Hualien sits on the east coast, cut off from the west by the Central Mountain Range. That leaves three ways in: the railway, the Suhua Highway from Yilan, and the small Hualien Airport. For almost every visitor the answer is the train.
TRAIN From Taipei by train
About two hours on the fastest trains, NT$583 one way on a Tze-Chiang class train, with tickets on sale 28 days ahead. Weekend and holiday trains sell out, so book as soon as you know your dates. Everything you need is on our train page.
TRAIN From the south
From Kaohsiung or Tainan, the South-Link line runs round the southern tip of the island and up through Taitung to Hualien. It is much quicker than going back up through Taipei. Check the TRA timetable for times, and book the same way. Inside Tainan explains how to get to and from Tainan.
TRAIN From Taoyuan Airport
There is no direct link. Get into Taipei first (Inside Taipei covers the airport to the city), then take the train from Taipei Main Station or Songshan. On a tight arrival day, book a train with a few hours' margin.
CAR Driving the Suhua Highway
The Suhua Highway (Highway 9) runs from Su'ao in Yilan down the coast to Hualien, much of it now in long tunnels. It is a fine drive in good weather, but it closes as a precaution in typhoons and strong winds, and it had one-lane sections after a rockslide in April 2026. Check the Highway Bureau before you set off. → Scooters, cars and the roads in 2026
FLY Flying to Hualien
Flights are being cut: as of October 2026, UNI Air flies Taipei Songshan to Hualien but has applied to drop the route, and the Civil Aviation Administration is reviewing it (PTS). Mandarin Airlines cut Kaohsiung to Hualien from seven to five flights a week from October 1, 2026, and flies Taichung to Hualien three times a week, with further cuts possible (CNA, September 2026).
If a flight suits your plans, check with the airline before you build a trip around it. From Taipei, the train is quicker door to door anyway.
Arriving
Most of Hualien's hotels are a short taxi ride from Hualien Station. The station has lockers, luggage storage and a visitor center (out of the east exit, turn right, about 20 m; the county lists it as open 09:00 to 18:00). The bus station for the Taroko shuttle is next door.
→ Getting around once you're here · Where to stay
Sources: Taiwan Railway; CNA on fares; PTS on the Songshan route; CNA on Mandarin Airlines routes; Focus Taiwan on the Suhua rockslide; Hualien Tourism, visitor centers. Checked October 2026.