Wuling Farm’s cherry blossom season: All accommodations and campsites fully booked; cherry blossom shuttle buses go on sale on the 19th

▲ Wuling Farm attracts large crowds of visitors for cherry blossom viewing every year. (Photo / Provided by Wuling Farm, same below)

Reported by Lai Wen-xuan, Taipei

Cherry blossom season is approaching, and Taiwan’s popular cherry blossom destination, Wuling Farm, will officially kick off its cherry blossom season on February 6, running until February 14 — including the Lunar New Year holiday period — for a total of 17 days. With huge public demand to see the blossoms, all 800 guest rooms and 1,000 camping spots at Wuling Farm during the cherry blossom season have been fully booked. One-day tour bus tickets from Taipei and Yilan to Wuling will go on sale on the 19th, with full-price tickets at NT$730. Those hoping to visit Wuling Farm to admire the cherry blossoms should act fast to secure the last available option.

▲ To avoid a nightmare of traffic congestion nearby, Wuling Farm enforces traffic control during the cherry blossom season.

During the Wuling Farm cherry blossom season, to prevent severe traffic jams along the way, the Directorate General of Highways has planned four major traffic management measures, including “on-site capacity control, road traffic regulation, group visitor reservation entry, and public transport shuttle services.”

▲ Wuling Farm limits daily cherry blossom season entries to 6,000 visitors.

Wuling Farm implements a daily capacity limit of 6,000 visitors, which includes 1,800 overnight guests and 4,200 one-day visitors. The one-day visitors are further divided into 1,000 group ticket holders and 3,200 individual passengers using public transport. Traffic controls will be enforced in the surrounding areas; overnight guests can exchange for a pass to enter, while those without a pass will not be allowed access. However, all 800 guest rooms and 1,000 campsites at Wuling Farm have already been fully booked, so those wishing to enjoy the blossoms can only opt for group one-day tours or use public transportation.

▲ Visitors can take cherry blossom shuttle buses to enter and enjoy the blossoms.

Currently, the Directorate General of Highways has planned six bus routes: 【Taipei Main Station – Wuling Farm】, 【Taipei City Hall Bus Station – Wuling Farm】, 【Yilan Bus Station – Wuling Farm】, 【Sanxing Township Sports Complex – Wuling Farm】, 【Datong Township Jiuliao Visitor Service Center – Wuling Farm】, and 【Lishan – Wuling Farm】. Each route has a daily limit on the number of presold tickets, which are available through advance booking at Kuo-Kuang Bus service counters (provincial network) and convenience stores (7-11, FamilyMart, Hi-Life). Pre-sales begin on January 19.

Taking Taipei or Yilan as departure points, the bus ride only takes about 4 hours to reach Wuling Farm. With a valid bus ticket, visitors can enter the park for free. In line with Wuling Farm’s control plan, visitors are allocated 4 hours for park exploration. The cherry blossom shuttle buses operate on a same-vehicle round-trip basis, and return boarding points are set up at four locations within the park according to shuttle stops. Bus drivers will remind passengers of their return bus schedule and location when they disembark.

▲ Visitors planning to admire the cherry blossoms should pay attention to ticket information.

In addition, to prevent fatigue from long-distance and nighttime driving from Lishan to Wuling Farm, the Directorate General of Highways encourages visitors to stay overnight in Lishan and visit the farm the next day. Fengyuan Bus will sell bus and entrance tickets jointly with farm staff from 6 pm to 8 pm on the evening before departure at the Lishan Visitor Center. Each person is limited to purchasing six tickets. Ticket sales run from February 5, 2016, to February 21, 2016.

▲ The spectacular cherry blossoms at Wuling Farm.

The number of daily tickets available for each route is as follows:
1. 【Taipei Main Station – Wuling Farm】: 1,000 people/day.
2. 【Taipei City Hall Bus Station – Wuling Farm】: 1,000 people/day.
3. 【Yilan Bus Station – Wuling Farm】: 400 people/day.
4. 【Sanxing Township Sports Complex – Wuling Farm】: 300 people/day.
5. 【Datong Township Jiuliao Visitor Service Center – Wuling Farm】: 300 people/day.
6. 【Lishan – Wuling Farm】: 200 people/day.

Ticket prices for each route are as follows:
1. Taipei – Wuling Farm: Full fare NT$730, concession fare NT$450
2. Yilan – Wuling Farm: Full fare NT$610, concession fare NT$310
3. Sanxing Township Sports Complex – Wuling Farm: Full fare NT$520, concession fare NT$280
4. Datong Township Jiuliao Visitor Service Center – Wuling Farm: Full fare NT$500, concession fare NT$260
5. Lishan – Wuling Farm: Full fare NT$160, half fare NT$80