- Length
- 9.6 kmSource and notes below
- Route shape
- Out and back
- Surface
- Paved
- Traffic
- Path with road sections
- Level
- Easy
- Riding time
- About 1 h 20 min at an easy 14 km/h there and back, not counting stops Estimate ride time
- Families
- Families: with care
- Climbing
- Not measuredNo official figure, so none given
The map loads here. Official map
Line: national cycling portal (MOTC), with its road types. Base map: National Land Surveying and Mapping Center. The official line covers the whole bikeway network here, including branches, so it is longer than the ride described on this page.
About the lengthLength of the main line drawn on the Taiwan Bike portal's Cijin page, from the front of the Cijin ferry pier south along the island to its southern end (the profile ends at 9.598 km). The portal's headline length for 旗津環島自行車道 is 23.4 km, which counts several parallel and branch lines on the island. A Kaohsiung City Government article from 2013 describes the island's cycling network as 17 km in total, split into a street line and a coastal line. None of these is one continuous lap. Riding the main line there and back is about 19 km.
Why these labels
Traffic and path type: The portal classifies all its Cijin lines as bicycle and pedestrian shared paths. In practice you start among streets and crowds around the ferry pier and the old street area, and the coastal stretch is shared with walkers. Treat the pier area as city riding.
Families: Flat and on shared paths, but busy at weekends near the ferry and the beach, with pedestrians and scooters around the pier. Better for families on weekday mornings.
Cijin is a long, narrow island across the harbour mouth from Kaohsiung's Hamasen district. The national Taiwan Bike portal maps a shared bike and pedestrian path that runs south from the ferry pier down the island.
Sights the portal lists near the route include 旗後燈塔 (Cihou Lighthouse), 旗後砲台, and the 旗津星空隧道. Kaohsiung City Government describes a coastal line past the seashore park and beach to the windmill park.
The ferry is the simplest way in. Government records show the operator charges a combined rider plus bicycle fare.
Who it suits
Suits visitors to Kaohsiung, families and casual riders. Not for anyone wanting a quiet path at weekend peak times.
The route
A ride plan, in order
- Cross from Gushan to the Cijin Ferry Pier with your bike, or rent a YouBike on the Cijin side.
- Optional short detour near the start to 旗後燈塔 and 旗後砲台; the lighthouse involves a walk up from the temple area.
- Ride south along the shore past the beach and seashore park on the shared path.
- Continue to the southern end (about 9.6 km from the pier on the portal line), then return the same way.
Opening hours and closures
Opening hours and closuresFerry timetables were not verified (the operator site could not be reached). Check at the Gushan pier before relying on a late return.
Getting there without a car
- Take the Gushan to Cijin ferry (旗鼓航線) from the Gushan ferry pier in Hamasen. Riders with bikes board through the vehicle entrance with scooters; this comes from travel reporting, so follow staff instructions on the day.
- Kaohsiung Metro: the Orange Line terminus O1 Hamasen (哈瑪星) does not allow full-size bikes in or out under the rules revised 1 February 2026. With your own full-size bike, use a station that allows bikes (O2 Yanchengpu is not on the excluded list) and ride the last part on city streets.
- Without a bike: the portal lists YouBike stations on the Cijin side, including 旗津燈塔停車場, 旗津海水浴場, 旗津海岸公園停車場 and 旗津貝殼館, and on the Hamasen side at 捷運哈瑪星站 exits 1 and 2.
Bringing your own bike: Kaohsiung Metro (rules revised 1 Feb 2026): full-size non-motorised bikes (up to 120 cm high, 180 cm long, 70 cm wide) on working days 09:00 to 16:00 and 20:00 to close; all day on weekends and national holidays, subject to special-event notices. Combined rider plus bike fare NT$80 per trip, bought at the service counter. Excluded stations: R6 Kaisyuan, O5/R10 Formosa Boulevard, R11 Kaohsiung Main Station, R13 Aozihdi, R14 Kaohsiung Arena, R16 Zuoying, O1 Hamasen. Bikes go only in the first car, maximum 4 per train; use lifts, not stairs or escalators. Folded non-motorised folding bikes (folded L+W+H up to 220 cm) ride free on the Red and Orange lines. The light rail accepts only folded folding bikes. Ferry: a Control Yuan report states the operator's fare from 1 November 2024 is NT$40 for rider plus bicycle.
Renting a bike
YouBike on both sides of the ferry is the verified option. YouBike 2.0 single rental by credit card (no membership) on the Tainan and Kaohsiung rate pages: NT$10 per 30 minutes for the first 4 hours, NT$20 per 30 minutes from 4 to 8 hours, NT$40 per 30 minutes after 8 hours, with a NT$3,000 credit-card pre-authorization. City rider subsidies do not apply to single rentals. Commercial rental shops on Cijin were not verified.
- YouBike (Kaohsiung) YouBike微笑單車（高雄市）
Public bike · Kaohsiung City, including Cijin and Hamasen
YouBike 2.0 single rental by credit card (no membership) on the Tainan and Kaohsiung rate pages: NT$10 per 30 minutes for the first 4 hours, NT$20 per 30 minutes from 4 to 8 hours, NT$40 per 30 minutes after 8 hours, with a NT$3,000 credit-card pre-authorization. City rider subsidies do not apply to single rentals. Kaohsiung's first-30-minute subsidy and transfer discounts apply to members only.
Website
Confirm hours, rates and availability directly with the provider. Cycle.tw does not take bookings.
Toilets, water and food
The portal lists no certified rest stop on Cijin itself. Toilets, food and shops exist around the ferry pier and beach area but were not individually verified. The southern half is exposed with limited shade.
Safety and conditions
- Weekend crowds around the ferry pier and beach: walk the bike through the busiest parts.
- Scooters board and leave the ferry with you. Wait for them to clear before riding off.
- Coastal wind and sun are strong on the open southern stretch. Do not ride the seafront during typhoon warnings or high surf.
- Give pedestrians priority on shared paths and in the starry tunnel.
- The Gushan to Cijin ferry runs from about 05:00 to 02:00; the operator's cash fares are NT$30 per adult plus NT$10 per bicycle.
- Check the Central Weather Administration forecast before you go. Heavy rain, typhoons and earthquakes close paths, river parks and roads, sometimes for weeks.
- Wear a properly fitted bike helmet, whatever the law says for your bike.
When to go
Weekday mornings or late afternoons; avoid midday heat and weekend peaks.
Nearby and related
Emergency: 110 police, 119 fire and ambulance. From a mobile phone, 112 also reaches emergency services.
Sources
- Cijin Island Bikeway headline 23.4 km (MOTC Taiwan Bike portal)
- Road-type legend: dedicated bikeway, bike/pedestrian shared path, slow lane, mixed traffic (MOTC Taiwan Bike portal)
- Kaohsiung Metro bike rules revised 2026-02-01: hours, NT$80, excluded stations incl (Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation)
- Kaohsiung light rail: folded folding bikes only (Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation)
- Gushan-Cijin ferry rider plus bicycle fare NT$40 from 2024-11-01 (e-ticket matched to cash) (Control Yuan)
- Ferry operator announced rider plus bicycle NT$40 from 2024-11-01 (Commercial Times)
- Cijin cycling network 17 km in total, street line and coastal line (Kaohsiung City Government)
- Kaohsiung YouBike single-rental rates and NT$3,000 pre-authorization (YouBike)
- Gushan to Cijin ferry: hours and fares (FAQ) (Kaohsiung City Shipping)
Checked November 2026 Next review due February 2027.
Printed from https://cycle.tw/routes/cijin-island-bikeway/