT26).
• Food-centre stop: 70221 Blk 79 FC on Circuit Road. Different from Circuit Road Block 80 Market and Food Centre.
• NEA 2026 closure schedule: Circuit Road Blk 79 closed for cleaning on 28 December, Blk 79A on 29 December; the separate Circuit Road Block 80 centre on 16–17 November.
• Returning rail stops: 70231 Opp Mattar Exit B and 81089 Aljunied Stn; the route uses different road sides and streets.
• Not direct: Marine Parade MRT road stop, Punggol MRT, Suntec, Orchard, Changi Airport terminals, Singapore Zoo or a coastal park carpark.

Where to alight: actual service stops

These are selected five-digit codes from the current SBS Transit/SimplyGo circular route. Confirm the venue’s public entrance, separate operating hours and return-side stop before setting out.

Destination and purpose	Route 40 stop	Practical decision
Bedok MRT and Interchange	84009 Bedok Int	Start near EW5, not a bus from Punggol.
Siglap residential streets	83249 Flamingo Valley, 93119 Aft Elite Pk Ave	Local homes or authorised appointments; private grounds not attractions.
East Coast Road / Holy Family area	92129 The Holy Family Ch	Historic street, active church access subject to venue rules.
Katong shops and heritage streets	92119 Roxy Sq, 92109 Opp Katong Shop Ctr	Public retail and conservation approach; verify the chosen outlet.
Tanjong Katong Road	92161 Aft Katong PO, 82081 Aft Dunman Rd	Residential, school and local business corridor.
City Plaza / Geylang Road	82109 City Plaza	Shopping and dining, not the CBD or Geylang Serai Market.
Aljunied MRT towards Mattar	81081 Opp Aljunied Stn	East–West Line rail connection near the Geylang/MacPherson corridor.
Merpati Road turning area	70151 Bef Jln Anggerek	Operator’s named loop sector, not a final interchange.
Mattar MRT	70161 Mattar Stn Exit A	Downtown Line DT25; choose an actual public entrance.
MacPherson MRT	70201 Opp MacPherson Exit D	Circle/Downtown interchange, not one station with Mattar.
Circuit Road food centre	70221 Blk 79 FC	Food/market area. NEA December cleaning affects Blk 79/79A.
Mattar on return	70231 Opp Mattar Exit B	Different roadside code from 70161 on outward.
Aljunied on return	81089 Aljunied Stn	Station-side return, then Sims Ave and Tanjong Katong Road.
Katong return	82119 Tanjong Katong Cplx, 92111 Opp Roxy Sq	Return stop differs from outbound 92119.
Bedok final	84009 Bedok Int	Circuit completed; choose a valid onward train or bus.

Why Bus 40 is an estate loop rather than a long city bus

Service 40 starts at Bedok and travels through Siglap and Katong, then turns north through Geylang Road and Aljunied before serving the Mattar/MacPherson estate and returning. It does not continue to Bugis, City Hall, Orchard or Clementi. Although it touches several well-known streets, its route is designed to connect local residential and business areas rather than provide a through journey across the island.

That matters for a first-time visitor. A person who wants the National Stadium should select a service with the stadium’s actual named stop, not assume a bus from Tanjong Katong passes the event venue. Similarly, a trip to Marine Parade MRT requires a route whose stop list includes that station; Service 40 follows East Coast Road and a different inland road sequence.

An ordinary trip need not be a day of sightseeing. Someone may use this service for a food errand near Circuit Road, a local appointment, a friend in Siglap or a rail transfer at Mattar. Those are legitimate and valuable purposes. A good guide identifies them without inventing attractions inside every housing block.

Siglap and East Coast Road: the difference between an estate name and a beach

Service 40 leaves Bedok via New Upper Changi Road and Siglap Road, serving Flamingo Valley and nearby residential stops before joining East Coast Road. A road named East Coast is not the same as East Coast Park’s coastal service road, where visitors find beaches and designated park entrances. A family wanting a beachfront picnic should identify its actual park area and access route separately.

Siglap is a residential and retail area with different public shops and private homes. For a family visit, ask for the exact block, gate or business unit. A condominium appearing as a bus-stop name does not grant permission to use its facilities. Private residential entrances should not be used as pedestrian shortcuts.

If the goal is food, choose a current public outlet before travel. Retail businesses on a long road may have different opening times and rest days. A short local meal or errand can be a complete outing, without needing to stay aboard through Aljunied and Mattar.

Katong: a real public-street heritage visit

The outbound route passes the Holy Family Church area and stops at 92119 Roxy Sq and 92109 Opp Katong Shop Ctr. These are useful public transport references for Katong’s retail and conserved urban streets. A family can choose a short public circuit and read a trusted heritage explanation rather than improvising the history of individual façades.

Compare a conserved shopfront with a newer retail block. Discuss what can be seen directly—tile patterns, window design, the position of the walkway—and what needs a historical source, such as construction dates or former trades. This is a useful small educational visit without the pressure to photograph every shophouse.

Some nearby places of worship and privately occupied houses have their own entry rules. A bus stop close to a church or school is not permission to enter during a service or school session. Remain on public pavements and select lawful crossings, especially when young children accompany the group.

The return bus uses 92111 Opp Roxy Sq, not 92119. A family finishing a meal should find the correct opposite-direction stop before setting out, rather than crossing the road at an inconvenient or unsafe point.

Tanjong Katong Road, City Plaza and Geylang

From East Coast Road, Bus 40 turns north into Tanjong Katong Road and then Geylang Road. It passes local schools, the former post-office corridor and the stop 82109 City Plaza. City Plaza can serve a shopping or food errand, but it is not Singapore’s central civic plaza or the Geylang Serai Market building.

Broad place names can be misleading. ‘Katong’ may describe conserved East Coast Road streets, while ‘Geylang’ may refer to a large area with several separate MRT stops and food districts. A route that calls at City Plaza should not be advertised as stopping at every public attraction along those long roads.

Choose an actual shop or appointment address. A public transport guide cannot guarantee an individual tenant’s opening time, a particular meal, or access to a working building. If the primary outlet is closed, shortening the trip or choosing another known public venue is a sensible response.

Aljunied MRT and Mattar MRT are different stations

After City Plaza, the route uses Aljunied Road and calls at 81081 Opp Aljunied Stn. This is the East–West Line, while 70161 Mattar Stn Exit A serves Downtown Line station DT25 farther north. MacPherson MRT is a third location with Circle/Downtown connections, served at 70201 Opp MacPherson Stn Exit D.

That distinction matters to commuters. A traveller headed to a building near Mattar should not alight at Aljunied solely because both are in the wider Geylang region. Use the exact address and station exit to choose the correct stop. A passenger already inside an MRT station may prefer rail for a longer destination, while a resident near Circuit Road may value the road-side bus.

The return road-side station codes differ. The bus later serves 70231 Opp Mattar Stn Exit B and 81089 Aljunied Stn as it heads home to Bedok. Save those rather than assuming the same pole will work both directions.

Circuit Road Block 79: a genuinely useful local food-centre stop

Service 40’s stopping list includes 70221 Blk 79 FC on Circuit Road. This is a clear neighbourhood food-centre reference and an appropriate destination for a meal or a simple market visit, subject to current trading. The Circuit Road name also covers other blocks and separate food centres, so a reader should use the full block number.

The National Environment Agency’s November–December 2026 cleaning schedule distinguishes Block 80 Circuit Road Market and Food Centre, closed 16–17 November, from Blocks 79/79A, with cleaning on 28 and 29 December respectively. A visitor should not assume a closure for Block 80 applies to every stall at Block 79, or that all stalls in a centre share one operating time.

For a child, a hawker outing can illustrate budgeting and public-space behaviour. Check displayed prices, choose a suitable meal and respect stallholders who are working. There is no need to turn a small local food visit into an expensive trip across town.

After eating, locate the bus’s returning Circuit Road sequence. The next stops go towards Mattar and then Aljunied, rather than directly across to East Coast Road. This is one large loop, so the remaining distance depends on where within it the passenger boards.

The Merpati Road and Circuit Road turn is not a separate terminal

The operator calls the service a Bedok Int–Bef Jalan Anggerek, Merpati Road (Loop). That phrase describes the broad turning sector, not a public bus interchange where the service ends for passengers. The bus continues through Mattar and Circuit Road before heading south again.

A circular route can create a navigation mistake: someone sees the bus heading north from Aljunied and thinks it is leaving the destination behind, when it is still following the prescribed route through Mattar. Read the next few stops and the full list rather than relying on the compass direction shown on a map.

The bus uses different roads on the two sides of the circuit. On the return, it follows Mattar Road, Aljunied Road, Sims Avenue and Tanjong Katong Road. This explains why some return stops are not simply opposite the outward ones. Identify the actual shelter and next stop before boarding after a meal or appointment.

Why Bus 40 is different from Services 7, 14, 16 and 48

Services 7, 14 and 16 also serve parts of eastern Singapore and Katong, but they travel onward towards the city or other western termini. Service 40 instead turns inland through Geylang, Aljunied, Mattar and MacPherson and returns to Bedok. It is best for those local corridors, not for a through ride to Orchard or HarbourFront.

Service 48 runs through Marine Parade and Bugis before connecting to Newton, Botanic Gardens and Holland Village. It does not share Service 40’s Circuit Road food-centre loop. A route number and an overlapping road do not imply the same destination.

For someone starting in Punggol, there is an additional initial journey to Bedok or a real intermediate stop. Service 40 does not leave Punggol Interchange. Choose the actual purpose and total transfer/walking effort rather than relying on a bus just because its geography is on the eastern side of Singapore.

A reliable family outing and return plan

Write down the boarding stop, specific alighting code, actual venue entrance and the return stop before leaving home. For a park or food venue, check opening hours and closures; for a school or workplace, obtain permission and entry instructions. The transport route cannot override those conditions.

For mobility, consider the whole journey. A bus may accommodate a mobility aid while the last pedestrian route has awkward crossings or a building without the expected access. The safest path for a child or older relative may be longer than a straight-line map route.

SimplyGo fares depend on distance and concession eligibility. The published 11.30pm last departure is from Bedok, not necessarily the last departure from Mattar or Katong. For a timed event or evening appointment, check live stop arrivals and leave a realistic margin.

A well-chosen local trip can be one Katong street, one food-centre meal or one station transfer. That is the practical value of the service. It need not become a tour of every road in the 23.4km circuit.

Three practical outings

Katong architecture and an open food outlet

Travel from Bedok on full 40 to 92119 Roxy Sq or 92109 Opp Katong Shop Ctr. Choose a short public heritage street and a confirmed open shop. Use 92111 Opp Roxy Sq or another valid return-side stop for home.

Circuit Road food-centre visit

Use full 40 to 70221 Blk 79 FC. Check current stall availability and NEA’s December cleaning schedule. For the homeward loop, follow the Mattar and Aljunied stopping order rather than assuming the bus immediately reverses.

Three-station public-transport exercise

Use the route to distinguish Aljunied EW9, Mattar DT25 and MacPherson CC10/DT26. Choose one practical transfer, compare road-side stop codes, and let an adult manage crossings. No private school or business needs to be entered.

Frequently asked questions

Where does Bus 40 go?

It loops from Bedok via Siglap, Katong, Geylang Road, Aljunied, Mattar, MacPherson and Circuit Road before returning to Bedok.

Does it go to Orchard or Suntec?

No. It loops back before reaching central-city tourist districts.

Does Bus 40 stop at Katong?

Yes, near Roxy Square and Katong Shopping Centre on the outward leg.

Does it serve Aljunied MRT?

Yes, outbound 81081 Opp Aljunied Stn and later 81089 Aljunied Stn.

Does it go to Mattar MRT?

Yes, outbound 70161 Mattar Exit A and return 70231 opposite Exit B.

Does it serve MacPherson MRT?

Yes, 70201 Opp MacPherson Stn Exit D.

Which stop serves the Circuit Road food centre?

70221 Blk 79 FC on the Circuit Road part of the loop.

When is Circuit Road Blk 79 cleaning in 2026?

NEA lists Blk 79 on 28 December and Blk 79A on 29 December, subject to updates.

Is Circuit Road Block 80 the same centre?

No. NEA lists Block 80 separately, with cleaning 16–17 November 2026.

Does it enter East Coast Park beach road?

No; its East Coast Road and Siglap stops are not the coastal park service road.

Does it start at Punggol?

No. Its origin is Bedok Interchange.

Is Merpati Road a second bus interchange?

No. It names the turning sector of the circular route.

What time is the last Bus 40?

11.30pm at Bedok Interchange; the time at each intermediate stop is different.

Does the route run Sundays?

Yes, with first Bedok departure at 6am.

Can I take 40 to a military or school compound?

A bus provides road access, not admission. Follow each site’s rules.

Official information

• SBS Transit Service 40 official stop list and schedule
• SimplyGo eGuide Bus 40 full five-digit stop codes
• NEA 2026 cleaning notices for Circuit Road Blocks 79, 79A and 80
• NHB Katong and Joo Chiat heritage resources
• SimplyGo travel fares and concessions

Editorial review 5 November 2026. This independent guide uses SBS Transit/SimplyGo route data and NEA’s current hawker-centre calendar. It does not guarantee live bus arrivals, food-stall trading, legal access to private property or a fully step-free walk. Check the actual stop and activity.