Each trip below joins rides that are already on Cycle.tw, so every distance is measured on official route lines and every day links to its route or planner for the map, rentals and sources. Days are kept to about 15 to 35 km so there is time to stop.
Before you bookWhole bikes ride only bike-service trains, and each has a bike quota, so buy the bike ticket early. A bike in a proper bike bag rides any train. Read why you might be told to bag your bike, and check the weather by month.
The Lanyang Plain: coast, lake and river
Flat, mostly on riverside and coastal paths, with a train station every few kilometres if the weather turns.
Getting there: Train from Taipei to Toucheng. Toucheng, Yilan, Dongshan and Su'ao New are all on TRA's list of stations that take whole bikes.
Day 1 · 28.3 km, plus short unmeasured links
- Toucheng to Yilan along the coast · 28.3 km
Train out to Toucheng, ride the coastal bikeway through the windbreak forest past Zhuangwei Sand Dune, then inland to Yilan Station. The coastal section is classed shared path; about 0.7 km at the river mouth, about 3.2 km between the coast and the Lanyang River crossing, and the last 1.2 km through Yilan town are mixed traffic.
Day 2 · 30.7 km
- Yilan to Dongshan via Luodong Sports Park and Meihua Lake · 25.7 km
The Kavalan multi-route between two TRA bike stations, past Luodong Sports Park and Meihua Lake (rental at both, per Yilan County), then along the foot of the hills to Dongshan. Mostly classed shared path, with mixed traffic in Yilan town and near Meihua Lake. - Dongshan to Su'ao New under the railway · 5 km
A short link between two TRA bike stations: about 2.9 km of bike-only path under the elevated railway, then 2.0 km on the county works line into Su'ao New. Add it to a Dongshan River ride to finish further south.
Overnight: Stay in Yilan City between the two days. Find a bike-friendly stay
Home: Train home from Dongshan or Su'ao New.
Taichung's rail trails
Old railway lines through tunnels and over river bridges, then the elevated Green Corridor into the city.
Getting there: Train from Taipei to Houli. Houli, Fengyuan, Tanzi, Songzhu and Taichung are all on TRA's list of stations that take whole bikes.
Day 1 · 29.1 km, plus short unmeasured links
- Houli to Dongshi: Houfeng and Dongfeng end to end · 17.5 km
Both famous rail trails in one go: Houfeng's tunnel and bridge, then the Dongfeng green way past the Zero Egg platform and Meizi iron bridge to Dongshi. Bike-only path except the first 0.9 km of streets at Houli. - Dongshi has no railway: ride back along Dongfeng to the Fengyuan hub (11.6 km, measured), then a short street link to Fengyuan Station.
Day 2 · 14.1 km
- Green Corridor: Fengyuan Station to Taichung Station · 14.1 km
A bike-only path the whole way under the elevated railway, station to station, so it is easy to cut short.
Overnight: Stay in Fengyuan or central Taichung. 42 bike-friendly stays on the official list
Home: Train home from Taichung Station.
Hsinchu: the coast and the Touqian River
A coastal ride and a riverside ride from the same harbour start, close to Taipei.
Getting there: Train to Hsinchu, then the bus to Nanliao; rent at the harbour if you didn't bring a bike. Check TRA's station list if you are bringing your own.
Day 1 · 17 km
- Hsinchu 17 km Coastline Bikeway · 17 km · Path with road sections
A flat seaside ride of about 17 km along Hsinchu City's coast, from the fishing harbor at Nanliao to the Nangang bird-watching area. Most of it is a shared walk and bike path; a stretch of about 3 km around Haishan Fishing Harbor runs on the road with traffic.
Day 2 · 12.5 km
- Touqian River Bikeway (Hsinchu City bank) · 12.5 km · Shared walk and bike path
A 12.5 km riverside ride along the Hsinchu City side of the Touqian River, from Nanliao near the coast east toward the Zhubei boundary, almost entirely on bike-only or shared path.
Overnight: Stay in Hsinchu City. 33 bike-friendly stays on the official list
Home: Back to Hsinchu Station by bus, then the train home.
A long weekend in the East Rift Valley
Rice fields between two mountain ranges, town to town. A long train ride from Taipei, so it suits a long weekend, and most links are on Highway 9 with traffic.
Getting there: Train from Taipei to Yuli. Yuli, Chishang, Guanshan and Luye are all on TRA's list of stations that take whole bikes.
Day 1 · 29.4 km
- Yuli to Chishang on Route 1 · 29.4 km
A longer valley day on Highway 9 into the Chishang rice fields. All Route 1 slow lane, a road shared with traffic.
Day 2 · 33.3 km
- Chishang to Guanshan via Brown Boulevard · 14.3 km
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. - Guanshan to Luye through the Wuling green tunnel · 19 km
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.
Overnight: Stay in Chishang between the two days. Find a bike-friendly stay
Home: Train home from Luye, or ride on to Taitung.