That 'Hidden Gem' in China? Yeah, Hidden Behind 10,000 Selfie Sticks. #RealityCheck
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It's true, not every county or city offers free bus rides for the first 8 kilometers.
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Ah, I guess I haven't traveled much then.
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If you don't wave for the bus, it'll just whiz right by. You also need to press the bell to signal you want to get off, otherwise it won't stop – there's one by every seat. If they stopped at every single stop, it would waste even more time.
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Yes, that's different from mainland China, where buses stop at every station. You could say each system has its own pros and cons.
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Exactly. You need to watch the electronic display at the front of the bus and listen carefully. On mainland China buses, they often have a list of all stops inside, so along with the electronic display, you can track your progress and know where you are.
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Most buses do announce the stops. In New Taipei City, you might occasionally find an older one that doesn't, but they usually do.
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They do announce the stops, but you can't see a list of all the stops on the route inside the bus. I might be overgeneralizing a bit, though.
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It depends on where you are. Every county and city is different, so you can't make a sweeping generalization.
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Ah, I guess I still don't know much then.
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There are apps like Google Maps and 'Taiwan Bus Tracker' (台湾等公车). Less complaining, more finding ways to adapt.
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Come to Taipei! We have more buses, they're more frequent, and waiting times are shorter (on popular routes, a bus comes every 5 minutes). Bus stops have displays showing wait times, and stops are announced on board too.
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Okay, thanks for the info!
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Also, for really tall people, they can press the stop request bell on the ceiling. Thoughtful, huh?
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Haha, they really do exist!
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More stops mean less walking for everyone, which is convenient. Taichung's BRT on Taiwan Boulevard has stops spaced further apart and dedicated lanes, so it's very fast. This, combined with regular buses that have more stops, is a pretty good system.
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True, there's still a lot I haven't experienced yet.
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In Taoyuan, buses are basically either 'here' or 'not here.' Taking a bus is a gamble; it might say 3 minutes away, and the next second it'll jump to an hour!