Travel during the Spring Festival without traffic jams – explore Taiwan’s landscapes on 678 free buses across the island

▲ There are 678 buses or coaches offering free rides across Taiwan; the image above is for illustration only. (Photo / fromthe i384 Love Buses - Roaming Mountains, Seas & Tungs fan page)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

Winter vacation is here！After months of busyness, with the arrival of winter break and the Lunar New Year holiday, it’s finally time to relax a little. There are now a total of 678 free buses across Taiwan, transporting passengers between major cities, small towns, and famous tourist attractions.

Starting from the north,in New Taipei City, all “New Buses” with an F prefix are free, covering areas such as Jiufen and the North Coast, totaling 169 routes; Taoyuan County includes 3 free county-operated buses serving various townships, with around 40 in total, while the Xinzhusheng Bus line between Hsinchu and Miaoli offers about 39 free routes.

Somewhat differentare Taichung and Tainan cities. Although not entirely free, passengers using cards such as an EasyCard, iPass, Taiwan Pass, or ETC card can enjoy the benefit of “the first 8 kilometers free” when riding urban buses. Nantou County provides 6 free buses that pass through four townships—Puli, Xinyi, Yuchi, and Zhongliao. Recently, it’s also the season when plum blossoms are in full bloom in Xinyi Township, so visitors might want to take advantage of the free buses to get there.

▲ Whether it’s the hot springs up north (top image), or the plum blossoms in bloom in Nantou’s Xinyi Township (bottom image), both are famous tourist spots with several free shuttle bus routes available. (Photo / Wikimedia Commons; provided by Happy Cloud)

Kaohsiung City has been offering free rides on urban buses for those using an EasyCard since the end of 2013 (last year), and this promotion has now been extended until the end of February, applying to about 124 routes. In addition, to encourage more people to use public transportation for travel, the Kaohsiung City Transportation Bureau has also launched a “MRT + Shuttle Bus” campaign at various tourist attractions in the city. By taking the MRT and then transferring to a shuttle bus, visitors can quickly reach various scenic spots.

Additionally, during the Lunar New Year holiday, major scenic areas will also arrange free shuttle buses for transportation. From the first to the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Sun Moon Lake offers free shuttles from Zhongming Parking Lot to Xiangshan Visitor Center; Alishan sets up 10 stations along Highway 18 from km 86 to km 95 from the first to the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, where visitors can take free shuttles to the Forest Recreation Area. During the New Year period, when large crowds flock to Kaohsiung’s Fo Guang Shan for blessings, Kaohsiung City’s Transportation Bureau Director Chen Jin-Fu also suggests taking the Kaohsiung MRT to Zuoying Station, then transferring to Yida Bus route 8501 (Fo Guang Shan Line) to reduce the hassle of being stuck in traffic.

Information on free buses and shuttles across the island can be found on the official websites of county and city governments, as well as national scenic area websites.