Ride Taipei's rivers from where you are

Taipei's streets are busy with scooters and cars. Its rivers are different: behind the flood walls, riverside parks carry a long network of paths that the national cycling portal classes mostly as shared walk and bike paths, away from traffic. Pick where you are starting and see what you can reach, how far it is, and how to get back.

Where can I ride from here?

Visiting? Start at Pier 5

For a first ride, Dadaocheng Wharf, which many visitors call Pier 5, is an easy place to begin: there is a staffed rental station inside the gate, so you rent from a person, can ask for a helmet, and ride straight onto the river path. Get there by MRT, or by taxi or ride-hail to the end of Minsheng West Road: see taxis, Uber and Bolt in Taipei.

• "Pier 5" is what many visitors call Dadaocheng Wharf (大稻埕碼頭) in Yanping Riverside Park (延平河濱公園), at the end of Minsheng West Road. Taipei open data names the gate there simply the gate at the end of Minsheng West Road (民生西路底疏散門) in Datong District; the rental station listing calls it the Dadaocheng gate (大稻埕疏散門). The national portal starts its Tamsui River bikeway at the wharf and names the outside car park after Gate 5 (五號水門堤外停車場).
• Rental station: Taipei Dadaocheng riverside rental station, run by Kanmy Enterprise (康美企業社), phone 0977-320-523. Inside the gate, beside the wharf (city open data); the operator says on the south side of Dadaocheng Wharf.
• Helmets: the operator's rental rules say helmets and children's protective pads can be rented at the stations; ask the staff. Helmet price and sizes are not stated. Locks and separate child seats are not mentioned (child seats come only as part of the parent-and-child bikes).
• ID and deposit: leave one valid photo ID (the operator lists national ID card, driver's licence, National Health Insurance card or student card; up to five bikes per ID), or pay a refundable cash deposit of NT$2,000 (bike types 1 to 6) or NT$6,000 (types 7 to 13). A passport is not on the operator's list; whether a passport is accepted as the ID is unconfirmed, so a visitor should plan on the cash deposit.
• One-way returns: the operator offers return to another station (甲借乙還) only with two photo IDs and payment up front, and says foreign nationals are not offered one-way returns. If you ride a same-station rental to another station you must go back to the original station for your ID. A foreign visitor should return the bike to Dadaocheng.
• Getting there without a car: Shuanglian MRT (Tamsui-Xinyi Line) then bus Red 33 to the Dadaocheng Wharf stop (portal and operator). For the 2026 festival Taipei DOT gave about 25 minutes on foot from Daqiaotou (Zhonghe-Xinlu Line, O12) to the main venue at Gate 5, and about 10 minutes from Beimen (Songshan-Xindian Line, G13) to Gate 3; a walking time from Beimen to Gate 5 was not stated. Both stations accept full-size bikes in Taipei Metro's bike hours if you bring your own. A taxi or ride-hail drop at the end of Minsheng West Road works; prices are not given here. On festival and fireworks days the gates close to vehicles and bikes.

Staffed rental or YouBike?Staffed rental or YouBike? For a first ride, the staffed Dadaocheng station has more bike types (children's, tandem, parent-and-child) and rents helmets, but needs a photo ID or a NT$2,000 to 6,000 cash deposit, keeps set hours, and a visitor must return there. YouBike is self-service at docks across the city and can be returned at any dock, costs NT$10 per 30 minutes for YouBike 2.0 (first 4 hours) or NT$20 per 30 minutes for the electric-assist 2.0E (first 2 hours) with Taipei's base rates, holds NT$3,000 on a credit card for single rentals, and comes without a helmet, so bring your own.

Rides people like, ready to go

• Yonghe to Dadaocheng Wharf over the Kawabata Bridge

  10 km one way · Downstream, north-west: cross west to east, then follow the river north to Dadaocheng.

  Yonghe riverside (Dingxi side) → Machangding Riverside (Wanhua) → Dadaocheng Wharf ("Pier 5", Gate 5)

  The most direct way to Pier 5: cross to Taipei on the reopened Kawabata Bridge and follow the Taipei right bank downstream past Machangding. All riverside, mostly shared paths. Walk the bike across the Kawabata Bridge.

  Getting back: Beimen MRT (about 10 minutes on foot to Gate 3 per Taipei DOT) back toward Dingxi, both stations open to bikes in Taipei Metro bike hours. Taipei Metro bike hours: weekends and national holidays from 06:00; working days 10:00 to 16:00 and 22:00 to close; NT$80 rider plus bike.

• Yonghe to Dadaocheng Wharf via Banqiao and Sanchong

  13.8 km one way · Downstream, west then north, crossing two rivers.

  Yonghe riverside (Dingxi side) → Huajiang Bridge ramp (Banqiao) → Sanchong end of Taipei Bridge → Dadaocheng Wharf ("Pier 5", Gate 5)

  A fully measured loop-friendly alternative that never leaves portal bike paths except three short joins: down the Yonghe left bank, over the Dahan River on the Chongcui ramp, through Sanchong and over Taipei Bridge. Walk the bike across the Kawabata Bridge.

  Getting back: Return by the Kawabata Bridge route to make a loop, or Beimen MRT to Dingxi in bike hours. Taipei Metro bike hours: weekends and national holidays from 06:00; working days 10:00 to 16:00 and 22:00 to close; NT$80 rider plus bike.

• Yonghe to Bitan on the left bank

  8.8 km one way · Upstream, south-east.

  Yonghe riverside (Dingxi side) → Zhonghe riverside (Xiulang Bridge) → Bitan, west bank

  Stay on your own bank the whole way upstream to Bitan, past Xiulang Bridge. New Taipei City Tourism lists this as part of its Xindian River route.

  Getting back: Xindian MRT is on the other bank; whether you may wheel a bike across the Bitan Suspension Bridge is unconfirmed. Ride back the same way, or cross where you can confirm it and take Xindian MRT in bike hours. The Circular Line (Xiulang Bridge) takes only packed bikes.

• Yonghe to Guandu Wharf

  21.6 km one way · Downstream, north.

  Yonghe riverside (Dingxi side) → Machangding Riverside (Wanhua) → Dadaocheng Wharf ("Pier 5", Gate 5) → Guandu Wharf

  A long riverside day: over the Kawabata Bridge, down the Taipei bank past Dadaocheng, over the Keelung River on Zhoumei Bridge and on to Guandu Temple and the wharf. Walk the bike across the Kawabata Bridge.

  Getting back: Guandu MRT (about a 15-minute walk from the wharf per the rental operator) back toward Dingxi in bike hours. Taipei Metro bike hours: weekends and national holidays from 06:00; working days 10:00 to 16:00 and 22:00 to close; NT$80 rider plus bike.

• Yonghe to Bali over Guandu Bridge, ferry back

  31.1 km one way · Downstream, north-west to the river mouth side.

  Yonghe riverside (Dingxi side) → Huajiang Bridge ramp (Banqiao) → Sanchong end of Taipei Bridge → Dadaocheng Wharf ("Pier 5", Gate 5) → Guandu Wharf → Bali Ferry Pier

  Fully measured on portal lines (three short joins): Banqiao, Sanchong, Taipei Bridge, the Taipei bank to Guandu, then over Guandu Bridge, which the portal classes as a shared walk and bike path, to the Bali left bank.

  Getting back: Take the Tamsui to Bali ferry with the bike (NT$25 per bike, NT$40 adult, weekdays 07:00 to 19:00, holidays 07:00 to 20:00), ride 2.1 km from the Tamsui waterfront to Hongshulin MRT (Tamsui station takes no bikes), then Taipei Metro in bike hours, planning any transfer away from excluded stations. Taipei Metro bike hours: weekends and national holidays from 06:00; working days 10:00 to 16:00 and 22:00 to close; NT$80 rider plus bike.

• Train out, ferry to Bali, ride home to Yonghe

  33.2 km one way · Upstream, south-east, all the way home.

  Hongshulin (mangroves) → Tamsui waterfront (behind Tamsui MRT) → Bali Ferry Pier → Guandu Wharf → Dadaocheng Wharf ("Pier 5", Gate 5) → Sanchong end of Taipei Bridge → Huajiang Bridge ramp (Banqiao) → Yonghe riverside (Dingxi side)

  There is no MRT to Bali, but this works legally: take Taipei Metro with the bike to Hongshulin, ride 2.1 km to the Tamsui ferry, cross to Bali, and ride home with the river beside you.

  Getting back: Outbound: Taipei Metro to Hongshulin in bike hours, then the Tamsui to Bali ferry (bikes NT$25). The km_total counts riding only; the ferry stretch tamsui>bali-ferry-pier has no km.

• Gongguan to Bitan on the right bank

  7.6 km one way · Upstream, south.

  Gongguan Waterfront (Yongfu Bridge) → Bitan, east bank (Xindian MRT side)

  Upstream on cycling Route 1-13 from the Gongguan Waterfront to the Bitan Scenic Area beside Xindian MRT, with rental stations at both ends.

  Getting back: Xindian MRT, about 100 m from the Bitan rental station on portal coordinates, back to Gongguan on the same line in bike hours. Taipei Metro bike hours: weekends and national holidays from 06:00; working days 10:00 to 16:00 and 22:00 to close; NT$80 rider plus bike.

• Dadaocheng Wharf to Tamsui Fisherman's Wharf

  21.1 km one way · Downstream, north-west.

  Dadaocheng Wharf ("Pier 5", Gate 5) → Guandu Wharf → Hongshulin (mangroves) → Tamsui waterfront (behind Tamsui MRT) → Tamsui Fisherman's Wharf

  The classic downstream ride from Pier 5 to the sea: Zhoumei Bridge, Guandu, the Golden Waterfront and Tamsui. The last stretch past Tamsui includes short mixed-traffic pieces.

  Getting back: Danhai Light Rail from Fisherman's Wharf to Hongshulin with the bike (NT$50, not on working days 07:00 to 09:00 or 17:00 to 19:00), then Taipei Metro from Hongshulin in bike hours. Not Tamsui station. Taipei Metro bike hours: weekends and national holidays from 06:00; working days 10:00 to 16:00 and 22:00 to close; NT$80 rider plus bike.

• Banqiao (Huajiang) to Dadaocheng Wharf

  6.7 km one way · North-east, across two rivers.

  Huajiang Bridge ramp (Banqiao) → Sanchong end of Taipei Bridge → Dadaocheng Wharf ("Pier 5", Gate 5)

  A short crossing ride from the Huajiang Bridge ramp over the Dahan River and the Tamsui River to Pier 5.

  Getting back: Beimen MRT back to Jiangzicui (Bannan Line) in bike hours; avoid transferring at Taipei Main Station, which is excluded. Taipei Metro bike hours: weekends and national holidays from 06:00; working days 10:00 to 16:00 and 22:00 to close; NT$80 rider plus bike.

• Dadaocheng Wharf to Raohe along the Keelung River

  17.6 km one way · North, then east, upstream on the Keelung River.

  Dadaocheng Wharf ("Pier 5", Gate 5) → Dajia Riverside Park → Raohe gate (Rainbow Bridge, Songshan)

  Turn east at Shezi onto the Keelung River left bank, past Dajia Riverside Park, to the Raohe gate by Rainbow Bridge and the night market.

  Getting back: Songshan MRT, about 180 m from the gate on portal coordinates, in bike hours. Do not use the Wenhu (Brown) Line. Taipei Metro bike hours: weekends and national holidays from 06:00; working days 10:00 to 16:00 and 22:00 to close; NT$80 rider plus bike.

Taking the MRT with your bike

1. Check the time. Full-size bikes ride Taipei Metro on weekends and national holidays from 06:00, and on working days only 10:00 to 16:00 and from 22:00 to close. Rush hours are out.
2. Go to the staffed information counter and buy the NT$80 cyclist ticket. It is one ticket for you and the bike, for any distance; staff collect it at your exit.
3. Use the wide service gate, and lifts, stairs or ramps, never escalators. Walk the bike in the station.
4. Board the first or last car only. Up to two bikes per door area and 16 per train; if it is crowded, wait for the next one.
5. Avoid the stations closed to bikes, including Tamsui and Taipei Main Station, and transfers at them.

Elsewhere the rules differ: the Danhai Light Rail charges NT$50 and closes to bikes in weekday rush hours, and Taoyuan's Airport MRT prices by distance. → Check any operator, time and station

• Taipei Metro takes full-size bikes on weekends and national holidays from 06:00, and on working days 10:00 to 16:00 and 22:00 to close, NT$80 per rider plus bike from the information counter, first or last car, never at Wenhu Line stations, Tamsui, Taipei Main Station, Zhongxiao Xinsheng, Zhongxiao Fuxing, Nanjing Fuxing or Daan (including transfers). Riverside stations that are not excluded include Hongshulin, Guandu, Xindian, Gongguan, Dingxi, Taipei Bridge, Beimen and Songshan.
• Tamsui MRT station does not take full-size bikes. From the Tamsui waterfront ride 2.1 km upriver to Hongshulin (measured on the portal line).
• The Danhai Light Rail takes full-size non-motorized bikes except working-day rush hours (07:00 to 09:00, 17:00 to 19:00) and announced special days, NT$50 per rider plus bike. Fisherman's Wharf to Hongshulin by light rail, then Taipei Metro from Hongshulin, is a legal way back from the river mouth.
• There is no MRT to Bali. The Tamsui to Bali ferry (Shun Feng) carries bicycles: New Taipei Transportation Department lists NT$25 per bicycle, adult fare NT$40, weekdays 07:00 to 19:00, holidays 07:00 to 20:00, every 15 to 30 minutes, 10 to 30 minutes on the water (updated 2026-05-18). Sailings depend on weather and tide; operator phone (02) 8630-1845.
• You can also ride to Bali over Guandu Bridge: cycling Route 1-1 crosses it, and the national portal classes the crossing as a shared walk and bike path (about 1.5 km from Guandu Wharf to the Bali end, measured).
• Danjiang Bridge (淡江大橋), open since 2026-05-12, links Tamsui and Bali with a 5 m shared walking and cycling path on each side (bike lane inside, walkway outside). The Highway Bureau allowed e-assist bikes, including YouBike e-bikes, in September 2026. The path closes during land typhoon warnings and strong-wind or heavy-rain advisories at Beaufort 8 or above; a change to Beaufort 7 was proposed for mid-October 2026 and was not confirmed. Not measured here: the bridge is not in the portal data. News report
• Blue Highway boats (藍色公路): New Taipei lists Dadaocheng Wharf to Tamsui Passenger Pier (Haolehao, Saturdays 10:00 and 13:30, about 90 minutes, NT$400, booking required) and Zhongxiao Wharf to Tamsui (holidays 15:00 one way, NT$300, booking required), but says nothing about bikes. Bike carriage on these boats is unconfirmed; ask the operator. Not confirmed
• Buses Red 22 and Red 13 run from Guandu MRT to the Bali ferry pier (New Taipei riverside office), but carrying a bike on them was not confirmed. Not confirmed

Is the riverside open at night?

• Golden Waterfront works (Guandu to Tamsui): the Hongshulin section is under construction from August 2026 to about July 2027, and the Shalun section from Tamsui MRT toward Fisherman's Wharf closes in stages from November 2026 to the end of 2027. The new sea-wall bike path at Tamsui New Town is open 06:00 to 19:00 only (New Taipei High-Water Engineering Office).
• No official page found that states opening hours for the Taipei or New Taipei riverside parks or bike paths, or says they are open 24 hours. Do not publish "open 24 hours" as a fact. Not confirmed
• Taipei closes the riverside evacuation gates (疏散門) for typhoons: once a typhoon warning threatens Taipei the city announces possible closures, police and parking staff put the gates on "exit only" (只出不進), and the Water Resources Agency 10th River Management Office decides when the gates close. Reopening follows a check that the flood risk is over. The procedure page describes no routine night closure.
• In practice the "exit only" step can come hours before closing: in one typhoon Taipei set most gates to exit only at 16:00 and began closing them at 22:00, and kept some gates open longer for commuting or the fish market.
• Taipei also restricts gates for big riverside events. For the 2026 Dadaocheng Summer Festival fireworks, Gates 1 to 6 were exit only for bikes from 06:00 to 15:30 and closed to bikes, even wheeled, from 15:30 to 23:00 on July 25 and August 15 (exit only 12:00 to 15:00 and closed 15:00 to 23:00 on August 5).
• Riverside path lighting hours (路燈開關時間) were not found for Taipei or New Taipei. Bring front and rear lights for any ride that may end after dark. Not confirmed
• Riverside rental stations close in the evening (Taipei city open data: 08:00 to 21:00, rentals until 20:00; New Taipei: see rental section). They suspend service when a typhoon evacuation is under way (New Taipei).

When is it busy?

• Event days bring crowds and closures at Dadaocheng: the 2026 Dadaocheng Summer Festival held shows at Yanping Riverside Park on July 25, August 5 and August 15 (19:00 to 21:00), with fireworks at the wharf, bike bans on the paths at Gates 1 to 6, the Dadaocheng YouBike station suspended from 15:00 to 23:00 and Taipei Bridge closed to bikes from 19:30 to 20:30.
• New Taipei lists a "1314 cross-river fireworks" (閃耀新北 1314跨河煙火) among its riverside events; date and controls were not checked.
• No official count of riverside path users by day or hour was found. The existing Cycle.tw route data notes that Dadaocheng Wharf fills at sunset and during events and that weekends are busy around Tamsui Old Street and the ferry pier. As general advice, weekday mornings are the likeliest quiet time; expect more people walking at sunset, on weekends and holidays, and near wharves, playgrounds and markets. Our advice

Renting along the rivers

• Taipei riverside rental stations (Guandu, Dadaocheng, Dajia, Meiti, Jingfu, Muzha, Guanshan, Machangding): 08:00 to 21:00, rentals until 20:00, no break on holidays, 12:00 to 14:00 break on weekdays. Rainbow: 08:00 to 18:00, rentals until 17:00 (city open data, updated 2026-10-13). All offer free drinking water, tyre pumping and simple repairs. The operator's own site lists shorter seasonal hours (Nov to Mar weekdays 09:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 19:00), so call ahead.
• One-way returns: the Taipei operator says foreign visitors cannot return to a different station. New Taipei says renters can borrow in one place and return in another across both cities (甲借乙還) after filling in a form and showing two valid IDs and a mobile number.
• New Taipei riverside rental stations near this planner: Bali (Bali Left Bank Park), Bitan (east-bank car park), Tamsui (behind Tamsui MRT), Huajiang (under Huajiang Bridge), Yonghe (under Zhongzheng Bridge, Yonghe end), Chenglu (under Chenglu Bridge, Luzhou), Erchong, Chenguang (next to Airport MRT Sanchong), Zhongxiao (under Zhongxiao Bridge, Sanchong) and Tamkang (Fisherman's Wharf). The page lists 08:00 to 19:00 on weekends and holidays and 09:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 18:00 on weekdays for its weekday-open stations, latest return one hour after rentals end, and no service on the 3rd of each month (safety meeting). Which hours apply to each station is not fully clear from the page layout.

YouBike docks sit near many riverside gates, but YouBike supplies no helmets, and the electric-assist 2.0E costs more than the pedal 2.0. → YouBike prices by city

Rules on the paths

• Micro electric two-wheelers (微型電動二輪車, the throttle-only type with no pedals) are banned from all Taipei bike paths including the riverside parks from 2026-01-01 (Taipei Department of Transportation notice of 2025-10-23), fine NT$300 to NT$1,200.
• New Taipei riverside parks also ban micro electric two-wheelers, with fines of NT$300 to NT$1,200 from 2026-01-01 under Article 73 of the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (New Taipei riverside office notice, 2025-10-30).
• Electric-assist bicycles (pedal bikes with motor assist) on the riverside paths: neither ban notice addresses them, and no rule allowing or banning them was found. On Danjiang Bridge they are explicitly allowed. Not confirmed
• No official speed limit or pedestrian-priority rule for the riverside paths was found. The national portal classes most of them as bicycle and pedestrian shared paths (自行車與行人共用道). Not confirmed
• On shared paths, slow down near wharves, playgrounds and gates, pass people walking with room and a bell, and walk the bike through crowds. Wear a properly fitted helmet. Our advice

How to read the labelsFacts here come from official or operator sources unless marked: News report (not yet on an official page), Our advice (general guidance, not a sourced fact) or Not confirmed (we searched and found no source).

• Dadaocheng Wharf ride
• Xindian River to Bitan
• Guandu to Tamsui
• Keelung River

Local guideFor neighbourhood tips, bike rental shops and getting around the city, see Inside Taipei's cycling guide.