Google maps refuses to route me across highway 8 from Taichung to Taroko, insisting sending me the long way around North or South all the way to Kaohshiung! : P Can someone who KNOWS please tell me, how long it takes to drive from Taichung to Taroko, via the 8? Thanks .
As far as I know the Central Cross Highway is (and will be forever) closed.
Take the Highway 6 instead, then “14” via touristy ChiJin Farm and take Taiwan’s highest
road passing HeHuanShan, and then connecting to the “8” (that part is still open).
I never done that road, but I heard it could be dangerous as there are many trucks
on the road and some of the driver’s driving skills … well …
Moti’s advice is good, and you should probably follow that plan. The highway closures website is here bobe168.tw/
I drove it last year, and according to the Taroko national park website, it is still open now. I did not find it to be anywhere near my list of dangerous roads I’ve driven on.
The question, anyway, was, “how long does it take to drive from Taichung to Taroko”?
I know I just said I drove it last year, and that’s true, however we stopped a lot on the way.
It’s possible to tell Google Maps that you don’t like the first suggestion. You can drag the suggested route to a different place that you like better. I did it just now, and it took me a few seconds. Try this map.
[quote=“strider”]I drove it last year, and according to the Taroko national park website, it is still open now. I did not find it to be anywhere near my list of dangerous roads I’ve driven on.
The question, anyway, was, “how long does it take to drive from Taichung to Taroko”?
I know I just said I drove it last year, and that’s true, however we stopped a lot on the way.[/quote]
You didn’t drive the 8 all of the way from Taichung to Taroko. The 8 at Guguan is closed and has been closed for 20 years. Most people take the 6 to the 14 to the 8 as described above. I personally call it the New Central Cross Island Highway because it effectively is.
There have been daily closures (from 8-noon and 1-5) in Taroko Gorge between Tianxiang and Yanzikou (Swallow’s Grotto) that might be full day closures now and causing the routing through Kaohsiung.
Huh! Cool thanks, for some reason it wouldn’t draw that route for me, even when I put my destination location right there on the highway, it simply refused to route it.
A section of the 8 between Taichung and Lishan is closed. It’s not longer a provincial highway. It’s now Taichung County Highway 30 (or 31, can’t remember) and you have to have a Lishan ID to drive on it. The purpose of the road is for Lishan farmers to get their products to market. It’s mostly driven at dusk/night by trucks after harvest. It’s not open to regular through-traffic.
Source: Policewoman who turned me away when I tried to drive on it.