The YouBike card lets you rent bikes and take boat rides — Sun Moon Lake becomes Taiwan’s first low-carbon smart scenic area

▲Visitors can rent bicycles with the low-carbon sightseeing e-ticket. (Photo / Reporter Chen Ruizhong, same below)

Reported by Chen Ruizhong / Nantou

Taiwan’s first national-level low-carbon tourism smart sightseeing scenic area was established today (November 22) at Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area. In the future, visitors can enjoy an affordable trip around Sun Moon Lake with discounts of 30% to 10% off by using an e-ticket YouBike card to access electric buses, electric cars, electric boats, cable cars, and bicycles.

This carbon-free tourism e-ticket package utilizes the YouBike card to integrate the local public transport system, special attractions, and shops around Sun Moon Lake. The public can purchase a Sun Moon Lake-specific YouBike card package for prices ranging from NT$360 to NT$990 (including approximately NT$680 to NT$1,540 worth of travel content). With the package YouBike card, users can take or use electric boats, bicycles, electric cars, and other transportation, as well as visit attractions such as the Paper Dome and Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village at discounted package rates, enjoy afternoon tea, or purchase local delicacies. After completing the trip, the package YouBike card can also be used as a regular YouBike card.

▲Sun Moon Lake’s Shiangshan Bicycle Path, selected as one of the most beautiful bike paths in the world.

Vice Premier Mao Chi-kuo stated at the opening ceremony that the influx of private vehicles has made Sun Moon Lake the scenic area with the highest carbon emissions in the country. Therefore, this initiative brings together various government departments and private enterprises to allow the public to use various forms of energy-efficient transportation with just a YouBike card, jointly establishing a low-carbon tourism and smart consumption environment.

▲Vice Premier Mao Chi-kuo personally tested renting an electric car with the e-ticket.

YouBike Company stated that many shops and transportation options at Sun Moon Lake already accept regular YouBike cards, but regular YouBike cards do not offer the discounted prices provided by the e-ticket package. From November 22 to 23, YouBike Company will also hold a “Photo YouBike Card” event at the Shiangshan Visitor Center, allowing the public to create personalized YouBike cards and experience the e-ticket package in advance. Trial sales of the package will begin on November 24, with official sales starting on December 1.

▲In addition to transportation, the e-ticket YouBike card can also be used to purchase special foods of Sun Moon Lake.