Responding to international visitors' needs, Taipei sightseeing bus reduces one-day fare and adjusts schedule times

It has been a year since Taipei's double-decker sightseeing bus launched, yet it has been repeatedly questioned for having low ridership. Recently, the operator posted an announcement on its website stating that the one-day fare will be reduced by NT$100 and the route schedules will be adjusted. Xu Haoyuan, CEO of the sightseeing bus service, confirmed that foreign tourists had reported that the Taipei 101 facade turns off its lights after 10 PM, making the red route’s night view time too short. As a result, the last bus time has been moved up by two hours to 8 PM, and the number of daily runs has been reduced from 23 to 19. The one-day fare has also been lowered by NT$100 in hopes of better meeting tourist needs and attracting more riders.

Xu Haoyuan also explained that last year, 70% of sightseeing bus passengers were international, about 7,500 people per month, which was only “barely meeting the target.” This year, the goal is to increase that number to 12,000 per month. Additionally, a new single-ride ticket priced at NT$150 for domestic travelers has been introduced, and discussions with New Taipei City government are not being ruled out to extend the route into New Taipei City, aiming to tap into a broader customer base.

Schedule adjustments details:

Red Route (passing through Taipei Main Station – Taipei 101): The latest four runs have been reduced (20:30, 21:00, 21:30, 22:00), and the last bus time has been adjusted from 22:00 to 20:00.

Blue Route (passing through Taipei Main Station – National Palace Museum): Departure time has been adjusted from 09:00 to 09:40, and the last bus time has been adjusted from 16:20 to 16:40. The total number of runs remains unchanged at 12.