Taichung BRT Launches New Coastal Route No. 2 – Free Rides for First 2 Months

▲ Articulated bus of the Taichung BRT. (Photo / Reporter Huang Kexiang)

By reporter Tsai Wenjun / Comprehensive report

The former Taichung BRT was converted into an optimized bus lane starting this July, with 32 articulated buses sent in for maintenance. Recently, to enhance bus services in the coastal area, the Taichung City Transportation Bureau has newly launched two bus routes: Route 616 “Wuqi–Dajia” and Route 617 “Wuqi–Taiwan Railways’ Xinwuri Station.” These will be operated using articulated buses and officially commence service on the 16th. The bureau also announced that during the initial two months of operation, rides on both new routes are free of charge for the entire journey..

The Transportation Bureau stated that the two new routes will be operated using Taichung BRT articulated buses, with all stops along the lines not exceeding 23 stations in total. Each route is scheduled to run 31 round trips per day, departing at fixed times. During peak morning hours starting at 6 a.m., buses will run every 30 minutes, while off-peak periods will see at least one bus per hour on average.

Route 616 operates from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., providing school and work commute options for residents in areas such as Wuqi, Qingshui, and Dajia.Route 617 operates from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., not only offering connections between Taichung High-Speed Rail Station and the coastal area, but also providing public transport access to areas previously unserved by buses, such as Zhonghua Road in Wuqi District and Xiangshang Road in Longjing District.

The Transportation Bureau stated that to offer coastal residents a different travel experience, the Taichung BRT Corporation has planned to provide free rides for the full journey on Routes 616 and 617 during the initial period of operation. For these two months, passengers do not need to tap their cards or pay fares when riding these two routes. However, passengers are still reminded to signal the driver when boarding and press the bell when alighting.