Taichung sits in the middle of Taiwan, and that makes it a brilliant base. Direct tourist buses leave the city center and HSR Taichung Station for Sun Moon Lake, Xitou and Lukang; Changhua is a short train ride south; Cingjing is a bus change at Puli; and the Dakeng trails are inside the city limits. Here is every day trip on the site, with how to get there.
- LakeSun Moon LakeBoats, a ropeway and a lakeside bikeway. Bus 6670 from Gancheng or the HSR station.
- Old townLukangTwo great historic temples, red-brick lanes and an old street of pastry shops.
- ForestXitouA cool mountain forest park with a bamboo bridge. Bus 6883 direct.
- High mountainsCingjing and HehuanshanSheep pastures above Puli, and Taiwan's highest road at Wuling.
- HikingDakeng trailsNumbered trails on the city's eastern edge, from easy loops to steep stairs.
- CityChanghuaThe Bagua Mountain Great Buddha and a 1922 railway roundhouse.
How to get there at a glance
| Day trip | How | From |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Moon Lake | Bus 6670, about 1 hour 20 minutes from the HSR station, NT$193 | Gancheng Station or HSR Taichung Station |
| Xitou | Bus 6883, about 75 minutes from the HSR station, NT$163 | Gancheng Station or HSR Taichung Station |
| Lukang | Bus 6936 via Changhua, or the 6936A express | HSR Taichung Station |
| Changhua | Train, or bus 6936 | Taichung Station or HSR Taichung Station |
| Cingjing | Bus to Puli, then 6664, 6659 or 6658 | Taichung or HSR Taichung Station |
| Dakeng | Taxi or city bus | MRT Jiushe (103) or Songzhu (104) |
Gancheng Station (干城站), where the Nantou Bus tourist buses start, is at No. 35-8, Section 1, Shuangshi Road, near Taichung Station. At HSR Taichung Station, the buses leave from the first-floor bus area at Exit 5. → HSR Taichung Station
Good to know: the mountain trips close for weather. Xitou shut for two days for a typhoon in late October 2026, and Provincial Highway 14A to Hehuanshan closes or needs snow chains in cold snaps. Check the official notices linked on each page the morning you go, and keep the city plans as a fallback. → Taichung on a rainy day
Planning several trips? → Taichung as a base for central Taiwan
Sources
Travel details for each day trip are on its own page, with official sources. Bus times and fares in the table from the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle pages for the Sun Moon Lake Line, Xitou Line and Lukang Line; the Xitou closure from the NTU Experimental Forest. Checked October 2026.