Free rides on Taichung’s new “express line”! Plus free theme park tickets

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

Summer travel gets a boost with a new “express line”! Taichung City’s fourth express bus operating on a national freeway, the “Route 155 Houli Express,” will launch on August 1. From August 1 to 4, the public can ride for free. The city’s Transportation Bureau is also distributing 240 commemorative EasyCard vouchers, 1,000 discount vouchers for water park tickets, and 30% off coupons for bicycle rentals. Passengers traveling this route to Houli Horse Farm will also enjoy free admission.

▲ Taichung City’s newly launched Route 155 Express Bus. (Photo / Provided by Taichung City Government Transportation Bureau)

The Transportation Bureau stated that in addition to serving commuters, Route 155 Houli Express is also a “tourist route.” The bus departs from Taichung High-Speed Rail Station, travels along Freeway No. 74 to Taiwan Boulevard’s Tunghsun Transfer Station, then enters Freeway No. 1, exiting at the Houli Interchange. Along the way, it passes by Lihpao Land, the Central Taiwan Science Park Houli Campus, and Houli Railway Station, with its final stop at Houli Horse Farm.

On the opening day of August 1, Zhongtaiwan Bus Company will distribute commemorative EasyCards on the first three buses departing from the high-speed rail side and the first three buses departing from the Houli side, with 40 cards per bus. The first three buses at both the starting and ending points will also offer 125 discount vouchers worth NT$300 off water park tickets. Passengers need to actively request them from the driver.

▲ Houli Horse Farm. (Photo / Courtesy of Taichung City Government, archival image)

Previously, traveling between downtown Taichung and Houli via public transport took about one and a half hours. The Transportation Bureau noted that with the launch of Route 155, the travel time is reduced by at least 30 minutes. After the new express line begins operation, passengers can still enjoy the benefits of free rides for the first 8 kilometers when using an IC card and a flat fare of NT$60 for trips over 60 kilometers. For example, the fare from Taichung High-Speed Rail Station to Houli Horse Farm was originally NT$105, but with an electronic ticket, it’s only NT$60—saving NT$45.