Macau will expand its casino concessionaire-backed community shuttle scheme on Friday, as the government pushes to spread visitor spending beyond the city’s integrated resorts.
The upgraded “Leisure Bus 2.0” adds four direct routes from Macau’s busiest tourist landmarks into residential neighborhoods and extends the program to January 3rd, 2027. The network now spans 14 routes, 10 community stops and two core tourist hubs.
The four new lines, operated by the local tourism sector, will run from the Ruins of St. Paul’s and Rua do Cunha to districts including NAPE, Fai Chi Kei and Iao Hon. Nearly 20,000 passengers have used the service since its trial launch on April 25th, according to the government.
The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) coordinated the six gaming concessionaires, which run the 10 existing routes, to synchronize their schedules with the new lines. Buses will operate from noon to early evening on weekends and public holidays, with added Friday services in July and August.
The scheme’s mobile platform now consolidates information on nearly 400 local merchants and had drawn more than 30,000 views by July 13th. Feedback on the first phase was generally positive, though some residents earlier raised concerns over the impact on traffic and the environment in residential areas.
