Spring Festival holiday in Yilan? Super time-saving with these 7 cruise-style chartered routes that let you explore it all!

▲ Lanyang Museum is a popular attraction in the Yilan area. (Photo / Provided by Lanyang Museum)

Reported by Lai Wen-xuan / Taipei

Worried about traffic jams ruining your Spring Festival holiday trip to Yilan? To alleviate congestion on National Freeway No. 5 and in the Yilan area, the Directorate General of Highways has launched 7 cruise-style bus routes that cover all the popular attractions in Yilan. The services run from the first or second day of the Lunar New Year to the seventh, with presale tickets available starting the 12th.

▲ Capital Bus. (Photo / From the official fan page of the City Hall Bus Station)

During the Spring Festival holiday period, a total of 7 cruise-style chartered bus routes will be in operation, covering popular Yilan attractions such as Wufengqi Scenic Area, Jiaoxi, Lanyang Museum, National Center for Traditional Arts, Nanfang’ao, Meihua Lake, and Luodong Night Market.

The 7 cruise-style bus routes from Taipei to Yilan are as follows:

1. Taipei Station – Lanyang Museum (Kuo-Kuang Bus)
Scenic stops: Wufengqi Scenic Area – Jiaoxi Tangweigou – Lanyang Museum – No. 9 Coffee Waiao Branch
Operating period: 2nd day of Lunar New Year (Feb. 9) – 7th day (Feb. 14)

2. Yuanshan Transfer Station – Lanyang Museum (Kuo-Kuang Bus)
Scenic stops: Wufengqi Scenic Area – Jiaoxi Tangweigou – Lanyang Museum – No. 9 Coffee Waiao Branch
Operating period: 2nd day of Lunar New Year (Feb. 9) – 7th day (Feb. 14)

3. Taipei Station – National Center for Traditional Arts (Kuo-Kuang Bus)
Scenic stops: National Center for Traditional Arts – Nanfang’ao – Meihua Lake – Luodong Night Market
Operating period: 1st day of Lunar New Year (Feb. 8) – 7th day (Feb. 14)

4. Yuanshan Transfer Station – National Center for Traditional Arts (Kuo-Kuang Bus)
Scenic stops: National Center for Traditional Arts – Nanfang’ao – Meihua Lake – Luodong Night Market
Operating period: 1st day of Lunar New Year (Feb. 8) – 7th day (Feb. 14)

5. City Hall Transfer Station – National Center for Traditional Arts (Capital Bus)
Scenic stops: National Center for Traditional Arts – Meihua Lake – Luodong Night Market
Operating period: 1st day of Lunar New Year (Feb. 8) – 7th day (Feb. 14)

6. Banqiao Transfer Station – King Car Brewery (Gloria Outbound Bus)
Scenic stops: Shengyang Aquatic Plants – King Car Sightseeing Brewery – A-Dian Fruit Workshop – Orange Homeland Preserved Fruit Factory – Luodong Night Market
Operating period: 1st day of Lunar New Year (Feb. 8) – 7th day (Feb. 14)

7. Dapinglin – Meihua Lake (Taipei Metro Bus)
Scenic stops: Forestry Cultural Park – Meihua Lake – Nanfang’ao – National Center for Traditional Arts
Operating period: 1st day of Lunar New Year (Feb. 8) – 7th day (Feb. 14)

▲ Lanyang Museum is closed on New Year’s Eve and the 1st day of Lunar New Year. (Photo / By reporter Huang Ke-xiang)

As the Lan Yang Museum is closed on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, only the “Taipei Station – Lan Yang Museum” and “Yuanshan Bus Terminal – Lan Yang Museum” routes will operate from the second day of the Lunar New Year (Feb. 9) to the seventh day (Feb. 14). The remaining five routes will run from the first day of the Lunar New Year (Feb. 8) to the seventh day (Feb. 14).

▲ Tickets for Yilan Cruise-Style Shuttle Buses during the Lunar New Year go on sale.

This cruise-style bus service continues to involve four bus companies: Kuo-Kuang Motor Transport, Capital Bus, Kamalan Bus, and Greater Taipei Bus, which are participating in the trial operation. Tickets are sold via a pre-sale system, managed by Kuo-Kuang Motor Transport. Pre-sale tickets for the Lunar New Year holiday period go on sale starting Feb. 12. Members of the public who wish to purchase tickets can do so at FamilyMart, Hi-Life, and 7-Eleven convenience stores or at any Kuo-Kuang Motor Transport sales window across Taiwan.

The Directorate General of Highways also conducted a survey of 4,000 respondents traveling to Yilan. Based on the survey results, there was demand for transport from Sanchong to Yilan. To meet public expectations, a temporary “Sanchong – Luodong” national freeway bus route has been added for the Lunar New Year holiday period (Feb. 5–Feb. 15). Passengers can board at Sanchong MRT Station or the National Freeway Bus Zhongyang Station and travel directly to Luodong Bus Terminal in the Yilan area, providing more convenient access for those from Sanchong and central and southern Taiwan. The Directorate General of Highways stated that, in coordination with the measure allowing buses to use the shoulder lane on National Freeway No. 5 northbound from Yilan to Toucheng, taking the bus can significantly reduce travel time compared to driving.

▲ Luodong Night Market. (Photo / Screenshot from Google Maps)

In addition to providing convenient transport between Taipei and popular tourist spots in Yilan, the Directorate General of Highways has also coordinated with the Lan Yang Museum and the Traditional Arts Center to offer ticket and shopping discounts for those holding cruise-style shuttle bus vouchers during the trial period. As this holiday period coincides with both Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day, each bus company will distribute small gifts to passengers riding the cruise-style buses on New Year’s Day and Valentine’s Day.