Itineraries · 5 days
Taiwan by train in five days
Five days, four cities, one railway.
Classic
5 days · Taipei to Kaohsiung
Numbers follow the order of the trip. Open a destination for the full guide.
Day by day
The plan
A five-day rail route from Taipei to Hualien, Tainan and Kaohsiung, with the coast, old towns and night markets along the way.
Five days, four cities, one railway. This route is a flexible sketch: keep the fixed transport, move the rest around the weather and your energy.
Day 1
Taipei
A compact first day in the capital.
Dihua Street
Old shops and tea.
Dadaocheng
Longshan Temple
The city’s most atmospheric temple.
Wanhua
Ningxia Night Market
Dinner at the stalls.
Datong
Day 2
Taipei to Hualien
The scenic east coast train.
Train to Hualien
Sit on the left for the coast.
Taipei
Qixingtan Beach
Pebbles and the Pacific.
Qixingtan
Hualien Night Market
Grilled seafood.
Hualien
Day 3
Taroko Gorge
A day on the gorge trails.
Shakadang Trail
River water and marble.
Taroko
Swallow Grotto
Tunnels and cliffs.
Taroko
Baiyang Trail
Waterfall and hanging bridge.
Taroko
Dinner in Hualien
Back to the city.
Hualien
Day 4
Hualien to Tainan
A long train day south; keep the evening free.
Train to Tainan
Via Taipei or the south link.
Hualien
Check in
Leave the bag and walk.
Tainan
Shennong Street
Coffee and old lanes.
Central Tainan
Day 5
Kaohsiung and home
Finish at the harbour before the train home.
Train to Kaohsiung
Short ride south.
Tainan
Pier-2
Art and waterfront.
Yancheng
Cijin ferry
Seafood lunch and a walk.
Cijin
Train north
High-speed rail back.
Kaohsiung
More itineraries
More itineraries
1 day
Classic
Taipei
Taipei in one day
Temples, dumplings, a skyline hike and the city after dark.
2 days
Classic
Taipei
Two days: Taipei & Jiufen
A city day, then lanterns in the mountains.
3 days
Classic
Taipei & Taichung
Three days: Taipei, Taichung & Sun Moon Lake
From the capital to the lake, by high-speed rail.