Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

The 2009 Car Free Day activity is just around the corner! On September 19, Taipei City Government Department of Transportation (DOT) will celebrate Car Free Day with a bicycle ride taking participants from the riverside to the downtown area. The agency will also seal off parts of Zhongxiao E. Road to hold a fair and a green transportation exhibition.

According to the agency, this year's activity will focus on educating the public on how to contribute to conservation by adopting different forms of green transportation on their daily commute. Doing so will help our environment significantly by reducing the rate of global warming.

Below is a list of activities organized by DOT to celebrate the upcoming Car Free Day:

Green Environment – Bottles for Seedlings
Date: Sep. 5
Time: 3 PM – 4:30 PM
Venue: Daan Forest Park

To raise public awareness on the environment, DOT will be collaborating with the Department of Economic Development and Shin Kong Life Insurance to hold the "Bottles for Seedlings" activity. On the day of the event, residents can bring PEP bottles to the venue at Daan Forest Park to trade in for sunflower seedlings or other plants. You can also write down little things you can do everyday to help protect the environment on a gigantic message board at the venue; DOT will provide you with sunflower seedling for your effort (while supplies last).

Cycling Tour
Date: Sep. 19
Time: 6:30 AM – 11 AM
Venue: see below

The annual cycling tour to kick off Car Free Day will take place at 6:30 AM in the morning on September 19. This year, the route will take participants from the riverside bike lanes in Neihu to the busy downtown areas of Zhongxiao-Dunhua.

To participate in the cycling tour, participants must pre-register at the activity website or through 7-Eleven's i-bon kiosks. Registration will be accepted starting 11 AM on September 6, with 1,500 spots available to online registration and 2,500 spots through i-bon. Participants who pre-register online (or through i-bon) and complete the required registration at the site on the day of the activity are eligible for the sweepstakes on September 30.

Green Transportation Exhibition
Date: Sep. 19
Time: 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Venue: Zhongxiao E. Road (between Fuxing and Dunhua)

The major event of the 2009 Car Free Day celebrations in Taipei will be the Green Transportation Exhibition on September 19. With the temporary shutdown of Zhongxiao E. Road, this typically busy section of downtown will be liberated from vehicles for the duration of the fair.

At the venue, visitors will be able to explore an array of green transportation options, such as electric cars and electric buses. In addition, we will announce the winners of the "Green Transportation Design Competition" at the event. DOT has also ranged for choirs and community groups to perform on the main stage throughout the day. The audience can also drop by the 'games zone' to try out the various activities and quizzes offered at the booths. Participants who collect six stamps by successfully accomplishing the challenges at the gaming zone can exchange them for T-shirts or limited edition EasyCards. Supplies are limited, so hurry!

EasyCard Raffles Week
Date: Sep. 16 – Sep. 22

To encourage residents to take public transportation, DOT will be holding the EasyCard Raffles on the week of Car-free Day. Individuals who use his or her EasyCard to take the city bus or MRT 10 times or more during this period are eligible to enter. To participate in the sweepstakes, cardholder should log on to the activity website and register the serial number of the EasyCard. EasyCards issued in the municipalities of Keelung, Yilan, and Matsu are also eligible for the sweepstakes.

For more details on Car Free Day activities, please visit the Chinese website of the city's Department of Transportation