Do I need to rent a car to travel around Taiwan?

Honestly, no — for most trips you don't. Taiwan has genuinely good public transport: high speed rail runs down the entire west coast, regular trains reach the east coast and small towns, intercity buses go to the places without a train station, and the big cities have metro systems. As a local, I get around the whole island without owning a car. A rental only really makes sense for specific things — remote mountain roads, the rural east coast at your own pace, or if you're travelling with a lot of luggage and small kids. For a standard first trip hitting Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung and maybe Hualien, you don't need one.

What's the difference between the High Speed Rail and regular trains?

They're different tools. The High Speed Rail (THSR) runs only down the WEST coast — Taipei to Kaohsiung in about 90 minutes, stopping at Taoyuan, Taichung, Chiayi, Tainan and Zuoying (Kaohsiung). It's fast and for covering long distances quickly. Regular trains (TRA) are slower but go everywhere the THSR doesn't — crucially the EAST coast (this is the only train to Hualien for Taroko Gorge, and to Taitung), plus smaller towns, and TRA stations tend to sit right in city centres. Rough rule: west coast long hops = THSR; east coast and small towns = TRA.

How do I get to places with no train station, like Sun Moon Lake or Kenting?

Intercity buses. They're the cheapest way to travel between places and, importantly, they reach spots the trains don't — like Sun Moon Lake and Kenting. They're slower than the train, but often it's the only public-transport way in. For scenic spots near train/HSR stations, there's also the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle — buses designed for tourists that connect stations to major attractions, which is handy if you're not driving.

Which cities have a metro (MRT)?

Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung and Taoyuan have MRT/metro systems. Taipei's is the biggest and most useful — you can get almost anywhere in the city on it. In cities without much metro, you'll lean on city buses and the occasional taxi or Uber. Either way, you tap the same EasyCard for all of it.

How do I pay for all this public transport?

Mostly one card: the EasyCard. You tap it for the metro, city buses, many local train rides, and convenience stores. For the High Speed Rail you usually buy a seat ticket separately (online, at the counter, or at a 7-Eleven/FamilyMart), and if you're doing a big north–south loop it's worth checking whether the THSR Pass saves you money. But for everyday city-and-bus movement, EasyCard is what you'll live on.

When does renting a car actually make sense in Taiwan?

A few cases: exploring the rural east coast (the Hualien–Taitung stretch) at your own pace with stops the bus skips; remote mountain areas and hot-spring towns with sparse public transport; or travelling as a family with lots of luggage and small children where hauling bags across stations is a pain. For a first trip built around the major cities on the west coast plus a train out to Hualien, public transport is faster and cheaper than dealing with parking and mountain driving. Match the tool to the trip.

Are you actually Taiwanese, or is this another tourist blog?

Taiwanese, living here — this is how I actually move around my own country. So the 'which train for which coast' and 'when a car is worth it' parts are from real life, not a two-week visit. That said, routes, fares and pass deals change, so I still tell you to confirm current details (timetables, prices) with the official sites before you rely on them. I'd rather be honest about what I know first-hand and what you should double-check.

How to Get Around Taiwan Without a Car: A Local's Guide (2026)

Heads up: this article may contain affiliate links. If you book through them, the price stays exactly the same for you, and I may earn a small commission — that's part of how I fund this project. Written by a Taiwanese, fact-checked, sources at the bottom.

Here’s a question I get from friends visiting Taiwan a lot: “Do I need to rent a car?”

The honest answer, from someone who lives here and doesn’t own one: no, for most trips you don’t. Taiwan’s public transport is genuinely good, and once you know which piece is for what, getting around the whole island is easy. Here’s the local breakdown.

First, the honest part

This one’s first-hand — this is how I actually get around my own country, not something I researched. But routes, fares and pass deals do change, so confirm current timetables and prices on the official sites before you rely on them. I’ll tell you what I know from living here, and where you should double-check.

The short version

West coast, long distances → High Speed Rail (THSR)
East coast + small towns → regular trains (TRA)
Places with no station (Sun Moon Lake, Kenting) → intercity buses
Inside big cities → metro (MRT) + city buses
Paying for most of it → one EasyCard

Now the detail.

High Speed Rail (THSR): the west coast express

The THSR runs only down the west coast, and it’s fast — Taipei to Kaohsiung in about 90 minutes. Stops: Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Chiayi, Tainan, Zuoying (Kaohsiung).

This is your tool for covering long distances quickly. Doing a classic north-to-south trip (Taipei → Taichung → Tainan → Kaohsiung)? The THSR is how you hop between them without losing a day.

If you’re doing a proper north–south loop, it’s worth checking whether the THSR Pass is worth it versus buying single tickets — I break down the math there.

Regular trains (TRA): everywhere the fast train doesn’t go

The TRA is slower but goes all around the island, and it does two things the THSR can’t:

The east coast. This is the only train to Hualien (for Taroko Gorge) and Taitung. If your trip includes the beautiful east side, you’re taking the TRA.
Small towns + city centres. TRA stations often sit right in the middle of town, and it reaches smaller places the HSR skips.

Rough rule: west coast long hops = THSR; east coast and small towns = TRA.

Intercity buses: for the places with no station

Some of Taiwan’s best spots don’t have a train station — Sun Moon Lake and Kenting are the classic examples. The way in is the intercity bus: it’s the cheapest way to travel between places, and often the only public-transport option to these spots. Slower than the train, but it gets you there.

For Sun Moon Lake specifically, the least-hassle option without a car is a day tour from Taichung — you take the THSR to Taichung, then a tour handles the drive out to the lake (and often Qingjing Farm too), which the bus route makes fiddly. If that suits your trip:

Sun Moon Lake day tour on Klook — bike, boat, cable car + local lunch
Sun Moon Lake + Qingjing Farm on KKday — from Taichung, with a driver

(Disclosure: those are affiliate links — your price is the same, I may earn a commission. You can also just take the bus; I’d rather tell you both.)

For scenic spots that are near a station, there’s also the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle — buses made for tourists that connect train/HSR stations to major attractions. Handy when you’re not driving.

Inside the cities: metro + buses

Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung and Taoyuan have metro (MRT) systems. Taipei’s is the biggest and most useful — you can reach almost anywhere in the city on it. In cities with less metro coverage, you’ll use city buses plus the occasional taxi or Uber.

And the thing that ties all of it together: you tap the same EasyCard for the metro, buses, and lots of small purchases. If you haven’t got one yet, here’s the EasyCard guide — grab one the moment you land.

So when should you rent a car?

I’m not anti-car — it just isn’t necessary for most trips. A rental genuinely makes sense for:

The rural east coast (the Hualien–Taitung stretch) at your own pace, stopping where the bus doesn’t.
Remote mountains and hot-spring towns with sparse public transport.
Family trips with lots of luggage and small kids, where hauling bags across stations is a pain.

For a first trip built around the west-coast cities plus a train out to Hualien, public transport is faster and cheaper than dealing with parking and mountain driving. Match the tool to the trip.

The 30-second version

You don’t need a car for a standard first trip.
THSR = fast, west coast, long distances.
TRA = east coast (Hualien, Taitung) + small towns.
Buses = places with no station (Sun Moon Lake, Kenting).
EasyCard = tap for metro, buses, and more — get one on arrival.
Rent a car only for the rural east coast, remote mountains, or heavy family logistics.

One more thing: check the season

Transport in Taiwan is reliable — right up until a typhoon suspends it. If your trip lands between July and September, it’s worth knowing which months actually get hit and how typhoon days work: the suspension is declared city by city, so Taipei can shut down while Kaohsiung runs normally.

Honesty note: I’m a Taiwanese local and this is how I actually get around, so the how-to is first-hand. But timetables, fares, and pass deals change — confirm current details on the official THSR, TRA, and bus operator sites before you rely on them. The core transport (trains, buses, EasyCard) has no affiliate links — that stuff you book directly. The only affiliate links here are the optional Sun Moon Lake day tours, since that’s a spot where a tour genuinely saves you hassle without a car; your price is the same and you can always take the bus instead.

Sources (checked 2026-07-09): Asia Odyssey — Getting Around Taiwan (2026), Explorer Tom — Taiwan by Train, Taiwan Tourism Bureau — Tourist Shuttle. Routes, fares, and schedules change — confirm current details officially before you rely on them.