Between booking flights, figuring out the high-speed rail, decoding traditional TRA trains, and mapping out long-distance buses, it is completely normal to feel a bit lost at first when planning a trip to Taiwan.

One of the best things about travelling around Taiwan is that getting around is incredibly easy. The trickiest part is understanding which type of transport suits you best in each situation.

But in this article, I’m putting together all my knowledge, research, and experience to help you make the choice and inspire you to explore more of this beautiful island! Shall we?

ransport in Taiwan | Which One to Choose?

Before we talk about bookings, prices, or train types, there is something that simplifies things massively: in Taiwan, you will mostly use four transport systems to move from city to city across the island.

Domestic Flights Within the Island

Most cities in Taiwan have a small airport. I was checking on Skyscanner and most routes hover around 60 EUR. To me, it doesn’t seem worth the hassle of travelling to the airport, plus luggage and security checks for such a short flight, when there are excellent overland options.

HSR – The Bullet Train

This option only works for travelling along the West Coast of Taiwan; the line goes from Taipei to Kaohsiung (the southern terminus station is called Zuoying) at an impressive 300 km/h. They say it is hyper punctual, clean, and incredibly comfortable.

BUT—not all bullet trains take the same time. There are three types of services depending on how many stops they make:

• Express – The 1xx series: They only stop at Taipei, Banqiao (New Taipei), Taichung, and go straight to Zuoying (Kaohsiung). They cross almost the whole island in just 1 hour and 34 minutes. If you are tight on time, always look for the ones starting with the number 1.
• The Semi-Express – 2xx or 6xx series: They skip some stations but stop at the most touristy and intermediate points. They take around 2 hours.
• The Local Trains – 8xx series: They stop at all 12 stops and cover the entire line in 2 hours and 15 minutes.

It’s not a massive difference, but it’s good to know why before buying your tickets.

TRA – Conventional Trains (The General Network)

This is Taiwan’s traditional railway network; it loops around the entire island, which is key because it is the only train that reaches the far South and the East. Plus, the stations are usually located right in the city centres, not on the outskirts like it sometimes happens with the HSR.

When you start searching for tickets, you will see a lot of strange names. To keep your sanity intact, here is the real division of trains from fastest to slowest:

Super Express (Taroko / Puyuma / Tze-Chiang EMU3000)

These are the fastest, most modern, and highly coveted trains on the classic network. Every time I ran a search, the new Tze-Chiang 3000 popped up.

No standing passengers are allowed on these three trains. If you don’t have a reserved seat, you cannot board.

The Express Regular (Tze-Chiang o Chu-Kuang)

Think of these as express services but on older train models. They have intermediate stops, making the journey a bit slower. Within this section, the Chu-Kuang is even slower and cheaper. On these, you are allowed to travel standing if all seats are sold out.

The Trenes Locales

This was exactly the CHEAP option I was looking for! They are literally like an MRT (metro) but running between cities. They are definitely slower, and you don’t need to buy tickets to go. You just use your EasyCard and hop on just like you would on the metro.

🧚🏽‍♀️ With the EasyCard, you can buy tickets for Local and Regular Express trains. These don’t require a reservation either.

Long Distance Buses

Taiwan’s bus fleet is apparently fantastic! Big armchairs, screens, and direct routes to areas where trains don’t reach.
It is less popular, but significantly cheaper and sometimes even more comfortable.

You can buy tickets at convenience stores like 7-Eleven or FamilyMart, but you can also reserve them well in advance (before you land in Taiwan) via Klook.

– For my itinerary, I combined different types of TRA trains mainly; I made a spectacular route packed with culture and nature along the East Coast and islands. You can check out all the details here.>

How to Buy Train Tickets in Taiwan?

When it comes to securing your tickets, the process varies a bit depending on how early you plan your trip and whether you want to fight with the official systems. Here are the four real options to buy your tickets:

Taiwan Railway (The Official Website)

High speed bookings open 29 days in advance, while traditional train bookings open 28 days prior. Probaaaably, you will organize your trip earlier and will have to wait until the quotas open. I read on Reddit that international credit cards are frequently rejected or bounced by the website.

Sometimes, the TRA Express trains sell out very fast as soon as reservations open—especially on popular routes like Taipei – Hualien or on weekends. So try to be on it if you don’t have much flexibility in your trip.

🧚🏽 If you have more flexibility or are travelling in low season, you can reserve a train online and pick it up and pay physically at the station.

12goAsia (The Best Option for Early Planning)

If you prefer having your itinerary locked down early for a stress-free trip, or if you are terrified of missing the “28-day window,” this option is a total lifesaver. 12goAsia allows you to “reserve” your bullet train or conventional train tickets further in advance, even before the official 29 day window opens.

It is a sort of pre-booking; you choose your date today and pay them. The exact day the Taiwan system releases the tickets at dawn, the platform’s automated system buys the ticket for you before they sell out.

🧚🏽 You still have to wait until confirmation 28 days before departure anyway, but they remember to reserve on the exact day for you. If they couldn’t get the reservation (which is rare but can happen), they refund your money.

The Unlimited HSR Pass on Klook (The Bullet Train Saving Trick)

If your West Coast itinerary involves long journeys like a round trip from Taipei to Kaohsiung, or making stops along the way in Taichung or Tainan; buying single tickets will end up being expensive.

For these cases, you can buy 2, 3, and 5-Day Unlimited Passes on Klook. You can buy it up to 90 days before your travel date. They give you a code which you then use on the HSR website to redeem your seat for no extra charge.

Direct at the Station (For the Spontaneous Traveller)

You can also go straight to the station a couple of minutes before departure and buy your ticket; either at the self-service machines or at the staffed window. There you can pay in cash or by card.

The price is the same; the only downside is that many trains will be fully booked, and you will need to be more flexible with your schedule.

🧚🏽 Local TRA trains and Regular Expresses do not require a ticket, and you can just pass the gates using your EasyCard.

Taiwan Transport FAQ

What is the cheapest way to travel around Taiwan?

Definitely long-distance buses and TRA Local Trains (paying with the EasyCard to get a 10% discount). Some buses are even overnight routes, ideal for saving on a night of accommodation.

When is the best time to book train tickets?

Ideally, exactly 28 days before your travel date, or a bit earlier via Klook or 12goAsia. However, with less notice, it is still possible to get trains. Even on the same day at the station (especially on weekdays or during low season).

How do I get around within the cities?

In large cities like Taipei and Kaohsiung, the best option is the metro (MRT); in other cities, there are local buses. To use both systems, you just need to buy an EasyCard at any convenience store.

I wrote an entiiire article about the Easy Card and transport in Taipei that I recommend reading. Oh, and another one on Where to Stay in Taipei, just in case you are looking for accommodation right now.

Can you travel on Taiwan trains with large suitcases?

Yes, absolutely. Both the bullet trains and the TRA Expresses (especially the new EMU3000) have dedicated spaces for large luggage at the front and back of each carriage, as well as overhead racks above the seats.

Do I need to know Chinese to understand the station signs?

Not at all. The entire transport network in Taiwan (train stations, MRT, bus terminals, and the digital screens inside the carriages) is 100% signposted in English. Furthermore, audio announcements are repeated in multiple languages. It was a massive surprise, especially after visiting China, how well-prepared, educated, helpful, and chatty Taiwanese people are.

You are officially ready! Taiwan is just around the corner and you are all set to explore it. If you are still building your itinerary, I dedicated 10 days to the East Coast, including Lanyu or Orchid Island. I wrote all the details in this article.

Thanks so much for reaching this far, see you in some corner of the world!

Guadi.