Prices for certain Kuo Kuang bus routes are to rise by as much as 10 percent from June 5, and discounts for round-trip tickets would no longer be offered, the company said on Monday.
After raising prices for its routes on the Chiang Wei-shui Memorial Freeway linking Taipei and Yilan on Monday, Kuo Kuang Motor Transportation Co on its Web site announced further hikes to 31 other routes, effective on June 5.
The company would also no longer offer discounts for purchasing round-trip or prepaid multi-ride tickets on middle and long-distance routes, it said.
Photo: Taipei Times files
Kuo Kuang is the latest intercity bus operator to raise prices, following similar hikes by United Highway Bus Co, Taipei Bus Co, Taoyuan Bus Co, Sanchung Bus Co, Ho-Hsin Bus Traffic Co and others.
The price increases have not exceed the amount permitted by the government, Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said on Wednesday, adding that Kuo Kuang is mostly cutting costs by eliminating discounts and special deals.
Wang was responding to concerns from legislators that the sudden price increase would affect lower-income passengers and might spur further inflation.
The minister vowed to study the situation further and communicate concerns with Kuo Kuang.
The main affected routes are as follows:
(1805) Keelung-Taipei NT$345 to NT$346
(1822) Taipei-Hsinchu NT$145 to NT$148
(1826) Taipei-Taichung NT$300 to NT$320
(1828) Taipei-Changhua NT$320 to NT$331
(1831) Taipei-Nantou NT$380 to NT$388
(1837) Taipei-Tainan NT$480 to NT$500
(1838) Taipei-Kaohsiung NT$590 NT$600
(1839) Taipei-Pingtung NT$620 NT$630
More details are available on the Kuo Kuang Web site.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
The New Taipei City Government would assist relatives of those killed or injured in last month’s car-ramming incident in Sansia District (三峽) to secure compensation, Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said yesterday, two days after the driver died in a hospital. “The city government will do its best to help the relatives of the car crash incident seek compensation,” Hou said. The mayor also said that the city’s Legal Affairs, Education and Social Welfare departments have established a joint mechanism to “provide coordinated assistance” to victims and their families. Three people were killed and 12 injured when a car plowed into schoolchildren and their
RSS