Highway Bureau Announces Congested Routes During Dragon Boat Festival Holiday, Encourages Public Transport Use

With the Dragon Boat Festival holiday approaching, the Highway Bureau today announced that multiple provincial highway sections, including the Danjiang Bridge, are expected to experience heavy traffic congestion. The bureau is encouraging the public to use public transportation and has introduced a 40% discount on intercity bus fares during the holiday period. When combined with TPass 2.0 rebates, travelers can enjoy up to a 58% discount.

The three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday runs from June 19 to June 21. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Highway Bureau issued a press release stating that travel during this holiday will primarily be for tourism. Major provincial highways, tourist attractions, and dragon boat race venues are expected to see increased traffic. The public is advised to check real-time traffic conditions before departure and avoid peak hours and congested routes.

The Highway Bureau forecasts that outbound tourist traffic will peak on June 19 and 20, while return traffic toward work locations is expected from the afternoon of June 20 through June 21.

The following provincial highway sections are expected to be heavily congested, with recommended avoidance times:

- Provincial Highway 1, Shuidiliao to Fenggang (northbound): June 21, 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM - Provincial Highway 61, Danjiang Bridge section: - Southbound: June 18, 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM; June 19, 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM; June 20 and 21, 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM - Northbound: June 18, 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM; June 19, 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM; June 20, 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM; June 21, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Provincial Highway 61, Fengbi to Xiangshan section: - Southbound: June 18 and 19, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM - Northbound: June 21, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM - Provincial Highway 61, Zhunan to Xuanbao Bridge section: - Southbound: June 19, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM - Northbound: June 21, 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM - Provincial Highway 61, Zhongzhang Bridge reconstruction section: - Southbound: June 19, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM - Northbound: June 20, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM; June 21, 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM

The Highway Bureau warns that the Danjiang Bridge section on Provincial Highway 61 is experiencing increased traffic due to its recent opening, while the Xuanbao and Zhongzhang Bridge sections are affected by ongoing construction, leading to congestion during the holiday. Traffic diversion plans and alternative routes have been established. Drivers are advised to follow CMS (Changeable Message Sign) instructions and detour signs to avoid traffic jams.

Other provincial highway sections likely to experience congestion include: - Provincial Highway 64 Zhonghe Interchange - Provincial Highway 65 Tucheng Interchange - Provincial Highway 74 Taichung Kuanguan to Chenggong section and Dali 2 to Wufeng section - Provincial Highway 18 Zhongpu Interchange - Provincial Highway 86 Guiren Interchange, Rende System - Provincial Highway 88 Fengshan to Wujia section

Congestion is also expected near major tourist attractions, including: - Provincial Highway 2, Fulong and Wanli to Dawulun section - Provincial Highway 2 and 2乙, Guandu to Danshui section - Provincial Highway 3 and 7, Daxi to Cihu section - Provincial Highway 21, Sun Moon Lake surrounding area - Provincial Highway 3, Gukeng to Meishan section

Regarding public transportation, the Highway Bureau announced multiple promotional measures during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday (June 18–21). Passengers taking intercity bus routes in western and eastern Taiwan will receive a 40% discount on fares. Additionally, TPass 2.0 members who ride 2–3 times in the month receive a 15% cashback, and those who ride 4 or more times receive 30% cashback. When combined, these offers can result in up to a 58% discount (paying only 42% of the original fare).

The bureau also stated that passengers transferring from intercity buses, TRA (Taiwan Railways Administration), or THSR (Taiwan High Speed Rail) to local buses within 10 hours using an electronic ticketing card can enjoy one free ride segment or basic mileage fare (for paper tickets, the electronic card must be tapped at the station before transfer to qualify). Additionally, designated Happy Bus routes are free to ride.

The Highway Bureau coordinated with intercity bus operators to secure additional capacity for the holiday, providing approximately 28,000 additional trips and 979,000 seats. As of June 4, about 22,000 advance tickets have been sold, with ample remaining capacity available.