Taichung bus network is wide and well laid out. It improved a lot in the last few years. Nowadays, by bus, you can get pretty much everywhere in Taichung City.
Also, the bus in Taichung is free up to 10 km ride. So it is very convenient. Most of times you will ride for free.
On the other side, traveling in Taichung by bus is often slow and time consuming. Buses have to share the same road with the crazy Taichung traffic (except in part of Taiwan Boulevard, where buses have a dedicated traffic lane).
So too many Taichung people still have to rely on their car or scooter, especially if they are in a hurry.
How to Travel in Taichung by Bus
Taichung bus system is very easy to use, even for a foreigner that cannot speak or read Chinese.
- You must have an Easy Card (悠遊卡, yōuyóu kǎ) or an I-Pass Card. You can buy or recharge them at any convenience store (7/11, Family Mart, Hi-life, etc..) and in Taichung International Airport. An Easy Card costs a minimum of 200NTD (minimum deposit is 100NTD). The remaining balance, including the deposit, will be entirely refunded upon request. These cards can be used also for Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan public transport.
This Taiwan Easy Card can be used for buses, MRT, in convenience stores and supermarkets and for many other services … - Many bus stops are on request. So, when in doubt, just wave your hand to the approaching bus for the driver to see you. If instead you want to get off, press the request stop button closest to you. The coming stops will be announced, often in English too.
The red buttons are Stop Request Buttons - You can enter and exit the bus at any door. Just remember to hold the card close to the scanner, once you enter the bus and when you leave it. The small screen on the top of the scanner will flash a green light and show you the balance on the card.
A card scanner in a bus in Taichung. When you enter and exit the bus, you just need to hold your Easy Card close to the sensor for a moment. The screen on the top will display your card balance, confirming the transaction.
This is how to ride a bus in Taichung, in a nutshell. But … where to know which bus to take, at which stop to get off? Lets see below!
Taichung Bus – How to Navigate
Several websites and apps can help you to plan your bus trip.
- First of all have a look at this website, Taichung Guide. For each place (attraction, hotels etc), we provide a list of the bus routes available to reach it and, also, an interactive map (based on Google Maps). If you click on the map icon, a popup window will appear. Click on Directions To, input your departure point or destination, then press Get Directions. Pressing the icon with the bus (Public Transport) you will get a list of the best itineraries (with bus routes number and/or trains), all in real time.
How to use “Directions to” feature on Taichung Guide maps. - Wikipedia has an English page with a summary of bus lines in Taichung. This page, that looks updated, is especially useful to know the frequency (how many buses per day/per hour) of each single route.
- Taichung government offers an interactive page in Chinese. The map is very useful to know routes (and bus stops) of each line. There is also a page in English. This English page is updated in real time (each route shows how many minutes to the next bus for each stop) but there is no map.
- You can also use one of the free app for Android/IOS on your phone. We use Bus Tracker Taichung, which has the English language option.
Taichung Bus Tips
Bus routes #300 to #308 connect Taichung City Center (Taichung Main Station) to different locations on the coastal line. From Wuquan Road to Providence University they run along Taiwan Boulevard on the inner dedicated bus lane (former BRT Blue Line).
On this section buses are very frequent and fast, they are the best option if your destination is along Taiwan Boulevard.
Hi, This is my first time to visit your blog, & or is great, full of useful information!
We plan to visit Taichung next month in a family trip, & I still have a few questions..
We plan to arrive Taichung in the afternoon, & then in the morning to visit Rainbow Village, after it the Changhua Buddha, & then to arrive to Chiayi in the afternoon.
Is it possible to do this in one day with public transportation?
I will be grateful for any advice how to plan this day
Yes, you can but maybe it is not so convenient for you … From Rainbow Village just catch the bus #56 (every 20-30 minutes – the stop just in front of the village, on the same side of the road), that in about 15 minutes (10 stops) will bring to Xinwuri Railway Station (free). From the station you can take a train to Changhua (every 20-30 minutes) that, for 15 NTD, will bring you to the city in about 15 minutes. But then, you have to catch a taxi to the Buddha (150 NTD) or walk uphill for 2.3 km. Not good, especially if it is hot. You may consider to take a taxi all the way from Rainbow Village (there should be a few waiting for customers) all the way to the Changhua Buddha (300-350 NTD for about 20-30 minutes ride). After you can walk downhill to Changhua Railway Station and take a train to Chiayi (normally every 20-30 minutes, the ride will take 1-1.5 hours depending on the train).
If I come with bicycle, can the train and/or bus accommodate bicycle ?
Trains (TRA and THSR) will take your bicycle, with some caveats. See https://www.forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?t=95156 , https://michaelturton.blogspot.com/2013/04/riding-taiwan-east-and-south.html , http://www.railway.gov.tw/en/cp.aspx?sn=16981&n=19610 for further details.
Highway buses will do as well, better inside a bag (policies depend on the company). In the cities, including Taichung, you can also consider to use Youbike. Youbike stations in Taichung are spreading like fire and cover pretty much all the interesting places.
Hi, from which busstop and what bus do I take if I want to travel from Fong Jia le yang hostel to Taichung HSR?
Stop Feng Chia University (逢甲大學(福星路)) in Fuxing Road. Bus #160 to Taichung THSR.
Thank you for your useful information. I have some questions for you. which bus stop and What bus do I take
_from HSR Taichung to Taichung railway station.
_from Miyahara (Address: No.20, Zhongshan Rd, Central Dist, Taichung City, Taiwan) to Yi Zhong Jie night market
The fastest and easiest way to travel from HSR Taichung to Taichung railway station is the train itself. From the HSR Station just walk to Xinwuri TRA Station (follow the signs). The two stations are attached. Then take a train to Taichung Station, they are very frequent, they will bring you there in 10 minutes for 15 NTD.
From Miyahara, the easiest way is to walk to First Square (or Plaza) Bus Stop in the north side of Taiwan Blvd. (200 meters). from there there are several buses, you can take n. 9 (every 10-15 minutes) to the National Institute of Technology (國立臺中科技大學) Stop to reach Yi Zhong night market.
Thank you for your information. But if I use the bus instead for the train to go to Taichung railway station from HSR Taichung, which bus do I take?
Nantou Bus #6670 should work for you. Click here for the timetable. Or you can search yourself for your bus with the methods described above in the article.
Hey appreciate the info given
Just would like to know what time the 305 or 300’s bus starts?
We want to go to Taichung train station have to be there by 8am is there buses start early?
We live at Donghai villa station area.
Thanks
Of course, city buses start to run between 5 and 6. Taichung people go to work early ;).