- Length
- 4.5 kmSource and notes below
- Route shape
- One way
- Surface
- Paved
- Traffic
- Path with road sections
- Level
- Easy
- Riding time
- About 20 min at an easy 14 km/h, not counting stops Estimate ride time
- Families
- Families: with care
- Climbing
- Not measuredNo official figure, so none given
- Start
- Fulong Station (TRA)
The map loads here.
Line: national cycling portal (MOTC), with its road types. Base map: National Land Surveying and Mapping Center.
Rest stops and stations along the official line
Rest stops
- 東北角暨宜蘭海岸國家風景管理處(福隆遊客中心) (toilets, accessible toilet, drinking water, map board, first-aid kit, repairs)
- 石城服務區 (toilets, accessible toilet, drinking water)
- 福隆車站(兩鐵轉運站) (toilets, accessible toilet, drinking water, map board, first-aid kit, repairs, bike ramps at the station)
- 東興宮 (toilets, drinking water, food and drink)
Train stations that take bikes
- 福隆 · bike train times
Listed by the national cycling portal (MOTC). Services and hours can change: treat these as a guide, not a guarantee.
About the lengthNational cycling portal length for the Old Caoling Tunnel Bikeway (舊草嶺隧道自行車道), which starts beside the Fulong Station exit: 4.50 km. The tunnel itself is 2,167 m (managing authority). The portal does not state whether its 4.50 km is one way; riding back the same way adds a distance no official page states.
Why these labels
Traffic and path type: The tunnel is closed to motor vehicles. The national portal classes this bikeway as mixed traffic, which reflects the stretch on Fulong's streets between the station and the north portal. On weekends and national holidays walkers are not allowed in the tunnel; on weekdays cyclists share it with people on foot.
Families: The tunnel is flat and car-free, and the managing authority says a one-way ride takes about 20 minutes. The approach from Fulong Station uses streets shared with traffic, so children need close supervision there.
The Old Caoling Tunnel (舊草嶺隧道) was built in 1924 on the railway between Fulong and Shicheng, closed and left unused for years, and reopened as a bikeway in 2008, according to the managing authority. It is 2,167 m long, and a marker halfway through shows the boundary between New Taipei and Yilan County.
Inside are old brick walls and rails, and you can hear trains in the modern tunnel next door. The north portal carries the inscription 制天險 and the south portal 白雲飛處.
The national cycling portal's version of this ride starts beside the Fulong Station exit and runs 4.50 km. The south entrance is at No. 19-2 Shicheng Road, Toucheng.
Who it suits
Suits families, beginners and anyone arriving by train for a half day at Fulong. Not a workout: riders wanting more can add the coastal loop, which uses Provincial Highway 2.
The route
A ride plan, in order
- Leave Fulong Station and follow the bikeway from beside the station exit to the north portal.
- Ride through the 2,167 m tunnel, past the New Taipei and Yilan boundary marker.
- Exit at the south portal near Shicheng. The Shicheng service area is nearby.
- Ride back through the tunnel to Fulong, or continue on the coastal loop if you are ready for highway riding.
Opening hours and closures
Opening hours and closuresManaging authority (Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration), Chinese page: 1 June to 30 September, 08:30 to 17:30, no entry from 17:00; 1 October to 31 May, 08:30 to 17:00, no entry from 16:30. The tunnel control centre takes a break from 12:30 to 13:30 daily. On weekends and national holidays the tunnel is for bicycles only; on weekdays both cyclists and walkers may use it. Motor vehicles and side-by-side tandem bikes are banned. Free entry. The English page shows confusing month ranges ("Oct.-Aug." and "Jun.-Sep.") and a later 18:00 summer weekend close; the Chinese page is used here.
Getting there without a car
- TRA to Fulong Station; the bikeway entrance is beside the station exit (national cycling portal). The national portal lists Fulong as a bike-and-rail transfer station.
- Bus to Fulong Station: Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Golden Fulong Line 856, Keelung Bus 791, or New Taipei bus F823; the Fulian Line does not run on weekends and holidays. F836, also weekdays only, stops at the Old Caoling Tunnel stop (managing authority).
Bringing your own bike: Taiwan Railway: a bike fully enclosed in a proper bike bag (longest side up to 150 cm, total dimensions up to 220 cm) can travel on any train as hand luggage. Unbagged bikes only at designated stations on trains with bike quota; check TRA's bike quota search for your train before relying on it.
Renting a bike
Not verified. The managing authority recommends taking the train to Fulong and renting a bike there, but no official source found names the rental shops, prices or hours. The national portal lists public bike stations at Longmen Sports Park and the Gongliao District Office, not at the station itself.
Confirm hours, rates and availability directly with the provider. Cycle.tw does not take bookings.
Toilets, water and food
Toilets and accessible toilets at both the north and south portals, accessible parking at the north portal, and free-loan hand cycles at the north portal control centre for people with disabilities (Tourism Administration; the page text is cut off on eligibility). The Shicheng service area near the south end has parking and toilets (managing authority).
Safety and conditions
- Arrive well before the last entry time (16:30 from October to May, 17:00 from June to September); the tunnel is cleared at that time.
- The tunnel is long and dim in places. Use a front light and keep right, and ride slowly on weekdays when walkers are inside.
- Side-by-side tandems are not allowed in the tunnel.
- The streets between Fulong Station and the tunnel carry cars and scooters.
- Typhoons close the tunnel: after the October 2026 typhoon the Northeast Coast Scenic Area reopened it on 25 October 2026. Check the Scenic Area's news page before you go.
- 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 for fewer people. The tunnel's managing authority describes it as cool in summer and warm in winter.
Nearby and related
Emergency: 110 police, 119 fire and ambulance. From a mobile phone, 112 also reaches emergency services.
Sources
- Old Caoling Tunnel 2,167 m (Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration)
- English version of tunnel page with confusing 'Oct.-Aug.' / 'Jun.-Sep.' hours and 18:00 summer weekend close (Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration)
- Old Caoling bikeway starts beside Fulong Station exit (MOTC national cycling portal)
- Route lengths and road-type classes for northern bikeways (Guandu 0.74 km, Tamsui River 7.89 km, Keelung... (MOTC national cycling portal)
- Loop has steep sections (Taiwan Tourism Administration)
- Old Caoling loop itinerary stop order (Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration)
- TRA bike bag limits 150 cm / 220 cm (Taiwan Railway Corporation)
- Typhoon closures and reopenings, updated 2026-11-02 (Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area)
Checked November 2026 Next review due December 2026.
Printed from https://cycle.tw/routes/old-caoling-bike-tunnel/