Getting to Taichung is easy as it is a major transportation hub, having excellent links from Taiwan’s capital Taipei as well as Kaohsiung in south. Known as the ‘City of Culture’, it is the third biggest metropolitan area in the country. Historical sights and attractions are numerous in this city, giving both locals and tourists an ideal place for leisure activities. Taichung’s location and climate as well as commercial and cultural activities make the city of Taichung a pleasing place to visit and discover.
Where is Taichung City? The city occupies a considerable portion of Taichung Basin. In its north lies the Fengyuan district, the mountains of Houli and further north is Miaoli County. Dadu Mountain marks the separating border of the Taichung Basin while on the west, goes along the Taichung port and coastal alluvial plain. On its southern boundary is the Dadu River, over which is Bagua Mountain and Changhua County. The Central Mountain Range can be found on the basin’s east. Specifically, Taichung City is located 24° north and nearly 120.5° east longitude.
There are several ways of getting to Taichung, whether by land or by air. Besides riding a high-speed train, getting to Taichung by air is another ideal transport option if you are in a rush. While Taichung Airport does not currently cater to direct international flights, it serves connecting flights from both Kaohsiung International Airport and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. A flight from Taipei takes around 40 minutes, although flights from Taipei have been discontinued lately since high speed rail is similarly fast and convenient. Currently, an international airport is being constructed in Taichung. Also, it is going to be the biggest terminal in Taiwan with an expected floor area of about 800,000 square meters. The airport is comparable to Changi Airport in Singapore, Beijing Capital Airport T3 and other large airports in the world. Scheduled date of completion is still uncertain.
If you choose getting to Taichung by land, you can select either by bus or by train. Traveling by bus is the cheapest option, with ticket cost ranging from NT$100-350 depending on the day you travel. Travel duration is about three hours long and buses depart several times per day, from dawn through evening.
Another convenient transport option is by train. Taichung is a regular stop of Taiwan high-speed trains between Kaohsiung and Taipei. The Taichung high-speed train station can be found on the outskirts of the region. One can ride a regular train between two stations for about six minutes and a free shuttle service is offered to deliver HSR passengers to the city center. There are three kinds of trains you can ride, namely Fu-Hsing train, slow yet the cheapest; Chu-Kuang train, which is faster; and Tze-Chiang, the fastest yet most expensive. Travel duration from Taipei to Taichung is around 40 minutes. Expect similar travel times and ticket price, from Kaohsiung to Taichung.
With the modern airports and excellent network of railways and paved roads, getting to Taichung is fast, easy, efficient and very convenient. When traveling by train, make sure you wait on the right platform as many people new to trains find themselves watching as their train departs from the next platform. When traveling by bus, take note that Taichung has two main stops: one in Chao Ma highway and the other, at Taichung Train Station.
Different Local Transports in Getting around Taichung
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