Starting to take longer rides than before and thinking about cycling to the east coast, then getting the train back from Fulong. I’ve seen info online about taking the train with a bicycle, but it’s general, rather than specific advice, and some of it’s from quite a few years ago. I’ve never taken a bike on a train before, and I’d like to make sure I do it right. Also, I’m Captain Paranoid and my Mandarin ranges from shitty to non-existent, and I always assume if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong.
I know you can (I read) take bagged bikes on a train, but I don’t want to have to somehow carry a bag all the way to Fulong on my bike. I read some trains provide compartments for people with bikes, or else, for an extra fee, let you roll your bike on and off.
Is it easy to get on a train from Fulong to Taipei with a road bike, or are there particular times to get a train I can roll onto without a bag? Is it likely to be busy, particularly on the weekend? Anything else I should know?
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I haven’t kept up on the related rules, but keep in mind that your T pass will work since Fulong is a part of New Taipei City.
And you will have to take a “local train” (區間車) or a “fast local train” (區間快), as there don’t seem to be any more direct trains between Fulong and Taipei.
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What’s the best place to find train ifnormation?
Remember, the best adventures are when you just go for it and see what happens!
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Train official guidance is still unclear and can’t fully trust unofficial info that is usually incomplete anyway.
Last time I checked it seemed could not roll-on bike at Taipei, Songshan (previous could roll-on and maybe still can), Wanhua, Nangang.
If correct, then need to take bike to a train station where roll-on is allowed.
I have a bike bag in it’s own bag strapped to my bike for unexpected times might need to bag it. All trains can be used in this way according to official info. (and supposedly possibly HSR, MRT, bus)
Info here (confusing unclear) but doesn’t say which stations allow roll-on bike access.
While this is objectively true, my hindbrain insists any attempt to take a train will somehow trigger an international incident and, ultimately, a devastating nuclear war.
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What kind of bike bag do you have? Is it very small and light? Happy to hear recommendations.
Also, yeah, the information is confusing
I thought the official TRA rule is it must be a foldable bike and in a bag.
I think the MRT charges 80nt per trip for bikes, in addition to your regular ticket. Some stations (like danshui) do not allow bikes.
I’ve used the train a few times.
- There are special bike trains - if you check on the website (Taiwan Railway Corporation,Ltd.) and search for trains it will identify which trains have bike carriages on
- On these trains you do not need to have a bike bag - there are hooks to secure your bike
- Only downside is that train times are limited - bike bag gives you more flexibility
- From Taipei you can only take bikes on trains at Songshan (unless bagged then Taipei railways also allows bagged bikes)
- From Fulong, the biggest issue will be the limited train times
- I use a bike bag (https://www.fairmean.com/) - expensive but incredible small and light - well worth the investment since I’ve used it in Taiwan and in Japan
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It also identifies trains without bike carraiges that still allow roll-on bikes.
So if you stuck a trash bag around the bike, TRA will treat it as a bagged bike? This is what the picture looks like (I know the product isn’t that).
I think if you got easy remove tire bolts, you can just remove both tires, then fit them into some bag, I bet the TRA won’t have issues.
Train to/from Taipei and Fulong is limited already, needing special trains makes this much, much worse.
These seems to be trains with bicycle racks (at least according to the site)
I do wonder if anyone rode youbike all that distance?
Wrong.
You can google which TRA stations you can walk any bike onto the train without a bag.
They are almost always 區間車.
I know, because I just did it a few weeks ago in south Taiwan. They will say to choose either first car or last car. There are no compartments for bike. Stationmaster said can lean bikes on seats.
You must buy a ticket for the bike, too.
Best suggestion is call actual train station and ask which trains on your day that allow walk-on bikes. That’s what we did.
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I had a look at that train website, but I can’t see how you figure out which trains have roll-on carriages suitable for a bicycle. What I do see, when I enter a time of departure or arrival, when you click on ‘detailed information’, is that there’s a green symbol with a picture of a bike in it. I’m guessing, or hoping, that means you can just roll your bike on, since with a bike bag (I have only now learned) you can just get on any train.
There seem to be a fair few trains from Fulong you can take a bike on? Either that or I’m searching wrong. For an example date I put in this Saturday, from Fulong to Banquiao (I live in Zhonghe), and got lots of green bike symbols.
I literally saw the Fairmean bag being demonstrated a moment ago on Youtube, but it’s a little expensive for me. Giant seem to have a very light pocket-sized one of their own for less than a thousand NT.
How much is bike ticket? Do you need a bike ticket even for folding bikes, or bikes in a bag?
Like if I removed both wheels, duct taped a black trash bag over it, and put it on a rolling trolley, will that get me out of having to buy a bike ticket?
Done similar a few times, in general if you use the bike trains the bike ticket is priced at 50% of an adult one.
We’ve had success in the past taking both wheels out and then buying black trash bags and duct tape from the nearest 7-11 and using 2 bags to put the frame and wheels in. Then just hopping on the local trains without a bike ticket. Takes forever to get back to Songshan as they stop everywhere but at least you can get home.
Had someone have a fall once near Ilan and we just waved a train down at a station in the middle of no-where and jumped on and then buying tickets from the train inspector.
Just smile, tay calm be happy and helpful and you’ll be fine.
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What did you walk through the turnstile and no one asked for a ticket
No turnstile, no TRA people there, just 1-2 other people waiting for a train.
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Why would you remove tires? You’d be in a world of pain.
front tires are easy to remove for road bikes