Taichung

World : Asia : East Asia : Taiwan : Central Region : Taichung

Taichung [1] is in the third largest city in Taiwan, and is located the mid-western part of the island.

Taichung, Taiwan image, photo, picture, sights, point of interest, view, travel guide
Taichung, Taiwan

Understand

Get in

By plane

By train

Taichung is a major stop along the Western Line with all north and south bound trains passing through this area stopping. Midrange ticket prices (Jukuang class) typically run around NT$300 from Taipei or NT$350 from Kaohsiung. The entire trip takes about three hours from both Taipei and Kaohsiung.

By car

You can rent small car for about $100 US Dollar per day.

By bus

By boat

Get around

Without a subway or tram system, getting around Taichung is done mostly by moped. With a lot of shops around town, you can easily purchase a used 125cc moped for under $400 USD. If you are only spending a few nights, you might be able to hire one at a local shop. Otherwise, you will need to take taxis or struggle with the minimal bus system. However, the down-town area is sufficiently compact to make it easy to get around on foot.

See

  • National Museum of Natural Science, 1, Guanchien Road. Tel:+886-4-2322-6940 - Open:9AM-5PM (closed Mondays)
  • National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, 2 Wu Quan W. Road Sec.1 Tel:+886-4-2372-3552 - Open:9AM~5PM, (closed on Mondays)

Do

Learn

Work

Buy

Eat With a proliferation of noodle shops and street vendors peddling anything from the exotic to common household dishes, there is no lack of choice for enjoying local delicacies. Fortunately, the Taiwanese are quite accustomed to non-Chinese speakers, so using gestures will get you what you want (with a perhaps a little surprise!)

Budget

Mid range

Splurge

Drink

  • 89K Pub, located on Chung Ming Nan Road, has a fine selection of imported beers including some micro brews - a rarity in Taiwan - and offers some of the best live music in town - an excellent place to spend an evening.

Sleep

Budget

Mid-range


Splurge

  • Evergreen Laurel Hotel, 6 Taichung Gang Road sec. 2
  • Howard Prince Hotel Taichung 129 An-he Road. Tel: 2463-2323. [2]
  • Plaza International Hotel, 431 Da-ya Road.
  • Splendor Hotel, 1049 Jien-xing Road.

Contact

  • The area dialling code for Taichung is 04. From overseas, dial: +886 4 XXXX XXXX

Stay safe

Cope

Get out

As Taichung is located in the middle of Taiwan, it is convenient for making trips to both Taipei and Kaohsiung. There are frequent, comfortable and inexpensive freeway-bus services plying the routes. The journey to either city by bus or train takes around 3 hours.

A new high speed train is slated to be on the rails by late 2005, and as it will run at over 300 mph, traveling time to both Taipei and Kaohsiung will be cut to under 45 minutes.

Taichung is located near several recreational areas. A short distance to the north is a large waterpark - especially enticing during the hot summer months, while the mountains and lush plains of Puli and Nantou County are within an hour's journey to the east. The coast is a half-hour drive to the west.