The 2026 Central Taiwan Lantern Festival, themed “MOOMIN ON,” will be held from February 15 to March 3 at Shui-Nan Central Park. To accommodate the anticipated crowds, the Taichung City Government’s Transportation Bureau has integrated public transportation and holiday shuttle services to provide a comprehensive guide for festival transportation. Visitors are encouraged to make greater use of public transit on weekdays. During the festival, 22 bus routes will pass by the venue. On holidays, attendees can also take advantage of free shuttle services—the City Hall Line and Songzhu Line—which depart when full, allowing visitors to reach the festival site easily and enjoy the lantern displays.
Transportation Bureau Director Yeh Chao-fu noted that the upcoming Central Taiwan Lantern Festival will be held at Central Park, a spacious and conveniently located venue that has become a key site for large-scale events in Taichung. This year’s festival features seven major exhibition zones that skillfully blend Western classic IPs, Eastern cultural celebrations, large-scale mechanical inflatable puppets, and traditional lantern craftsmanship. Anticipating a significant influx of families and visitors, the city government has implemented traffic management measures in advance to ensure smooth pedestrian and vehicle flow throughout the festival period.
Director Yeh explained that visitors are advised to use buses on weekdays to reach the festival. A total of 22 bus routes pass near the venue, including Green 4 (and extension), 6, 6V, 8, 23, 25, 28, 54, 82 (and extension), 88, 156, 157 (and loop/extension), 354, 525, 528, 529, 555, and 675. On weekdays, visitors can also take the MRT to Wenhua Senior High School Station, walk to the “Henan–Chang’an Road Intersection” bus stop, and transfer to Bus 525, which stops near the festival at the “Taichung Popular Audio Center,” providing highly convenient access. Director Yeh also reminded citizens that they can enjoy the Double-Ten bus fare promotion. Just don’t forget to bring electronic payment cards such as EasyCard or iPASS.
Considering the higher visitor volume on holidays, the Transportation Bureau will operate two additional free shuttle routes—the City Hall Line and Songzhu Line—during the festival. These shuttles connect MRT stations, express bus stops, and transfer hubs for TRA and THSR, making it convenient for visitors from other counties and cities to attend. The shuttles will operate in coordination with the festival’s lighting schedule. Services toward the festival site run from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., while return trips operate from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Buses depart approximately every 15–20 minutes and follow a “depart when full” policy to minimize waiting times for passengers.
The Transportation Bureau reminds the public that, before heading to the festival, they can access the 2026 Central Taiwan Lantern Festival Real-Time Transportation Web (https://e-traffic.taichung.gov.tw/ATIS_TCC/other/Activity/Lantern2026/Lantern.html) to check live traffic conditions, shuttle information, and bus arrival times for routes passing through the lantern areas. Additionally, due to event-related traffic control measures, two YouBike stations—Dunhua–Kaixuan Intersection and the Self-Experience Zone (Qiaoda 8th Street)—will be temporarily closed during the festival. Operations at other stations have been adjusted with enhanced bike allocation, and visitors are encouraged to make greater use of public transportation when attending.
The Transportation Bureau urges visitors to comply with traffic guidance and control measures during the festival and to make use of buses, MRT, and shuttle services. This not only reduces parking difficulties but also helps promote energy conservation and carbon reduction. Citizens are invited to explore the fairy-tale-themed lantern zones, discover their own “Happy Year of the Horse,” and begin the New Year with warmth and joy.