TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) announced on Friday (Jan. 24) that passengers can enjoy discounts of up to 40% off on 90 national highway bus routes from Jan. 24 to Feb. 2. This initiative aims to facilitate travel during the Lunar New Year holiday, offering a more comfortable and quicker journey for travelers.
Chen explained the holiday transportation measures during an interview on POP Radio (台北流行廣播電台), emphasizing the integration of highway and transportation services to enhance travel efficiency. He noted that this year's discount period exceeds previous years, with discounts reaching up to 40% off, compared to the usual 15% off.
Sharing his personal experience, Chen highlighted the cost-effectiveness of traveling by bus from Taichung to Taipei, which costs about NT$200 and takes 1 hour and 50 minutes. In contrast, the high-speed rail costs NT$700, with an additional 30-minute commute to the city center. Two years ago, during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, passengers at Taichung THSR Station (台中高鐵站) faced a 2-hour wait for unreserved seats. To address this, Chen initiated a cross-transportation coordination plan.
Also, this year, the Xinwuri Railway Station (新烏日站) will operate additional express trains to Taipei to alleviate high-speed rail congestion. The Highway Bureau predicts peak traffic on national highways from the first to the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, with significant congestion likely on the northbound sections of Hsinchu and Miaoli on the third and fourth days.
Chen advised travelers to use the 1968 mobile app for real-time traffic updates, including AI predictions for travel times and provincial road conditions. In case of national highway congestion, he recommended using provincial roads to explore different parts of Taiwan during the holiday.