TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Bus service providers are offering discounted fares on routes from Taipei to Hualien for several weeks after the inauguration of services on Jan. 6, rendering the discounted single-journey fare between the two cities much cheaper than the Taiwan Railways Administration’s Puyuma Express (NT$419).

The intercity bus service is provided by Taipei Bus and Ubus, with buses from both companies departing from Nangang Bus Station in Taipei City and heading for Xincheng, Beipu, and Hualien Stations via the improved Suhua Highway, according to a news release by Taipei’s Department of Information and Tourism. A single journey takes about 200 minutes.



Taipei Bus 1071 stops at Nangang Station's platform 1, while Ubus 1663 stops at platform 3, the release said. During the early stages of the service, both bus operators are selling tickets at nearly half price.

Taipei Bus is offering discounted tickets for NT$170 and NT$205 for 4-row and 3-row seats, respectively, until Jan. 21 and an additional 15 percent discount during the Lunar New Year period. Ubus is offering tickets at NT$205 each, instead of the usual NT$320, until Feb. 5.

In addition, Taipei Bus also operates the Banqiao-Hualien route (Taipei Bus 1580) and is selling tickets at the same discounted rate until Jan. 21 and during the Lunar New Year festival.

For more information, please refer the Taipei Bus Taipei-Hualien website or the Ubus website.