The best bus seat to avoid the sun

There isn't one magic seat on every bus — but there is a reliable way to choose. It comes down to two questions: which side is shaded, and where along the bus is the sun coming from?

The quick answer

A seat in the middle of the bus on the shaded side. The middle dodges the light that rakes through the windscreen and the rear window, and the shaded side keeps direct sun off you. If you can, take the window seat on that side — it's the coolest spot on the bus.

Left vs right: follow the shade

The shaded side is whichever side faces away from the sun, so it flips depending on your direction of travel and the time of day. It isn't a fixed left or right. Seewhich side of the bus is shaded for the full rule — or just let Shade Chaser work it out.

Front vs back

The very front and the very back are the two spots to avoid on a sunny day. The windscreen funnels light onto the front rows, and the rear window does the same at the back. On many buses the engine sits at the rear too, which adds heat. The middle of the bus is the calm zone.

Upper vs lower deck

On Hong Kong's double-deckers, the lower deck is usually cooler: it's further from the roof, so less heat radiates down, and the upper deck's bigger windows catch more sun. If shade matters more than the view, head downstairs.

Window vs aisle

It depends entirely on the side. Window seat on the shaded side: take it. Window seat on the sunny side: move to the aisle to get out of the direct light. The app's seat diagram shows which zones are shaded so you can decide at a glance.

How the seat diagram works

Open a route in 見光死 Shade Chaser and it shows a simple front/back, left/right seat diagram with shaded, exposed and neutral zones. It's built from the live sun position, the bus heading, and — in Hong Kong — the Lands Department 3D building model, so it reflects real shadow along your route rather than a rough guess.

New here? Start withhow to avoid sunlight on a bus.

Frequently asked questions