On the 6th and 7th July, the world's wettest water party will finally reach Taiwan. S2O takes place in Thailand every year, as a way of celebrating Songkran, the Thai New Year. With the festival just around the corner, we've compiled an information guide to help you plan your route to and from the Dajia Riverside Park venue.
#1. MRT
The nearest MRT station to S2O festival is Dazhi on the Wenhu (brown) line.
Operating Hours: 06:00-00:00
Last Train (departing from Dazhi):
-Towards Taipei Zoo: 00:22
-Towards Nangang Exhibition Centre: 00:46
The downside to taking the metro is that once you arrive at Dazhi Station you'll have to walk for around 15-20 minutes, meaning the journey length is almost the same as if you were to take the bus.
#2. Buses
As well as regular buses, there will be a free shuttle bus running between MRT Xingtian Temple Station (Exit 2) and Lin An Tai Old House, which is near MRT Yuanshan Station. The bus returning from the festival will operate between 21:00 and 23:00. Alternatively, you can try taking the following public bus routes:
Bus Route 72
Catch it from: MRT Linguang Station, Daan Forest Park, MRT Liuzhangli Station
Start Point: MRT Linguang Station
End Point: Dazhi
Operating Hours: 05:40-22:00 (weekend times)
Waiting Time: 20-30 minutes during peak hours, 20-30 minutes during off peak hours, fixed times after 20:30.
Ride the bus to Riverside Park- Dajia Section 河濱公園大佳段 which should take around 30 minutes if you're traveling from Daan Forest Park, then walk to the site (less than 10 minutes). The entrance for GA will be at No. 9 Water Gate.
Bus Route 222
Catch it from: MRT Taipei Main Station, NTU Hospital, MRT Neihu Station
Start Point: Neihu
End Point: Hengyang Road, Zhongzheng District
Operating Hours: 05:20-22:30
Waiting Time: 20-30 minutes during peak hours, 20-30 minutes during off peak hours.
This one is ideal for those traveling from Ximending or elsewhere in Neihu. Similar to Route 72, take the bus to Riverside Park- Dajia Section and then walk to the festival. If you catch the number 72 from Taipei Main, it should take around 30 minutes to get to Dajia Elementary School.
Bus Route 33
Catch it from: MRT Xiangshan/Elephant Mountain Station, MRT Xinyi Anhe Station
Start Point: Yongchun Senior High School
End Point: Miramar Cinema, Dazhi
Operating Hours: 06:00-22:00
Waiting Time: Bus operates on a fixed schedule:
06:00, 07:30, 09:15, 11:30, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 17:30, 20:00, 22:00.
The number 33 takes longer as it has many stops, if you do take it you'll have to get off at Dazhi Elementary School (not Dajia) and walk about 20 minutes. In all honesty, to save time you'd be best off choosing one of the other routes.
#3. Taxis
Taxi is by far the quickest way to get to the S2O venue, but will obviously cost a lot more than taking the bus or metro. Non-Mandarin speakers might want to consider having their Chinese address at hand on their phone or written down, although most drivers will speak English. On the way there, you can just show this to your driver:
大佳河濱公園 9號水門
Starting fare: $70 NTD
Price: Around $25 NTD per 1km, if you were to travel from Taipei Main Station, expect to pay a little over 200 dollars.
Uber: If you were to travel from Taipei Main Station during normal hours the cost would be between 180-200 dollars, however the price will probably increase due to a surge in demand.
Conclusion
Getting to the venue: Depending on where you're traveling from, the shuttle bus will be the cheapest/quickest option. Otherwise, the MRT is also a good option for foreigners as there's lots of English help available, just make sure you head to No. 9 Water Gate once you arrive at the site!
Getting home: The shuttle bus again is probably the best option for leaving the site, as the festival is likely to finish after other buses have stopped running. For those who fancy taking a taxi, there will probably be large crowds of people competing over the available cars- if you're on your own or in a pair it might be best to buddy up with someone going in the same direction.
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