Taichung is the natural base for central Taiwan. It is on the high speed rail, and the tourist buses to the lake and the mountains start here, so you can sleep in one hotel and still see Sun Moon Lake, Xitou, Cingjing, Lukang and Changhua. The trick is knowing which trips share a bus, and which ones need a whole day to themselves.
The two places everything leaves from
- Gancheng Station (干城站), No. 35-8, Section 1, Shuangshi Road, near Taichung Station: the start of the Nantou Bus tourist buses to Sun Moon Lake (6670) and Xitou (6883).
- HSR Taichung Station (MRT 119 Green Line, next to Taiwan Railway's Xinwuri Station): the same buses call at Exit 5 on the first floor, and the Lukang Line (6936) starts here. → HSR Taichung Station
If most of your trips are out of town, a hotel near Taichung Station or on the MRT Green Line keeps both close. → Where to stay
How the trips fit together
| Trip | Bus or train | Pairs with |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Moon Lake | 6670 from Gancheng or the HSR station | Xitou, by the 6801 |
| Xitou | 6883 from Gancheng or the HSR station | Sun Moon Lake, by the 6801 |
| Cingjing and Hehuanshan | To Puli, then 6664, 6659 or 6658 | Puli, on the 6670 route |
| Lukang | 6936 from the HSR station | Changhua, on the same bus |
| Changhua | Train, or 6936 | Lukang |
| Dakeng | Taxi or city bus from the MRT | A half day in the city |
The lake and the forest
Sun Moon Lake and Xitou are each a full day from Taichung, but the Sun Moon Lake to Xitou line (日月潭溪頭線, 6801) links them directly, for NT$185 one way. With a night by the lake, you can go out on the 6670, cross to Xitou on the 6801 and come home on the 6883. Check the 6801 timetable before you build a trip on it.
Puli and the mountains
Puli (埔里) is the hinge for the mountains: some 6670 runs to Sun Moon Lake go through Puli, and the Cingjing Line (6664, 6659, 6658) starts there. Cingjing is a long day from Taichung; Hehuanshan, beyond it, needs a car or a tour, a clear forecast and an early start.
The old towns
Changhua and Lukang sit on the same 6936 bus from HSR Taichung Station, so do them together: the Great Buddha or the roundhouse in Changhua, then the temples and lanes of Lukang.
A week in central Taiwan
- Days 1 and 2: the city. → The 2-day plan
- Day 3: Sun Moon Lake.
- Day 4: Lukang and Changhua.
- Day 5: Xitou, or Cingjing if the forecast is clear.
- Day 6: Dakeng in the morning and a slow afternoon in the city.
- Day 7: on to the south. → Taichung to Tainan
Good to know: keep the mountain days flexible. Xitou closed for two days for a typhoon in October 2026, and the road to Hehuanshan closes or needs snow chains in cold snaps. Put the lake and the old towns on the days with the worst forecast for the hills, and swap freely. → The rainy-day plan
Heading south afterwards? Inside Tainan explains how to get to Tainan. Coming from the capital? → Taipei to Taichung
Sources
Bus routes, stops and fares from the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle pages for the Sun Moon Lake Line, Xitou Line, Sun Moon Lake Xitou Line, Cingjing Line and Lukang Line. The Xitou closure from the NTU Experimental Forest. The HSR station's MRT code from Taichung Metro's station information. Details for each trip are on its own page. Checked October 2026.