Ride the rift valley, station to station

Between Hualien and Taitung the valley floor is farmland, and the railway runs the whole way with stations that take bikes. That makes it ideal for riding one town to the next and taking the train back, or riding the whole valley over a few days. Most links between towns are on Round-the-Island Route No. 1 along Provincial Highway 9: a road shared with traffic for most of its length, and the results say so.

Good to knowYouBike runs in Taitung County only, with stations at Chishang, Guanshan, Luye and Taitung railway stations. Distances are one way along the national cycling portal's lines; street links from stations off the line aren't measured.

Where can I ride from here?

Rides people like, ready to go

• Chishang to Guanshan via Brown Boulevard

  14.3 km one way · South-west from Chishang into the paddies, then south on Route 1 to Guanshan.

  Chishang Station → Brown Boulevard → Guanshan Station

  The rice fields and Brown Boulevard, then Route 1 south. About a third is the Chishang line (part shared walk and bike path, part farm road); the rest is Route 1 slow lane shared with traffic.

  Getting back: Both ends are TRA bike stations (one stop apart, Haiduan between is not on the list), and both have a YouBike 2.0 station by the station, so a YouBike can be ridden one way and returned at Guanshan. Check the TRA bike quota and bike-train timetable first; whole bikes ride bike-service trains only, bike ticket 50% of the full fare. A bike in a proper bike bag (150 cm, 220 cm total) rides any train.

• Guanshan to Luye through the Wuling green tunnel

  19 km one way · South down the valley from Guanshan to Luye.

  Guanshan Station → Wuling Green Tunnel, north end → Wuling Green Tunnel, south end (Highway 9 and Yongling Road) → Luye Station

  Route 1 south, then the 4.7 km tree-lined Yongling Road (old Highway 9) instead of the current highway. All roads shared with traffic.

  Getting back: Guanshan and Luye are both TRA bike stations with YouBike 2.0 stations, so either the train or a one-way YouBike works. Check the TRA bike quota and bike-train timetable first; whole bikes ride bike-service trains only, bike ticket 50% of the full fare. A bike in a proper bike bag (150 cm, 220 cm total) rides any train.

• Ruisui Bikeway one way: Fuyuan to Ruisui

  9.7 km one way · South from Fuyuan to Ruisui.

  Fuyuan Station (Ruisui Bikeway start) → Ruisui Station

  ERV NSA's flat farm-road ride beside the railway. The whole line is classed mixed traffic: farm roads shared with vehicles, with Highway 9 and Wenquan Road crossings.

  Getting back: Both stations are on the TRA bike list. Rentals are only at the Ruisui end (Xiaoyan Bike Rental and the Ruisui Station rest stop), so with a rental, ride part of it out and back from Ruisui instead. Check the TRA bike quota and bike-train timetable first; whole bikes ride bike-service trains only, bike ticket 50% of the full fare. A bike in a proper bike bag (150 cm, 220 cm total) rides any train.

• Guangfu to Ruisui: Route 1 then the Ruisui Bikeway

  20.4 km one way · South from Guangfu to Fuyuan, then the farm roads to Ruisui.

  Guangfu Station → Fuyuan Station (Ruisui Bikeway start) → Ruisui Station

  The portal classes the Route 1 stretch to Fuyuan as bike-only path, then the Ruisui Bikeway farm roads (shared with traffic). Not confirmed on the ground: see the rules note on the bike-only classification.

  Getting back: Guangfu and Ruisui are both TRA bike stations (Dafu between is not). Check the TRA bike quota and bike-train timetable first; whole bikes ride bike-service trains only, bike ticket 50% of the full fare. A bike in a proper bike bag (150 cm, 220 cm total) rides any train.

• Ruisui to Yuli over the Wuhe plateau

  23.4 km one way · South from Ruisui, climbing to Wuhe, then south to Yuli.

  Ruisui Station → Tropic of Cancer marker, Wuhe → Yuli Station (nearest point on Route 1)

  Up to the Tropic of Cancer marker on the Wuhe plateau, then down the valley to Yuli. All road shared with traffic: Ruisui Bikeway streets, then Route 1 slow lane on Highway 9.

  Getting back: Check the TRA bike quota and bike-train timetable first; whole bikes ride bike-service trains only, bike ticket 50% of the full fare. A bike in a proper bike bag (150 cm, 220 cm total) rides any train.

• Yuli to Chishang on Route 1

  29.4 km one way · South from Yuli through Dongli and Fuli to Chishang.

  Yuli Station (nearest point on Route 1) → Dongli Station (nearest point on Route 1) → Fuli Station (nearest point on Route 1) → Chishang Station

  A longer valley day on Highway 9 into the Chishang rice fields. All Route 1 slow lane, a road shared with traffic.

  Getting back: Yuli, Dongli, Fuli and Chishang are all TRA bike stations, so the ride can be cut short at any of them. Check the TRA bike quota and bike-train timetable first; whole bikes ride bike-service trains only, bike ticket 50% of the full fare. A bike in a proper bike bag (150 cm, 220 cm total) rides any train.

• Luye Station to Longtian

  3.2 km one way · West from the station into Longtian.

  Luye Station → Longtian (Longtian Grassland)

  A short ride to the old Japanese-era village of Longtian below Luye Highland. Farm and village roads shared with traffic; the climb to the highland is steep (ERV NSA).

  Getting back: Ride back the same way, or use YouBike: there are stations at Luye Station and Longtian Grassland.

• Fenglin to Guangfu

  11.4 km one way · South from Fenglin to Guangfu.

  Fenglin Station (nearest point on Route 1) → Guangfu Station

  The portal colours this Route 1 stretch bike-only path, unusual for the valley. It crosses Mataian Creek on the Highway 9 temporary steel bridge (opened 2026-01-01, closed pre-emptively in heavy rain). How the path is separated from the highway is not confirmed.

  Getting back: Both are TRA bike stations; Wanrong between is also on the list. Check the TRA bike quota and bike-train timetable first; whole bikes ride bike-service trains only, bike ticket 50% of the full fare. A bike in a proper bike bag (150 cm, 220 cm total) rides any train.

• Luye to Taitung

  19.1 km one way · South from Luye toward Taitung city.

  Luye Station → Taitung Station

  The last valley leg on Route 1 toward Taitung, all slow lane shared with traffic, then about 3.0 km (straight line) of unmeasured city streets to the station.

  Getting back: Taitung is a TRA bike station with a YouBike 2.0 station nearby. Check the TRA bike quota and bike-train timetable first; whole bikes ride bike-service trains only, bike ticket 50% of the full fare. A bike in a proper bike bag (150 cm, 220 cm total) rides any train.

• The whole valley: Hualien to Taitung in four days

  171.1 km one way · South down the valley. One way to split it at TRA bike stations (measured parts only): Hualien to Guangfu 48.6 km, Guangfu to Yuli 43.8 km, Yuli to Chishang 29.4 km, Chishang to the Route 1 point north of Taitung 49.3 km.

  Hualien Station → Zhixue Station → Shoufeng Station → Linrong Shin Kong Station → Fenglin Station (nearest point on Route 1) → Guangfu Station → Fuyuan Station (Ruisui Bikeway start) → Ruisui Station → Tropic of Cancer marker, Wuhe → Yuli Station (nearest point on Route 1) → Dongli Station (nearest point on Route 1) → Fuli Station (nearest point on Route 1) → Chishang Station → Guanshan Station → Wuling Green Tunnel, north end → Wuling Green Tunnel, south end (Highway 9 and Yongling Road) → Luye Station → Taitung Station

  The full rift valley on Route 1 with the Ruisui Bikeway and the Wuling green tunnel as detours. Mostly roads shared with traffic.

  Getting back: Every overnight town here is a TRA bike station, so any day can end on the train. Check the TRA bike quota and bike-train timetable first; whole bikes ride bike-service trains only, bike ticket 50% of the full fare. A bike in a proper bike bag (150 cm, 220 cm total) rides any train.

Taking the train back

• TRA stations on the bike-station list (人車同行) in this planner: Hualien, Zhixue, Shoufeng, Linrong Shin Kong, Fenglin, Guangfu, Fuyuan, Ruisui, Yuli, Dongli, Fuli, Chishang, Guanshan, Luye and Taitung. Also on the list but not planner stops: Ji'an, Nanping, Wanrong, Dongzhu, Ruiyuan and Kangle. Not on the list (a whole bike cannot get on or off): Pinghe, Fengtian, Dafu, Sanmin, Haiduan, Ruihe and Shanli.
• Whole bikes ride only bike-service trains, with a bike ticket at 50% of the full fare for the train type and a per-train quota. On reserved trains the bike ticket is sold only with a seat; on local trains it is sold at the station counter from 4 days ahead. Check the TRA bike quota search and bike-train timetable before going. Tandems, electric bicycles and modified bikes are not accepted.
• Any TRA train, any station (including those not on the bike list) works if the bike is fully packed in a proper bike bag: longest side 150 cm or less, length plus width plus height 220 cm or less; plastic or cloth bags are refused at the gate. On Puyuma trains put it in the large-luggage space in car 1 or 8. TRA may suspend this on long holidays.
• ERV NSA's train page gives a shorter list of east-coast stations for whole bikes (12 stations) and different consignment train numbers from TRA's current pages. TRA is the operator, so its own station list is used here. ERV NSA lists bike consignment (託運) stations in the valley at Hualien, Shoufeng, Fenglin, Ruisui, Yuli, Guanshan and Taitung; check with the station first, as baggage-car space is limited.
• YouBike one way: YouBike 2.0 has stations at Chishang, Guanshan, Luye and Taitung railway stations (and others in those towns), all in the Taitung County system. The Taitung rate page lists cross-region dispatch fees only for returning to a different region, so returning a bike at another Taitung County station is not a cross-region trip. YouBike does not operate in Hualien County.
• Rent at one shop and return at another town: no rental shop in ERV NSA's directory states a one-way return service. Ask the shop; otherwise plan to ride back or carry your own bike on the train. Not confirmed
• Buses: the portal and the Tourism Administration name bus routes (for example 8165 and 8165A to Brown Boulevard, 8156A to Wuling), but whether these buses carry bikes was not confirmed. Plan on the train or riding back. Not confirmed

Opening hours and closures

• No opening or lighting hours were found for Route 1 in the valley, the Ruisui Bikeway, the Chishang line, the Luye Longtian Bikeway or the Wuling green tunnel. They are public roads and farm roads. Do not publish "open 24 hours". Bring front and rear lights for any ride that may end after dark. Not confirmed
• Brown Boulevard: the Tourism Administration lists it as open 24 hours but notes there are no street lights or houses along it, so it is a daylight ride.
• Guanshan Ring Bikeway: on 2024-11-01 Guanshan Township closed the Water Park and the ring bikeway after storm damage, with reopening "to be announced". No reopening notice was found on 2026-11-04, while ERV NSA's 2026 leaflet presents the route as open. Cycle.tw holds it; confirm with the township (089-811-179) before riding. The township has also closed it after earlier typhoons (reopened 2023-09-13) and in 2024 for hornet nests and slope repairs.
• Yufu Bikeway (Yuli to Dongli, old railway): ERV NSA's Yufu page still carries a notice that the old Yufu railway bridge, affected by the 2022-09-18 earthquake, is closed for repairs. Cycle.tw holds this route.
• Yufu Bikeway: CNA reported on 2024-08-17 that the bridge had been repaired and that only Yuli Station to the Lehe flood-control road (about 3.5 km, including the bridge) would reopen; the section south to the Dongli cycling station stayed closed for the Highway Bureau's Yuli Bridge and Highway 9 widening works. CNA reported on 2026-10-07 that the new Yuli Bridge now targets completion at the end of August 2027. News report
• Mataian Creek, Guangfu: the Highway 9 bridge was washed away on 2025-09-23 when the barrier lake upstream overflowed, and Guangfu was flooded with mud (CNA). A steel temporary bridge opened on 2026-01-01 with one lane each way plus scooter and slow-vehicle lanes, a 40 km/h limit, and pre-emptive closure in heavy rain or high water; the permanent bridge is being rebuilt (United Daily News). This is on the Fenglin to Guangfu leg of Route 1. The Guangfu Bikeway is held on Cycle.tw because no official page confirms conditions since the flood. News report
• Typhoons and heavy rain affect the whole valley. Before riding, check CWA warnings and the Highway Bureau's road information (168.thb.gov.tw) for Highway 9, and after storms expect mud or fallen branches on farm roads and tree-lined lanes such as Wuling and Longtian. No closure notice for Route 1 in the valley, Ruisui, Chishang, Luye or Wuling was found on 2026-11-04. Our advice

When is it busy?

• Brown Boulevard is under year-round vehicle control: a PTS report of July 2026, citing police, says only Chishang residents' vehicles and farm vehicles may pass and visitors must park outside and walk or ride in. News report
• ERV NSA says the Wuling green tunnel has few people and vehicles on weekdays, and that the Taitung 2626 farmers' market sets up there on alternate Saturdays from 14:00 to 18:00.
• Expect other riders and walkers stopping suddenly at photo spots around Brown Boulevard and Dapo Pond, especially at weekends and in the autumn harvest season; ride slowly there. No official counts by day or hour were found for any route in this planner. Our advice

Renting a bike

• ERV NSA's rental directory (55 entries) lists, by town along this planner: Hualien City 8, Shoufeng Township 4 (all near Liyu Lake), Fenglin 1, Guangfu 3, Ruisui 1, Yuli 4, Fuli 1, Chishang 12, Guanshan 8, Luye 1 (Longtian) and Taitung City 10, plus 2 in Xincheng. It gives names, addresses and phones only, not hours, prices or bike types.
• The portal lists bike rental among the services of the rail-and-bike transfer stations at Guangfu, Ruisui, Yuli and Luye, and at the Guanshan Water Park and Dapo Pond rest stops.
• Rentals in Chishang and Guanshan are suited to local loops; for town-to-town riding along Route 1, a bike you bring on the train, or YouBike between Taitung County towns, avoids having to return to the shop. Confirm hours, deposit and ID rules by phone. Our advice

YouBike in Taitung

• YouBike 2.0 in Taitung County: NT$12 per 30 minutes up to 4 hours, NT$24 per 30 minutes from 4 to 8 hours, NT$48 per 30 minutes after 8 hours. From 2026-07-08 members get the first 30 minutes free (NT$12 paid by Taitung County Government); YouBike 2.0E is NT$25 per 30 minutes for 2 hours then NT$50, with NT$12 off the first 30 minutes for members. Single Rental (credit card) pays the base rate with no subsidy and a NT$3,000 card hold. The subsidy end date follows a county announcement.
• Stations near this planner: Chishang Station (about 40 m from the station), Chishang Post Office, Chishang Dapo Pond, Guanshan Station (about 50 m) and others in Guanshan town, Luye Station (about 80 m), Longtian Grassland and others in Luye, and Taitung Railway Station (about 170 m). No YouBike station is near Brown Boulevard (the nearest is about 1.6 km away) or the Wuling green tunnel (about 2.2 km). Availability changes; check the YouBike app.

Rules on the paths and roads

• Most of this planner is road. The national portal classes Route 1 in the valley as slow lane (慢車道) or mixed traffic (混合車道) everywhere except from near Linrong Shin Kong to Ruisui, and classes the Ruisui Bikeway, the Luye Longtian Bikeway, the Wuling green tunnel and most of the Chishang line as mixed traffic: roads shared with cars, trucks, scooters and farm vehicles, not paths.
• From near Linrong Shin Kong south to Ruisui (about 40 km of the line) the portal colours Route 1 as bike-only path (自行車專用道). No text source describing that stretch or how it is separated from Highway 9 was found; treat it as a road corridor until confirmed.
• ERV NSA's riding tips: wear a helmet that fits, use a two-piece rain suit rather than a loose poncho (it can catch in the wheel), do not ride side by side, keep to the road edge, watch for vehicles behind and signal clearly when changing lanes, and rest every 15 to 20 km.
• ERV NSA warns riders to watch for vehicles where the Ruisui Bikeway crosses Highway 9 and Wenquan Road, to take care between Luye Station and the Longtian rental shop, and that the road up to Luye Highland is steep.
• Wear a properly fitted helmet and use front and rear lights. Ride single file and keep right on Route 1, give tractors and harvesters room on farm roads, stop off the carriageway for photos (including in the Wuling green tunnel), and carry water and sun protection: the valley floor has little shade. Our advice

• Chishang and Brown Boulevard
• Ruisui bikeway
• Wuling green tunnel
• Bikes on trains