Getting to Alishan from Taipei

Hi all,

I just got to know that travelling to Alishan from Taipei is not as easy as I think after reading the numerous post from fellow experts :(

Hence, I am a confused soul with the following questions:

1. If I travel from Taipei to Chiayi via THSR, it is faster (1.5 hours) as compared to express train (3.5h hours). However, I will need to transfer to a shuttle bus to get from THSR station to Chiayi Railway station. As I plan to reach Chiayi THSR station at 0758 to catch the 0900 Alishan forest railway, does the shuttle bus start operation so early? Or is it easier if I take a cab instead? How much will it costs if I take a cab?

2. Can I buy Alishan forest railway tickets from Taipei main station? As I am going up Alishan on a Saturday, I am really worried if tickets will be readily available.

3. I want to watch sunrise at Alishan on the next day. So where can I buy the tickets of the train up to see sunrise? How much does it costs?

4. I intend to stay at 欣欣民宿. Has anyone stayed there before? Is it really a nice and convenient place?

Thanks a lot in advance for answering my questions :)

Getting to Alishan from Taipei

Hi

IMHO-your timing is okay but getting tickets on a weekend is kindoff a long shot-very difficult. What you can do if you cant get tickets on the Alishan Train is take a bus up and book your return by train the next morning before you leave Chiayi.

Tickets for the Alishan train can only be purchased in Chiayi and Alishan.

Most Minsus have their own arrangement for the sunrise tour, check with them.

Getting to Alishan from Taipei

(1) First THSR trains arrives at Chia-Yi at 7:58 a.m, which means you will not be able to make the 8:00 a.m. shuttle. The next shuttle arrives at 8:20 a.m, and the trip takes 30 to 40 minutes (longer if traffic jam). In short, I don%26#39;t think you are going to make it; even if you do it is going to be real tight!

If I were you, I will either take the afternoon Alishan train, or arrive at Chia-Yi a day early and spend the night there.

(2) Alishan train is not operated by TRA, but by the forestry board, and therefore tickets can%26#39;t be bought at the Taipei train station. They only have about 200 seats per train, so tickets go fast and advance reservation is definitely recommended.

If no train tickets are available, there are plenty of local shuttles going up the mountain. Don%26#39;t worry about finding them, there are so many vendors I had to beat them away with a stick! They will approach you at the train station and ask if you would like to join other tourists and share a van up the mountain (cost is about 300 to 350 per person, slightly chepare than taking train). They will also try to sell room room and board, and the price is usually cheaper than booking directly with the hotel.

(3) Sunrise train tickets can be bought at the Alishan train station. Cost is 150 NTD roundtrip or 100 NTD one way.

(4) Can%26#39;t help you on this, never stayed there so no comment.

Thank you for the replies!

Which means I will have to change my itinerary as per follows:

- Take THSR from Taipei to Chiayi and reach 0758

- Catch 0820 shuttle bus from THSR station to Chiayi Railway station

- Try to buy Alishan forest railway tickets to go up Alishan, if possible (but highly unlikely)

- If unable to buy Alishan forest railway tickets, can go up Alishan via local shuttle van (readily available)

- Check in minsu

- Buy next day Alishan forest railway tickets downhill tickets and watch sunrise tickets

Hope this itinerary is realistic :)

Revised itenary looks good. Return train ticket should be readily available at Alishan station since most Taiwanese prefer to go up by train but come down by bus (which is logical since as you come down by train, the scenary gets uglier and uglier, and the temperatures get hotter and hotter, it is kinda anti-climatic).

Your order of business should be:

(1) Try to catch the 8:00 a.m. shuttle (2 minutes to run from platform to station is really tight, but you may get lucky, the bus may be a couple minutes late).

(2) Pray there%26#39;s no traffic jam.

(3) Once you arrive at Chia-Yi station, try to get 9:00 a.m. Alishan train.

(4) If no seats are available, opt for the afternoon train.

(5) If you have to take shuttle, haggle and bargain with the vendor.

hmm... Wonder if I need to purchase ticket to board shuttle bus to get from THSR station to Chiayi Railway station? If so, where do I get them? Or can I use Easy Card to pay?

Also, which direction should I walk (or rather run) from the platform to the shuttle bus waiting area? I need to make sure I waste no time getting lost looking for the shuttle bus!

2 mins dash!!! with luggage somemore!

If I opt for the afternoon Alishan forest rail up the mountain, what can I do in the meantime? Any shops nearby?

Shuttle bus is free till the end of April. Starting 05/01 you will have to pay when you board (like a regular bus).

If you opt for the afternoon train, there will be no reason for you to take the 6:30 THSR. You can then spend a little more time in bed.

There%26#39;s not much to do around Chia-yi train station. There are a few book stores, and turkey rice is always worth a try, but other than that it%26#39;s realy quite boring.

I am not saying that there is nothing worth visiting in Chia-yi, they just all happened to be located quite a distance from the train station.

You may also detour to here while waiting for the afternoon train.

At Chiayi - Budai Salt flats

From Chiayi Railway Station, take any bus in the direction of Budai and get off just before the fishing harbor.

The salt mountain is near the downtown.

I just checked Chiayi shuttle bus schedule from http://www.cibus.com.tw/brttime.htm. Seems like the earliest bus starts from 0900. Or did I check the correct website for the shuttle bus schedule?

Is Chiayi THSR station known as 高鐵嘉義站 or 台鐵嘉義後站?

Please advise.

Thank you very much :)

Chiayi THSR station is 高鐵嘉義站.

Chiayi TRA station is 台鐵嘉義後站.

Hope this helps.