Yushan National Park & Western Taiwan - Taiwan - page 406

Visitor information centre ( 225 6649; 8.30-5pm) The centre is located inside
Chiayi train station; it provides English brochures and travel information about Chiayi
and Alishan. Staff speak English.
Getting There & Away
Chiayi is the gateway to the Alishan National Scenic Area.
BUS
Chiayi Bus Company MAP GOOGLE MAP ( 275 0895; 503 Jhongshan Rd) has buses
to Guanziling (NT$81, one hour, every 30 minutes).
Taiwan Tour ( 379 9056) runs buses from early morning to late afternoon to Alishan
(NT$221, 2½ hours, hourly).
There is also frequent service to Beigang (NT$64, 45 minutes) and Budai Port
(NT$121, 1½ hours, hourly), and less-frequent service to Rueili and Fenqihu (see the vis-
itor information centre for the schedule).
Kuo Kuang Hao Bus Company MAP GOOGLE MAP ( www.kingbus.com.tw ) offers
buses to Taipei (NT$350, three hours, every 30 minutes) and other cities on the west
coast. Buses leave from the company's new bus station at back of the train station. Other
intercity bus companies also leave from here.
BOAT
All Star ( www.aaaaa.com.tw ) runs in the summer months between Putai Port (near Chiayi)
and Makung on Penghu (NT$1000, 1½ hours).
HIGH SPEED RAIL
A free shuttle bus connects the HSR station with Chiayi train station (40 minutes, every
20 minutes). The shuttle bus stop is at the back of the train station, near the intercity bus
companies.
Trains travel frequently to Taipei (NT$1080, 90 minutes, four trains hourly).
TRAIN
At the time of writing the famous narrow-gauge train to Alishan was out of commission
until mid-2014 at the earliest (though parts were repaired further up the line).
Trains travel to/from Taipei (fast/slow train NT$600/386, three/4½ hours) and
Kaohsiung (fast/slow train NT$246/158, one/two hours).