Results confirmed: LRT’s inefficiency under scrutiny

Given recent developments and strategies in both the local tourism and transport sectors, the Times has decided to conduct an in-depth investigation of the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) service and how it compares to other mass transportation options available in Macau, specifically the shuttle buses operated by the gaming concessionaires.

The goal is to compare trips between the same locations using the LRT alone where possible, or in combination with public buses when necessary. For comparison, the same journeys will be assessed using shuttle buses provided by various gaming concessionaires.

The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each transportation system and to determine which option best serves both residents and the millions of tourists who visit Macau each year.

This feature focuses exclusively on pedestrian routes and public mass transportation, as these have been prioritized by the government for commuting in Macau.

City Center <-> Taipa Old Village

One of the more frequent and major commuting needs for both locals and tourists is to travel to Macau’s city center from Taipa Island, and vice versa. So that this research could cater to both categories of travelers, we decided to link the Public Buses Hub of the Ferreira do Amaral Square (Praça de Ferreira do Amaral) with the Pai Kok area in Taipa Old Village.

On the first trip, we walked from the Ferreira do Amaral Square to the StarWorld Hotel, where we took a Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) Shuttle Bus to the Galaxy Macau resort, completing the route to Taipa Old Village on foot.

On the second trip, we did a short walk from the same location in Taipa Old Village and took the LRT at Pai Kok Station to Barra Station, taking the Bus Route 6B to complete the journey reaching Ferreira do Amaral Square.

The Findings:

Although the LRT is, by far, the fastest way to travel between Taipa Old Village and the Macau Peninsula, taking us only 14 minutes to reach the Barra Station (including the time spent walking, waiting and boarding the LRT), the whole trip took 50 minutes, five minutes more than the same trip via the GEG Shuttle Bus.

This was due to the slow and long route of the public bus route 6B – we have also tested Route 11, achieving similar results – that took us exactly 30 minutes to complete the section between Barra Transport Hub and Ferreira do Amaral Square.

In this case, the shuttle bus had the advantage, although during our test, we experienced significant delays due to high demand, having to wait up to 14 minutes (and for three buses) at the StarWorld Hotel.

It’s worth noting that while the shuttle buses are scheduled to run “every 15 minutes,” the company adjusted this frequency to approximately “every six minutes” in response to the increased demand, demonstrating their ability to quickly adapt to changing conditions.

For those who prefer a longer journey over walking, taking the public bus combined with the LRT might be a better option. During our test with the shuttle bus, we had to walk a total of 15 minutes (1,162 meters), whereas the combined public bus and LRT trip reduced the walking time to just six minutes (350 meters).

Another factor favoring the shuttle bus is that it was free of charge, compared to the 7 patacas it cost to use the public transport system (with resident discounts).

Additionally, the bus route choice was based on recommendations from the Transport Bureau’s (DSAT) mobile app, which indicated that both bus routes 11 and 6B would take about 11 minutes. The travel time was nearly three times longer.

Taipa Ferry Terminal <-> New Concerts venue

Taking also into account the recently announced and continuing construction of a large-scale facility to host concerts and outdoor events at the southeasternmost section of Cotai, the Times also decided to test the connection times and possibilities to link to this new attraction, which is said to have a capacity of over 50,000 spectators.

We simulated a potential visitor that arrives at the Taipa Ferry Terminal and wants to reach this concert venue, as well as vice-versa. On the first trip, we did a short walk from the Taipa Ferry Terminal to the LRT Taipa Ferry Terminal Station. This took us to LRT East Asian Games Station, from which we walked to our final destination.

On the second trip, we did a short walk from the concert venue to the Grand Lisboa Palace Hotel, using a SJM shuttle bus to return to the Taipa Ferry Terminal.

The Findings:

In this case, even though walking from the East Asian Games LRT Station to the new concert venue takes a significant amount of time (13 minutes or 1,120 meters), using the LRT system is still more time-efficient overall. The total trip with the LRT took 28 minutes, whereas the return trip by shuttle bus took about 35 minutes.

When it comes to walking distance, both the LRT and the shuttle bus involve similar amounts of walking. The LRT trip requires about 17 minutes of walking (1,389 meters), while the shuttle bus trip involves a slightly shorter walk of about 14 minutes (952 meters).

For those who prefer to walk less, waiting a bit longer for the shuttle bus might be a viable option. Additionally, it seems that if the LRT had a better connection to the Grand Lisboa Palace and Lisboeta Macau hotels, its advantages would be even more apparent.

To further reduce walking time and distance, we also considered taking a shuttle bus from Lisboeta Macau directly to the Taipa Ferry Terminal. However, at the time of our test, we were informed that the next available bus would require a wait of about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Taipa Old Village <->New concert venue

As mentioned above, in a last attempt to discover how long it would take someone to reach the new concert venue and how much they would have to spend if their journey began at the Taipa Old Village, the Times undertook one last round-trip, comparing, once again, the LRT and shuttle buses.

For this trip, we took the LRT from the Pai Kok Station in Taipa to the East Asian Games Station in Cotai and, on the return trip, we took another SJM shuttle bus at the Grand Lisboa Palace Hotel back to the Taipa Old Village.

The Findings:

This was the most unbalanced of all the trips tested, with the LRT making the most of the lack of traffic and the short number of stations between the starting point and destination. The trip from Taipa Old Village to the new concert venue took just 28 minutes, whereas the return trip by shuttle bus took 39 minutes, 11 minutes longer.

As noted in the previous test route, the LRT could perform even better if the walking distance of 1,120 meters (13 minutes) between the East Asian Games LRT Station and the concert venue could be reduced. Of the total 28 minutes for the LRT trip, 16 minutes were spent walking.

For the shuttle bus, the trip duration was influenced by two main factors: nearly 10 minutes of waiting time at the Grand Lisboa Palace (where the bus frequency is stated as 15 to 30 minutes) and, more significantly, the 22 minutes spent on the road between the starting point and Taipa Old Village.

On the positive side, this shuttle bus route is convenient for travelers as it connects not only to Taipa Old Village but also makes stops at Studio City, Venetian Macau and Galaxy Macau before reaching the final destination. This makes it a useful option for those looking to connect different resorts in Cotai to the concert venue.

In conclusion, the LRT does facilitate transportation across Taipa Island, offering viable options to commuters, particularly if their trips connect destinations that are in closer proximity to the Taipa Ferry Terminal, the Macau International Airport, and the sports facilities at or around the East Asian Games Dome.

The LRT becomes less efficient when commuters try to use it to reach the Peninsula (at Barra). The transport network has not been adjusted to easily and quickly connect the Barra Station to Macau’s Central district, with the most of the bus routes taking very long and slow routes through the Inner Harbour district to reach the Central area – not, for example, using the Nam Van area.

It is also important to consider that the shuttle buses operated by Macau’s gaming concessionaires help alleviate pressure on the public bus system and generally offer convenient door-to-door alternatives. This becomes particularly valuable in extreme weather conditions, where walking routes can be inconvenient due to heat or rain.

Additionally, some shuttle buses offer extra services for passengers, such as free Wi-Fi, mobile phone charging stations, and other amenities. While these features are quite common nowadays, they are currently lacking in the LRT system.