TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The New Taipei City Government released shuttle bus and activity information for the 2023 Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival in a press release on Wednesday (Jan. 11).
(YouTube, New Taipei Government video)
The release of hundreds of lanterns will take to the sky at the Shifen Sky Lantern Square from 6-8:30 p.m. on Feb. 5, and at Pingxi Junior High School, also from 6-8:30 p.m. on Feb. 11.
The events will feature over 100 4-foot rabbit-silhouetted lanterns to celebrate the year of the rabbit.
Additionally, three art installations will be displayed from Jan. 20 to Feb. 28 at the Jingtong Electronic Sky Lantern Hall, the stairway to Pingxi Railway Station, and the entrance to the Shifen Scenic Area, according to the press release. They will be lit up from 5-10 p.m.
The mountain city of Pingxi has a diverse ecological landscape, charming railway scenery, nostalgic mining history and culture, and local delicacies and snacks that are worth savoring, according to the release.
The New Taipei City's Tourism and Travel Department has teamed up with local groups to roll out the "599 Pingxi/Shifen Experience Tour" on Feb. 5 and Feb. 11. The tour will take participants to explore places such as the Jingtong Japanese-style dormitories, the Qinghe Suspension Bridge, and the Wanggu Waterfall.
The tour also includes interesting DIY activities and the opportunity to release rabbit-silhouetted sky lanterns or pink heart sky lanterns.
The limit on the number of participants for the 599 Pingxi/Shifen Experience Tour is 1,000. Registration for the tour began at 12:00 p.m. Wednesday on the 2023 Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival website.
On Feb. 5, traffic control measures will be enforced from 10 a.m. to midnight. Departure shuttle bus services will be provided from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the return bus service will end at 11 p.m. at Shifen.
The bus fare for getting on the shuttle bus from the Taipei Zoo is NT$50, NT$30 from the Shiding Interchange, Keelung Railway Station, and Ruifang Railway Station, while the bus fare will be NT$15 from stops within Pingxi District, according to the release. Return trips are free.
The shuttle bus service will be provided for free at Shuangxi Railway Station from 12 p.m.-8 p.m., and the return bus service for this route will end at 8:30 p.m. at Shifen.
For more information, check the official event website.
Shuttle bus service information. (New Taipei City Government image)
