Putting Bikes on Trains in Taiwan: How To Get Around By Rail

Recreation Cycling
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61

Feiren, does the Kamalan bus company charge you extra for your bike? And how much do you need to disassemble the bike? I’ve never used them before. They sound like another good option to consider. I’ve always used Capital Bus, which doesn’t charge extra, doesn’t require me to disassemble my bike at all, and also doesn’t require bagging.

I agree that the freight delivery service should be considered whenever possible unless it’s absolutely essential to someone that the bike stay by one’s side at all times.

62

I can’t remember if there was a surcharge or not.

It takes about 10 minutes for me to disassemble or put together my bike. The first time I did it it took me about an hour to figure it out. I suggest practicing at home and watching a video.

63

Thanks Freire, actually I wanted to go some time soon, but not this weekend (coming back now to taiwan!)

Are those trains also running on Saturday?

區間車 4137 – 蘇澳 至 樹林 09:36 11:30 1小時54分 [折疊自行車可置於攜車袋中隨身攜帶] [自行車運送服務]
區間車 4173 – 蘇澳 至 樹林 13:09 15:16 2小時07分 [折疊自行車可置於攜車袋中隨身攜帶] [自行車運送服務]
區間快 4027 – 花蓮 至 樹林 14:26 16:07 1小時41分 [折疊自行車可置於攜車袋中隨身攜帶] [自行車運送服務]
區間車 4193 – 蘇澳 至 楊梅 16:01 18:12 2小時11分 [折疊自行車可置於攜車袋中隨身攜帶] [自行車運送服務]
區間車 4221 – 蘇澳

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Here are the Saturday local trains from Jiaoxi to Songshan on Saturday Oct. 10:

區間車 4137 – 蘇澳 至 樹林 09:27 11:30 2小時03分 [折疊自行車可置於攜車袋中隨身攜帶] [自行車運送服務]
區間車 4173 – 蘇澳 至 樹林 13:00 15:16 2小時16分 [折疊自行車可置於攜車袋中隨身攜帶] [自行車運送服務]
區間快 4027 – 花蓮 至 樹林 14:19 16:07 1小時48分 [折疊自行車可置於攜車袋中隨身攜帶] [自行車運送服務]
區間車 4193 – 蘇澳 至 楊梅 15:52 18:12 2小時20分 [折疊自行車可置於攜車袋中隨身攜帶] [自行車運送服務]
區間車 4221 – 蘇澳 至 桃園 18:51 21:25 2小時34分 [折疊自行車可置於攜車袋中隨身攜帶] [自行車運送服務]

You can check the schedule here (Chinese).

65

So, during CNY 2016 at about 10am I got on the loacl at Suaoxin with my bike un bagged by turning down bars and removing pedals. I think I paid a half price ticket for it. I removed the front wheel too. see pix below
There were already 4 bikes in road condition !!! on the carriage already. I was able to stand mine vertically on the back wheel and got on in just seconds as the whistle was blowing.
There are five bikes in that second picture. It was standing room only all the way to Taitong, but we got along well and chatted about our journey. Everybody was going around the island. The other four bikes were rentals, and the riders were not experienced riders.


66

Thanks for the share mathpro.

I gotta assume that if it wasn’t during CNY, it wouldn’t be as packed as it was in your second picture because it sure looks snug.

67

Hey guys, I figured this topic needed an update since it seems like no one had the same experience taking bikes on trains in TW.

Here’s a quick summary (do feel free to chime in if I post any wrong info)

Taipei MRT

During the week:

  • Bikes must be bagged. No questions asked.
  • No extra charge.

During the weekend and public holidays:

  • Bikes DO NOT need to be bagged.
  • 80NT flat fare for you and your bike (meaning you can travel 1 station or 20 stations and it’ll still be 80NT).
  • You can ONLY enter the first or last compartment (floor will be labeled)

Taiwan Railway (trains)

Local Train

  • Some trains have parking for bikes inside passenger compartments and you can enter with your bike unbagged
  • Most local trains will require you to bag your bike and/or pay a fee for your bike

Express Trains

  • Some trains have bike specific compartments in which half the compartment is bike parking and the other half is your seats. Check the train timetable or call the station for inquiry.
  • Trains without the special compartment will have a cargo compartment where you can lock and stow your bagged bike. Once the bike is locked, you can return to your seat.

My suggestion for trains is to bring your bike bagged. You will be allowed on ANY train with a bagged bike.

High speed rail

  • No extra fee for your bike
  • Bike must be bagged at all times
  • Bike must be stowed in the luggage area on the train
1 Like
68

I’ve never “bagged” a bike so I have some questions. I’m considering buying a foldable bike just for the purpose of taking on MRT around Taipei and on trains.

Is there a requirement for the bike to be disassembled in any way or just bagged?

Are there bags available that will cover a completely assembled bike?

How do you find a bag that matches your bike?

What do you suggest as best options or what works best for you?

69

ON A WEEKDAY, for a foldable bike, it must be folded and bagged. The bag can be a cheap 10NT black garbage bag, multiple 10NT black garbage bags, an old IKEA comforter or a cardboard box. I do not think the MRT employees care what covers it, as long as it’s completely covered. You are not allowed to wheel the bike through the station, must be carried.

To my knowledge, a bike bag, will not cover the bike that’s not folded or disassembled.

Wherever you’re buying your bike, ask the owner to order a bike bag for you. Done and done.

Personally, I don’t take the MRT unless the ride starts at a location in which I have to ride over an hour. Sometimes I have no choice bc the meet up is so early, trains aren’t even running yet.

If it’s a weekday, it could be worth it since you’re not paying extra for the bike, but anytime during rush hour and you’re lugging around a bike in a box/bag could be a major pain in the ass.

Bike on the MRT during the weekend, no hassle of having to bag the bike. Of course, they make you pay 80NT flat fare for not having to bag it. Something you might want to consider is if you’re not taking it early in the morning or , the MRT can get packed with people going on day trips!

What’s the reason you want to rely on the MRT though? Crazy traffic? Not familiar with roads? Zombie-like pedestrians? All of the above are very valid reasons and I understand completely, but let me know and I’d be happy to give you advice.

My suggestion is, get used to the bike at the nearby riverside park and/or get familiar with the roads in Taipei that have bike paths. Once you know your away around, it could help and you do not have to rely on the MRT to get around.

All in all, I think the MRT should be a last resort. Say, if you’re just too damn tired to ride back home or your friends are meeting you at a location that you have no idea how to get to, the MRT is there.

70

This is not true anymore, at least for trains. Months ago I had a situation because the railway company has become more restrictive when it comes to:

  1. Trains available: there are less trains you can take you bike on, bagged or not
  2. Bags need to be… real bags. I wanted to use the typical huge black garbage bag for coming back from Fulong, and they only allowed me to do so after insisting for literally HOURS

But hey, may be MRT is a totally different thing.

I had a ride tomorrow in Taichung and I’m not going because the first train I could take is already too late for making it on time :frowning:

71

TRA is a completely different story.

Did you disassemble your wheels? In my experiece, any bag is viable as long as the front and rear wheels are disassembled and the bike is covered.

72

Yes. And I used some crappy line for tying up them to the frame for preventing scratches as much as possible, but I didn’t feel very happy about having to do this… and the guy at the tickets counter didn’t really want to allow us in without a real bike bag.

73

Then you just got unlucky. Sometimes it really depends on who is at the ticket counter or who’s at the gate. :frowning2:

74

The guy told me that they company has started to enforce these rules more seriously. As I said, they´ve been told to be more strict, and they have reduced the number of trains that take non bagged bikes. This made me think that the local bicycle rent mafia had pushed the goverment / train company so they could make more business, but I guess that´s paranoia. Although when I got a flat in Fulong and looked for help, 90% of the shops were very unfriendly because I wasn´t a client.

75

Is the bike bag on the MRT still mandatory? On a weekday when it started to rain, I took my road bike on the red line and they didn’t tell me to bag my bike.

76

Was that weekday a national holiday? Did you have to pay NT$80 for your bike, or was it free to take it on the MRT?

77

Ditto.

Normally, it doesn’t matter who’s at the info booth at the MRT, they won’t let you through since it’s policy.

78

This was 2 weeks ago, Fri the 20th. I got on at Jiantan with my bike and paid NT80. This was at 6am though, so not as many people on the mrt yet.

79

It’s probably either someone who didn’t know the rules too well, or they just took pity on you and let you on since it was early.

As far as I know, if you use a bike bag, you don’t even need to pay the NT$80. I’ve never tried it myself, though.

80

Seems like your experience was one in a million.

I think if the bike is properly bagged with wheels off, you shouldn’t need to pay the 80NT. Once it’s bagged, it should be considered a piece of luggage.