How to avoid sunlight on a bus
A bus is a glass box on wheels, and the sunny side can be brutal. The fix isn't complicated — it's about knowing where the sun is and choosing accordingly. Here are seven practical ways to ride shaded.
Everything below works in Hong Kong, Taipei, Tokyo and Singapore. The fastest option is simply to let Shade Chaser do the geometry for you: it reads the live sun position and the bus heading and shows you the shaded seat zones before the doors open.
1. Work out which side of the bus is shaded
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so the shaded side is the one facing away from it. In the morning the sun is in the east, so the west-facing side is shaded; in the afternoon it's the reverse. Because Hong Kong, Taipei and Tokyo are in the northern hemisphere, the midday sun sits roughly to the south — which is why north-facing windows stay coolest around noon.
For the full logic, see which side of the bus is shaded.
2. Check the live sun before you board
Rather than doing the maths in your head, open 見光死 Shade Chaser and pick your route. The app reads the real-time sun azimuth and altitude for your location and time, matched to the bus heading, so you know which side to wait on and where to sit.
3. Let buildings cast the shade
In Hong Kong the app goes a step further and uses the Lands Department 3D building model to work out where towers actually cast shadow along your route. That means you can board in the shade of a building rather than in the open sun — something a simple sun angle can't tell you.
4. Time your ride if you can
Early morning and late afternoon put the sun low and straight in your eyes; the middle of the day carries the strongest UV. If your schedule is flexible, travelling a little earlier or later can swing the shaded side to the one you'd rather have.
5. Pick the seat, not just the side
Once you're on the shaded side, position still matters. Sun rakes in through the windscreen and the rear window, so the very front and very back rows catch more of it — the middle of the bus is usually the calmest. More inthe best bus seat to avoid the sun.
6. Cover up and check the UV index
A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen help even in the shade, and the app shows the current UV index so you know how fierce it is before you step out. UV climbs fast on clear summer days, even when it doesn't feel that hot.
7. Stay hydrated
Shade lowers your heat load, but a packed bus is still warm. Carry water, especially on long cross-district routes where you're on board for a while.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop the sun on a bus?
Sit on the shaded side, which is the side facing away from the sun. The app works that out for you from the live sun position and the bus heading, and in Hong Kong it also factors in building shadows.
Which side of the bus is coolest?
The side away from the sun. In the morning that's usually the west-facing side and in the afternoon the east-facing side, but it depends on your direction of travel and the time of year.
Does the shaded side change during the ride?
Yes. As the bus turns and the sun moves, the shaded side can change — especially on routes that double back. The app updates the seat diagram so you can move before the sun finds you.
Does this work outside Hong Kong?
Yes. Live sun tracking and the shaded-seat diagram work in Taipei, Taoyuan, Tokyo and Singapore. The 3D building-aware shade is specific to Hong Kong.
Do it for you: Shade Chaser tracks the sun, the bus heading and (in Hong Kong) the buildings, then draws the shaded seat zones on a simple diagram. Free, no account, GPS stays on your device.
