[Tour in ChiaYi, Taiwan] Transportation between Alishan and ChiaYi High Speed Rail @ 小傑

The reason why I wrote this article is that I saw many people who did not know the routes, time of runs and the transportation between Alishan and High Speed Rail.

So I think this information may provide some helps for those who are planning to visit Alishan in Taiwan.

I almost go to Alishan every month due to my project.

I often take bus, but sometimes I drive car to there.

Except for those who are working at or living in Alishan, I think that there may not have people who go to Alishan so many times like me.

The Buses are operated by the "ChiaYi-Bus", and they also cooperate with "Taiwantrip" company.

There have two routes from ChiaYi city to Alishan gate, "Route-A" and "Route-B"

Route-A: Starts from ChiaYi High Speed Rail and ends at Alishan gate, the bus number is "7329", which cooperate with Taiwantrip company.

Route-B: Starts from ChiaYi Train Station and ends at Alishan gate, the bus number is "7322", which also cooperate with Taiwantrip company.

Some buses will stop the "Fenqihu (Fenqi Lake)" among the daily routine buses.

For Route-A, "7329A" will stop Fenqihu (Fenqi Lake).

For Route-B, "7322D" will stop Fenqihu (Fenqi Lake).

Normally, I take Route-A buses to there and then go down by taking Route-B buses because Route-B have more buses than Route-A.

Route-A has 4 runs every day. __ Click here for the timetable

Route-B has about 10 runs every day. __ Click here for the timetable

The way to Alishan by taking Route-A:

1. After you take off the train at HSR ChiaYi station and walk out the gate, you will see the "Exit2" in front of you when you take escalator down to the lobby.

2. You will see the bus "platform 3" after you walk out the Exit2.

3. You can find the timetable for the Route-A buses. (even though it is in Chinese.....) The time which marks star symbol will stop "Fenqifu" on the way to Alishan. The times in the upper row are the runs from HSR to Alishan, and the times in the bottom row are the runs from Alishan to HSR.

4. If you see the green bus with number 7329, that is the bus to Alishan.

The manners for buying bus tickets are shown below:

I. The set-tickets (HSR and bus). You can buy it by the i-bon machine at all the 7-11 convenient stores. This set-ticket has "first priority" to take the buses with reservation seat. But that just for the same bus time as your ticket. I do not know is it still available or not for the next bus in case of missing your bus time. So, remember the time!! In general, the bus will arrive at platform about 10 mins earlier before the departure time.

II. The second way is to buy the tickets from the driver. (Noticed that they won't pay you the changes if you pay more than tickets fee. Remember to prepare the same amount of money. )

III. Yor can use "easycard" or "iPass card" if you have these cards, but you must store enough money in your card, otherwise your card will be locked and cannot use it anymore before you unlock the card.

The ticket fee for Route-A is NTD 271/person/one way.

For the second or third way, you cannot board the bus first until the people who have set-tickets finish to board the bus.

I need to say that don't worry about no seats while you board the bus with second or third way because It never happens to me before.... But it just the rule of thumb.

Below is my experiences for taking bus to Alishan:

Most of drivers have bad attitude. (I don't know why????)

Moreover, almost all drivers do not know how to speak english. This is a very serious problem for the driver, especially for the routes to the famous scenic spots. But, well, that is not their faults because English is not our mother tongue.

If everything goes well, you would board and have seat on the bus.

The termination of bus is the Alishan gate so you do not need to transport another vehicle.

On the way to Alishan, about 1.5 hrs distance, there will have a short break at "Shizhuo", say, 10-15 mins. You can go to toilet or buy some snacks at convenient store.

After the short break, the rest distance is about 1 hr away, and you can see the Alishan transport station at destination.

You will see the gate behind this building. Just about 1 minute by walking.

Inside the building, there has a 7-11 convenient store and toilet.

You can find the seats next to the 7-11.

And you also can find information inside the building.

The maps and leaflets are free.

The guide map of Alishan.

If you prepare to stay at Alishan House, you can find the timetable for the shuttle bus.

The gate of Alishan.

The information for the ticket fees.

Actually, I did not go to the mountain by taking Route-B bus

You can see the green signboard like the picture below at the square in front of ChiaYi train station, and here is the boarding area for the Route-B bus.

The ways of buying tickets are the same as I mentioned above, and the ticket fee is NTD 234/person/one way.

The way to ChiaYi High Speed Rail station:

Now, I would like to present the steps of the transportation from Alishan to ChiaYi HSR station.

If you take the Route-A bus, then you do not need to know how to get to HSR station.

But, if you take Route-B bus, you must need to know the transportation.

Because the runs of Route-A are less than Route-B buses, the time may not match your schadual.

As a result, the way of transportation by taking Route-B buses is helpful for saving and arranging the time.

First, you have to go to Alishan transport station after you leaved the Alishan.

And then go to the leftest side of the cashier desk in 7-11. You can find the bus ticket counter.

As I mentioned above, you can use Easy card of iPass card for buying ticheks, but you need to get the seat assignment before boarding on the bus.

Similarly, you also need to check that your card has enough money to pay the ticket fee.

The ticket fees to HSR is NT271, to ChiaYi Train station is NT234.

You also can find the timetable on the wall in the trasport station.

There are only 4 runs to HSR. The rest runs are Route-B. Among all the buses, only two buses stop Fenquhu.

If you are planing to go to Fenqihu, you can buy ticket from driver, and there are no reserved seats for the short distance.

Here I want to notice that you may meet someone who asks you "do you want to take his car to HSR or train station".

These people are informal operation without the license.

For your safety, I do not recommend you taking their car because there are no insurance for your trip!

There will have an anouncement before the departure. So you can wait at the 7-11.

And the termination for Route-B is ChiaYi train station. You have to keep your seat assignment or ticket because you have to give them to the driver when you get off the bus.

If you want to get to HSR, you can take free shuttle bus from ChiaYi train station to HSR. But the transport station is at the rear of train station.

You have to walk to there through the land bridge.

The land bridge locate at the left side of the building. At left side you can see the boarding area for the taxi and the rental shop for electrical bicycles.

And then you can see the stairs for the land bridge behind the rental shop.

Or you can take escalator or elevator to the upside by walking the lane for disabled (right hand side of stairs).

next, walking down to the end of land bridge.

And then turn right to the building through the another land bridge.

Walking down to the first floor. The door Number 1 is the location for the free shuttle bus, but the bus to HSR is at platform 2 (just in front of the door).