By MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team
Shortly after their launch, Taipei’s double-decker sightseeing buses quickly garnered widespread attention. On their first day of operation, January 18, they were extensively covered by Japan’s NHK, China’s Xinhua News Agency, North America’s Sina, Yahoo Hong Kong, The Star (Malaysia), FOCUS TAIWAN and others, with detailed photo reports. Google search pages saw over 10,000 new entries within 24 hours, while Facebook pages and news sites were flooded with eye-catching photos, showcasing the remarkable appeal of the double-decker sightseeing buses. Thanks to continuous word-of-mouth promotion by passengers on social media and websites, ridership of the double-decker buses is expected to rise.
A Google search for “double-decker bus Taipei” yielded over 410,000 results as of noon on January 19, including 14,000 new webpages created within 24 hours and nearly 700 media reports published in just one day—clear evidence of the buses' strong appeal. News about the sightseeing buses also became a hot topic on Facebook among major travel websites, travel agencies, hotels, and the general public. Calls flooded into the city government inquiring about ride details for future trip planning, and many listeners called into the “Citizen Chief Editor” program on Taipei radio to ask questions.
The exterior of the double-decker buses features popular Taipei attractions. (Photo / MOOK Scenic Spots Zhang Yingying)
Despite the less-than-sunny weather on January 19, tourists remained eager to ride. By shortly before 9 AM at Taipei Railway Station, the first stop, a line had already formed. Visitors carefully studied route maps and attraction information from the double-decker sightseeing bus brochures, faces beaming with excitement and joy. Once aboard, they took numerous photos and videos as keepsakes, with many sharing their experiences online. The two double-decker sightseeing bus routes pass through major Taipei landmarks such as Taipei Railway Station, Beimen, Ximending, Taipei 101, the National Palace Museum, the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Huashan 1914 Creative Park, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, Taipei Film House, the Taipei Flora Expo Park, the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, the Taipei Story House, and the Shilin Official Residence. Passengers can get on and off unlimited times within the validity period of their tickets.
Multilingual guidebooks are available on board the Taipei double-decker buses. (Photo / MOOK Scenic Spots Zhang Yingying)
Information about bus stops and current vehicle locations can be checked via the Taipei City 5284 webpage by selecting “Taipei Sightseeing Bus Red Line” or “Taipei Sightseeing Bus Blue Line.”