From city skylines to sea cliffs: Taiwan on the tracks

Travelling through Taiwan by train isn’t just efficient, it’s one of our favourite ways to see the country. Whether you’re speeding south on the High-Speed Rail at up to 300 km/h or taking a slower route past Taitung’s rice paddies, Hualien’s rugged cliffs, and the Pacific coastline, riding the rails in Taiwan is an irresistible part of any itinerary. Taiwan is a simple island to scale, and it’s the country’s rail network that we have to thank for that.

If you’ve been to Japan or South Korea, Taiwan’s trains feel reassuringly familiar, shaped by shared design sensibilities, and sometimes more. Japan’s Shinkansen and Korea’s KTX are renowned for their precision and punctuality, and so are Taiwan’s trains: reliable, clean, and easy to navigate, the perfect way to get around. It's a system that does more than get you from A to B – it encourages you to slow down, look out the window, and watch the island landscape roll from city skylines to craggy cliffs and seashore.

There are three main train networks in Taiwan:

Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR)

The fastest and most comfortable way to travel between the island’s major cities. This modern network links Taipei and Kaohsiung in under two hours. Sleek, spacious, and easy to navigate, the THSR offers frequent departures and a smooth ride.

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Taiwan Railways (TRA)

The island’s wider rail network, offering everything from fast express services, such as the Tze-Chiang, to slower local trains that stop in smaller towns and rural communities. It is essential for journeys beyond the high-speed corridor, particularly along the scenic east coast and into the island’s more remote southern reaches.

Metro (MRT)

Like most major Asian cities, Taipei and Kaohsiung have clean, efficient, and easy-to-use metro systems, ideal for everyday sightseeing and short urban journeys. The rechargeable EasyCard means you can tap in and out without needing to buy individual tickets. But don't forget – there is no eating or drinking on the MRT trains or in the stations. Keep that water bottle closed!

Our favourite rail journeys in Taiwan

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• Alishan Forest Railway – zig zag and spiral high into the mountains on a narrow-gauge railway, winding through mist-draped forests, ancient cedars, and alpine scenery.
• Pingxi Railway – follow a nostalgic branch line deep into lush river valleys. Lantern-lit towns, quiet stations, and jungle-fringed waterfalls feel a world away from the city.
• East Coast Trunk Line – trace Taiwan’s wild eastern edge, where tracks cling to cliffs above the Pacific. Sweeping ocean views, remote villages, and some of the island’s most dramatic landscapes.
• South-Link Line – venture across the island’s untamed south, a quieter and lesser-travelled route where mountains, tropical plains, and rugged coastline collide in a journey that feels truly off the beaten path.

Most of our itineraries include at least some travel by train, but using public transportation is especially a highlight on our Taiwan in Depth and Highlights of Taiwan and South Korea itineraries.