Taiwan's national freeway driver lounges: An oasis for weary travelers

Taipei, Feb. 14 (CNA) Drivers fighting heavy traffic and fatigue this Lunar New Year holiday may want to ditch the black coffee for an under-utilized feature of Taiwan's national freeway system -- drivers' lounges at one of 14 highway service areas.

According to the Freeway Bureau, Taiwan's government opened the country's first drivers' lounges in 1982 and 1983, but closed them all in 1991, as operational costs far exceeded the nominal fees charged for their use.

In an effort to reduce tired driving accidents, the government began gradually opening new drivers' lounges at Taiwan's national freeway rest areas in October 2011.

Currently, 14 of Taiwan's 15 freeway service areas -- all except Shiding Service Area (New Taipei) on National Freeway No. 5 -- have drivers' lounges, which have been used over 540,000 times as of the end of 2025.

While open to all, the lounges on National Freeway No. 1 typically attract more truckers and business travelers, while those on National Freeway No. 3, such as Qingshui Service Area in Taichung and Xihu Service Area in Miaoli, draw more leisure travelers, the Freeway Bureau said.

Amenities and how to use the lounges

Tsai Hsin-yuan (蔡欣宛), a section chief at the Freeway Bureau, told CNA the contractors that operate Taiwan's rest areas have steadily improved the quality of the drivers' lounges, often by sacrificing space for commercial use.

Of the 14 lounges, all but one -- Su'ao -- provide 24-hour service, while some offer amenities such as showers and massage chairs.

The lounge in Yunlin's Xiluo Service Area, a frequent stop for truckers, even has washing machines and dryers available for use, Tsai said.

The facilities vary by location. Some offer individual rooms, while others are simply spaces separated by curtains. Some lounges offer beds, while others only have reclining chairs, Tsai said.

To use the lounges, drivers must present their driving license or another form of ID at the check-in counter, or inquire at the service area's convenience store during overnight hours, Tsai said.

Once registered, drivers can use the lounge for up to two hours free of charge.

LNY schedule

Due to reduced trucking traffic over the Lunar New Year, the drivers' lounges will only be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily during the holiday period.

In order to maintain parking space turnover at the service areas, the usage time for the drivers' lounges will also be cut to only 30 minutes over the holiday, with one extension possible, the Freeway Bureau said.