How to Get to Alishan: Every Route from Taiwan's Main Cities (2027)

Alishan is one of those places that looks very far away on a map and then turns out to be very doable once you know the trick. And the trick is this: almost everyone gets there the same way. We’ve made this easy for you by creating our own map, where you can clearly see the route:

You travel to Chiayi first, then you go up the mountain from there. Chiayi is the gateway, and once you’re standing in Chiayi, you’re only a bus or a train ride from the sea of clouds that is Alishan.

Here’s how the whole thing actually works, city by city, with every option laid out and our honest recommendation at the end.

Our Honest Opinion:

Get yourself to Chiayi (Chiayi is about 90 minutes south of Taipei on the high speed rail). From Chiayi, you have four ways up the mountain: the tourist shuttle bus, the famous Alishan Forest Railway, a private transfer, or your own rental car. The shuttle bus is the reliable everyday choice. The forest railway is the bucket-list one, if you can get a ticket. More on all of that below.

If you’re coming from Sun Moon Lake instead, there’s a single direct mountain bus that skips Chiayi entirely. We’ll cover that too.

Step one: get to Chiayi

Every main route runs through Chiayi, so this is the leg to sort out first. The fastest way from anywhere on the west coast is the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR).

Rough travel times and fares to Chiayi HSR station (fares are one way and approximate, always worth a quick check before you book):

From Taipei: about 1 hr 30 min, roughly NT$1,080 (around US$34)
From Taichung: about 30 min, roughly NT$400 (around US$13)
From Tainan: about 15 to 20 min, roughly NT$200 (around US$6)
From Kaohsiung (Zuoying station): about 30 to 40 min, roughly NT$410 (around US$13)

One thing that trips people up: Chiayi HSR station is not in the city center. It sits out to the west of town, while the regular railway station (TRA Chiayi) is right in the middle of everything. This matters because the two mountain shuttle buses leave from different stations. If you land at the HSR station and want to reach the city center, there’s a free shuttle bus (routes 7211 and 7212) that runs the 25 or so minutes into town when you show your HSR ticket.

You can also reach Chiayi on the regular TRA train, which is slower and cheaper than the HSR and drops you straight in the city center. Nice if you’re already down south and not in a rush, or if you want to spend a night in Chiayi first. Honestly, that night is worth it. Wenhua Road Night Market is excellent.

Step two: Chiayi up to Alishan

This is where you actually climb from the flat tropical plains up to 2,200-plus meters of misty cypress forest. The road twists the whole way and the last hour is properly windy, so if you get motion sick, sit near the front and bring your usual remedy. Miriam gets quite sick but she was okay!

Option 1: The tourist shuttle bus (the easy & cheap option)

This is what most travelers use, and for good reason. The Taiwan Tourist Shuttle runs two Alishan routes:

Bus 7322 leaves from TRA Chiayi station (city center). Around 2.5 hours, about NT$240 cash or NT$211 with an EasyCard/iPass.
Bus 7329 leaves from Chiayi HSR station. Around 2.5 hours, about NT$278 cash.

Both go all the way up the Alishan Highway (Provincial Highway 18) and some services stop at pretty villages like Fenqihu along the way. There are only a handful of departures a day and they fill up fast on weekends, public holidays and during cherry blossom season (roughly February to April), so reserve a seat rather than just showing up.

You can book online through the official Alishan shuttle site (alishan.welcometw.com) or grab a ticket through Klook or KKday if you’d rather keep everything in one app. If a bus you booked fills before you board, you can still ride a later one that day, you just won’t have a guaranteed seat.

Option 2: The Alishan Forest Railway (the bucket-list ride and our recommendation)

Here’s the big news that a lot of older guides get wrong: the full forest railway from Chiayi all the way up to Alishan reopened in July 2024, after fifteen years of being closed past the halfway point because of typhoon damage. So the complete journey is finally possible again.

And what a journey. This is a 113-year-old narrow-gauge line built by Japanese engineers to haul cypress logs down the mountain. It climbs through 50 tunnels and dozens of bridges, spirals around the same mountain several times, and switchbacks up the ridge. It’s the highest railway of its kind in Asia. The full ride takes roughly 3.5 to 4 hours, with a stop at Fenqihu.

We have created a map to make it easy to figure out:

The catch: there are only a few trains a day and tickets are very hard to get. Locals and tourists both want them, seats for the full run go on sale about 14 days ahead on the official site (afrch.forest.gov.tw), and they can vanish in minutes during busy periods. If your heart is set on it, set an alarm for when tickets drop and be ready to book the second they open.

Option 3: Private transfer or taxi (the comfortable one)

If you’re traveling as a group, have luggage, are short on time, or just don’t want to think about bus schedules, a private transfer is lovely. Someone picks you up in Chiayi (or even at your Taipei or Taichung hotel) and drives you door to door, often with photo stops built in. It’s the priciest option, but split between a few people it becomes reasonable, and the flexibility is a real gift on a mountain where the buses stop running early. You can book these through Klook, KKday or a local driver.

A regular taxi from Chiayi will also do the trip and takes around 1.5 to 2 hours, but agree the fare before you set off.

Option 4: Rent a car and drive yourself

The drive up Highway 18 is spectacular and gives you total freedom to stop at tea plantations and viewpoints. Only do this if you’re comfortable on steep, winding mountain roads and with parking in a busy national park. Plenty of people love it, but it’s not the move if you’re a nervous driver or planning to be up before dawn for sunrise on very little sleep.

We didn’t go for this option and we’re glad we did!

Coming from Sun Moon Lake? Take the cross-mountain bus

If Alishan and Sun Moon Lake are both on your list (they make a gorgeous pairing), you don’t have to backtrack through Chiayi. There’s a direct bus, route 6739, run by Yuanlin Bus, that crosses the mountains between the two.

Around 3 hours, about NT$292 cash
Only two morning departures uphill to Alishan (roughly 8:00 and 9:30 on weekdays), and afternoon departures coming back down
Seats are very limited and this route runs on a full reservation system, so book ahead. During cherry blossom season it can sell out days in advance.

The scenery on this one is unreal, you ride the high mountain ridge for miles before dropping down. Just don’t leave it to chance, because there is no backup afternoon bus going up.

Our honest recommendation

Here’s what we’d actually do, depending on the kind of trip you’re having.

For most people, do this: high speed rail to Chiayi, then the shuttle bus up. It’s cheap, reliable, runs often enough, and takes zero mental effort. Book your bus seat in advance and you’re sorted. This is the route we’d send a first-timer on without hesitation.

If the railway is the whole reason you’re going, treat the forest railway as the experience rather than just transport. Try for tickets the moment they release 14 days out. If you can’t get the full line, consider riding it for just part of the way (the Chiayi to Fenqihu section is easier to book) and taking the bus for the rest. You still get the magic without the ticket-refresh stress.

If you’re a couple or small group who value comfort, or you’re bolting Alishan onto a packed itinerary, book a private transfer and don’t look back. The time and hassle you save is worth the extra cost, especially when you’re trying to be up for a 4am sunrise.

Our personal soft spot is the combination: shuttle or transfer up, forest railway for a scenic segment if the tickets play nice, and the cross-mountain 6739 bus if you’re pairing it with Sun Moon Lake. Mix and match based on what you can actually book.

A few things worth knowing before you go

There’s an entrance fee. Alishan National Forest Recreation Area charges foreign visitors about NT$300 (around US$9). You pay after you arrive.
It’s cold up top. You’re above 2,000 meters. Even when Chiayi is sweating, Alishan mornings are chilly, so bring a proper layer.
Book everything ahead in blossom season. Late February through April is stunning and completely mad. Buses, trains and hotels all sell out well in advance.
Mountain weather changes plans. Heavy rain or landslides can pause the buses and the railway. Check the official sites a day or two before you travel, especially after a typhoon.
Stay overnight if you can. The sunrise over the sea of clouds is the reason most people come, and you can’t catch it on a day trip from the city. One night at the top is what turns Alishan from “nice” into unforgettable.

Whichever way you go up, the moment the bus or the train breaks through the clouds is the same for everyone. Worth every winding minute.

Once Inside the Park

Three short forest railroad lines—the Chaoping (Zhaoping) Line, the Shenmu (Sacred Tree) Line, and the Chushan (Zhushan) Line, which is the sunrise line—spread out to the many locations you wish to reach from the Alishan Train Station at the top of the the village. If the train schedule conflicts with your schedule, there is also a more recent electric shuttle bus that travels comparable routes.

Near Alishan Station, there are two tiny tourist branches that lead to the park’s woodland paths: the Zhaoping (Chaoping) Line and the Shenmu (Sacred Tree) Line. You will primarily utilize this in the park.

The Zhaoping (Chaoping) Line and Shenmu (Sacred Tree) Line are two small tourist branches near Alishan Station used for reaching the park’s forest paths. This is what you will use mostly in the park.
The Zhushan Line is the sunrise train. It rides from Alishan to Zhushan (Chushan) in the dark to catch a sunrise (a special section of its own).
Mianyue Line is the exception. There is no train that one may ride, but an abandoned railway turned into a popular (and sometimes closed) hiking trail (see the next section).

So if you see those names on the official railway map: Main Line gets you to Alishan, Zhaoping and Shenmu get you around the forest, Zhushan is for sunrise, and Mianyue is a hike, not a ride.