The bus from Sun Moon Lake to Alishan (or Alishan to Sun Moon Lake) is a high-demand route among visitors to Taiwan.
With only two departure per day (as of late 2025) in each direction, and no other direct public transportation route between the two famous attractions, you don’t want to miss this bus!
While most people just line up and swipe EasyCard to ride this bus, the line can be very long in peak tourist seasons, and some people might not even get on. During cherry blossoms season (February at SML and March-April at Alishan), the bus is sometimes sold out days in advance.
To eliminate stress about not getting on, you can actually reserve a seat on this bus. In this article, I’ll tell you exactly how.
See my similar guides to booking seats on the bus from Taichung to Sun Moon Lake and Chiayi to Alishan.
Also see my guides to visiting Sun Moon Lake, Hohocha tea center, Alishan, and how to book the Alishan Forest Railway.
Alishan to Sun Moon Lake Bus Key Info
- Bus #6739 is operated by Yuanlin Bus Company (員林客運), which is based in Changhua, but also runs buses to places in Nantou (like Sun Moon Lake) and Chiayi (like Alishan). The official schedule is here.
- Sun Moon Lake to Alishan Departure time: 8:00 and 9:30 AM on weekdays, and 8:00 and 8:30 AM on weekends.
- Alishan to Sun Moon Lake Departure time: 1:00 and 2:30 PM on weekdays, and 1:00 and 2:00 PM on weekends.
- Traveling time: usually 2 hours 50 minutes (or slightly longer, depending on traffic), with one or two short breaks on the way.
Here’s a table showing all the bus times from from Sun Moon Lake to Alishan:
| Sun Moon Lake | Alishan | |
| Monday – Friday | 8:00 | 11:00 |
| 9:30 | 12:30 | |
| Saturday – Sunday | 8:00 | 11:00 |
| 8:30 | 11:30 |
And the bus times for Alishan back to Sun Moon Lake:
| Alishan | Sun Moon Lake | |
| Monday – Friday | 13:00 | 16:00 |
| 14:30 | 17:30 | |
| Saturday – Sunday | 13:00 | 16:00 |
| 14:00 | 17:00 |
- Sun Moon Lake bus stop location: here in front of the Visitor’s Information Center at 7-11 in Shuishe Village (the main village at Sun Moon Lake)
- Alishan bus stop location: Alishan Bus Station here
- The bus also passes Yushan National Park (stop name: Shangdongpu) 30 minutes before reaching Alishan.
- At slow times during COVID, this was a minibus, but as the tourist numbers continue to rise, you may find it’s now a regular bus. If it’s a minibus, you need to carry your luggage on board. If it’s a regular bus, you can put it in the compartment under the bus.
- Even if you book your seat online, you’ll still pay for the bus on the spot.
- The full fare from Alishan to Sun Moon Lake (or Sun Moon Lake to Alishan) is TWD 295. The half-price fare (if swiping with EasyCard or iPass) is TWD 148. Make sure your card has a positive balance before swiping (it can go into the negatives, but it just needs to have above 0 balance before swiping).
- For kids, if they want a seat, they need to pay the same price as adults. If your child is under 6 and you don’t mind to hold them or share your seat with them the whole way, they don’t need to pay.
- The ride is quite winding, so you should purchase carsickness medicine (暈車藥) from a local pharmacy in Taiwan if needed, and bring a plastic bag just in case.
- If you need it, there are luggage storage lockers (max 72 hours) at Sun Moon Lake and Alishan. See their exact locations here and my guide to storing luggage in these lockers.
How to Reserve a Seat on the Bus
Booking a spot on the bus from Sun Moon Lake to Alishan (or Alishan to Sun Moon Lake) is super easy (unlike some other popular tourist bus routes in Taiwan!)
You can make the reservation 2 months to 2 days before your riding date. (Note: even though their website still states 2 months, recent travelers told me that when they tried to book, the bus company replied and told them they had to wait until 6 weeks in advance.)
I wouldn’t wait until the last minute, though – more than 2 days in advance is safer, since they took 2 full days to reply to my reservation email.
Step 1: No Longer Needed (Skip to Step 2)
The Yuanlin Bus Company website used to have a form (Word file) to fill out, as you can see in the below image.
2025 Update: They are currently working on a new website for booking the bus online, but it’s only in Mandarin so far, so you can just email them your reservation in English (skip to Step 2 below). I’ll leave this old info up for now.
There’s also a Riding Guide pdf that you can download, but you won’t find any super important info in it (they even include some Chinese phrases you can try to say to the driver, but good luck with that!)
Click to download the Word form. Depending on what browser you use and its security settings, your browser may block the download and say it’s not secure. Check for some words like “download anyway” or “keep” and click to override the security block.
Open the form and complete the following information:
- Upload Date and Email at the top (I almost missed these due to the color)
- Contact Person: Just put one name, even if you are booking for multiple people
- Phone: I just put my Canada phone number, including country code and area code. It doesn’t need to be a Taiwan number. They won’t call you. If you got a Taiwan SIM and number, then sure, put it.
- Number of seats taken: Only write the number of seats you need. If you are two adults with two children and you want them to each have their own seats, then put 4. If you are two babies or toddlers which you are OK to hold in your lap the whole way, then put 2. Maximum 1 lap child per adult.
- Departure Point: Enter Sun Moon Lake or Alishan
- Departure Date: The date you want to go. I suggest you write the month name. Don’t put something like 4/8/2024. Because some countries (like Taiwan) write year/month/day and some countries (like Singapore) write day/month/year. Put something like “April 8, 2024” to avoid confusion.
- Departure time: Write 8:00 if you want the Sun Moon Lake departure or 13:00 if you are boarding at Alishan.
You can feel free to GoogleTranslate the additional notes in Mandarin at the bottom of the form, but there isn’t anything important that I’m not mentioning in this article, and some of the notes even contradict information on the website.
For example, the notes say you must do this at least a week in advance, but the website says 2 days in advance. The price mentioned on the form is also different than the current bus price. I would trust the information on the bus company’s website (and my article), which were both published more recently than when this form was first made.
Step 2: Email the Bus Company
Now that the website with the form is no longer live, you can just email your desired bus reservation to yulinbus@gmail.com.
Make sure to mention all the following: your departure point (Alishan, Sun Moon Lake, or Shangdongpu for those taking the bus to Yushan), date of travel, number of people, and which bus time you want.
When I sent mine, I included a brief message and email subject in English. I don’t think it matters – all that matters is the key info.
Step 3: Receive Confirmation
I sent the form in on Saturday morning (Taiwan time) to reserve two seats, and sure enough, on Monday morning, they replied with my reservation confirmation (see above screenshot). Another traveler told me that when they sent it on a weekday, they got a reply on the same day.
Although I can read Mandarin (albeit at the level of a grade 3 student…), if I plug their message into GoogleTranslate, here’s what it says:
Hello, the reservation has been completed for you. Your seat code on April 17th is 18.19. Sun Moon Lake departs at 8 o’clock. If you take the bus on the same day, please show your reservation email to prove that the bus location at Sun Moon Lake is Shuishe Visitor Center. The bus location at Alishan is Alishan Transfer Station. In front of 7-11
Pay cash to the driver (no change will be given) or swipe your EasyCard or All-in-One Card (one card per person. Please go to Taiwan convenience store 7-11 to purchase and store value) to get on the bus. Hold the electronic ticket to enjoy a one-way half-price discount of NT$148.
GoogleTranslate is not perfect, so I can clarify a few points in their email here:
- 18.19 would be my two seat numbers.
- There’s no booking number. You just show this email when boarding.
- When boarding, if you want to pay in cash, you have to prepare exact change (TWD 295 per seat), or swipe EasyCard or iPass (not “All-in-One Card”, which is an incorrect translation).
- Make sure your smartcard has a positive value on it before trying to swipe. Load at any 7-Eleven beforehand if needed.
- If you swipe with EasyCard or iPass (from now until August 31, 2025), you get a 50% discount, so only TWD 148 will be deducted from your card when you swipe.
Step 4: Show Booking and Pay to Board Bus
On the day of boarding, since you have a booked seat, you don’t need to arrive so early and line up at the bus stop.
At the bus stop, there will indeed be a line. Feel free to join the line or not. Many travelers don’t realize you can book seats on this bus, so they may be confused or think you trying to skip the line if you just stand at the front.
When the bus arrives, the driver will first ask anyone who has a pre-booked seat (that’s you!) to come forward. In some cases, there may even be staff on hand to check who has booked seats before the bus even arrives.
Swipe your EasyCard/iPass or pay exact cash when boarding the bus and take the seat indicated on your booking email.
You’ll need to swipe your EasyCard or iPass again when getting off the bus.
How to Cancel Your Reservation
If you want to cancel your reservation, this is very simple – just reply to the email confirmation you received and tell them that you want to cancel the booking. There’s no fee to do it, since you haven’t even paid yet.
When I canceled my reservation in this way, they never replied.
And that’s it! Enjoy your trip to Sun Moon Lake and Alishan!
Also read about how to take the bus from Sun Moon Lake to Sun Link Sea and Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge, two stunning, off-the-beaten-track destinations.
This was super useful, I really appreciate the thorough breakdown!
Thank you for writing this article, very helpful! I got confirmation from the bus company the next day after sending the form.
can I book from shangdongpu to sun moon lake using this method?
Yes, you can. You just need to specify the bus stop when you email them to reserve.
Thank you very much for the instructions! I received the confirmation within 5 minutes.
Thank you. this is very helpful. How big is the bus? Does the bus have room for big luggage? Thanks
Every day the bus us full of tourists all taking their big luggage, so it definitely has space.
Thank you so much for great clearly information 🙂
hi Nick!
thank you for this detailed explianation!
i just want to be on the safe side and ask, in case my reservation fails (e.g they dont respond to my mail), and the bus is full (i plan to arrive on mid december which from my understanding is a peak tourist time, correct me if im wrong) – is there any alternative? or i will have to stay another night at sun moon lake (and risk the chance to not find accomundation for the day)
thanks!
They are pretty good at responding – I have yet to hear of anyone not getting a response. As long as you don’t leave it to the last minute, you should be good. Most people actually just swipe EasyCard for this bus. In the absolute worst case scenario, like some of the busiest days of the year and you didn’t book, at worst I would imagine you might not get on one bus and have to take the next one instead. If boarding at Sun Moon Lake and swiping EasyCard, you can go to the little ticket office and get a queue number – this will give you a guaranteed spot in the line, even before those who are physically lined up (but didn’t get such a number because they didn’t know).
Thanks Nick! i they replied within a day 🙂 but in english, i guess the driver will understand thier message when i show him the mail? 🙂
Many English speaking tourists are taking this bus every day, so yes, the driver is used to it.
I attached the unfilled form by mistake. Still got my seat confirmed because I had added all the details to the email.
As of this week, there’s a new webpage to book this bus: https://booking.taiwantrip.newfields.com.tw/ylbus/HOME
They claim they’re still working on online booking. In the meantime, the new page isn’t actually any more useful than the old one but it’s prettier!
Hey Nick, this article was super useful in helping me figure out how to get from SML to Alishan. One update for the article, though, since I just got on the bus a few minutes ago. The bus from SML to Alishan leaves from the bus terminal right next to 7-eleven now, not across the street. It pulls in like all other buses and loads from there and then makes a u-turn to head in the correct direction.
All the other info is still correct! We still tapped our easy cards to get on, and there is still an 8:30am bus on the weekends. (we are on it now!) thanks for all the useful info!
Thank you so much, I will update the article!
Thanks for the info! I’ll keep an eye on the new site.
Hey Nick, great guide, thank you! Sadly they replied to my email in English that “the day is full”. Do you know if there any other options for getting to Alishan from Sun Moon Lake?
In that case, you can take the bus from SML to Taichung HSR (90 min), ride HSR to Chiayi (25-35 min), then ride the bus from Chiayi HSR to Alishan (just over 2 hr, only 4 per day so check the times carefully). This actually doesn’t take much longer than the direct bus, but requires two transfers. For your bus from Chiayi HSR to Alishan, you can book it online following my guide or at any FamilyMart. If that’s a weekday not in winter or cherry blossom high season, you are probably fine to just show up and swipe EasyCard.
This is a great guide, thanks so much!
I wanted to share some differences in my experience riding the bus from Alishan to SML from what your guide describes. My wife and I reserved a ticket online weeks ago and got reserved seats assigned without any issue. On our departure day, when the bus arrived at the Alishan stop on 2025-04-22, the driver immediately started boarding people who had lined up. There was no priority for reserved ticket holders. The driver said that boarding the bus is first-come, first-served, and that there is no such thing as reserved seats on the bus. Another local bus rider confirmed this. We noticed at least one other couple that was completely caught off guard by this, too. It’s entirely possible that our experience was a one-off, but I wanted to share in case this is a new policy that others will experience in the future, too.
Hey Nick, thanks for the detailed info on how to book a ticket from Alishan to Sun Moon Lake. With your instructions, we did, and are so glad that we did. I know you suggested it, but it didn’t sound like it was a must, so I don’t know if this is a new thing, or what, but there is a sign where we line up to board that states, ‘This route operates strictly on a reservation basis. Passengers without reservations, please do not board.’ I have a photo of the sign, but don’t know how to insert in into this comment. Just wanted to let you know.
Thank you so much for reporting this experience. That is so strange. Did you by any chance reply to the email where you had reserved the seats to ask them what the deal was with that?
I sent email for reservation, no reply. After 3 days I sent another email, thinking that maybe my first email went to junk folder. Still no reply from the bus company. Maybe they don’t allow people to reserve seat through email anymore.
Hi Nick, thanks so much for the detailed information. Just wanted to share my experience? Which is opposite from the previous comment. We took the bus from Alishan to Sun Moon Lake on 5/1. And when we lined up, there was a sign that stated: ‘This route operates strictly on a reservation-basis.
Passengers without reservations, please do not board.’ The bus driver was quite strict about that and checked to make sure we had reservations and seat assignments before we were allowed to board. Not sure if this is a new rule, or what, but wanted to let you and all those who use your site know!
Update on my previous post. I finally received the confirmation email after 6 days, but unlike the one shown in this page, the email I received is shorter and in english. @Ellen Liu, according to a travel blog, apparently the sign that says ‘reservation is strictly required’ has been placed on the bus stop for at least several months, and yet seemingly the driver still allow people to board without reservation. I plan to go to the bus stop early to queue even when I already have reservation, just in case.
Thanks for the update. Please circle back and let us know how it goes. The bus company replied to my questions and told me that priority is given to those with reservations, which should be the same as it always has been.
Hello Nick.
Thanks for all the wonderful info.
Wonder if you have any info on how I can travel from Alishan to Hualien after we have finished our stay in Alishan ? Thanking you in advance of a reply.
The fastest way would be to ride the bus from Alishan to Chiayi HSR (2.5 hrs), ride the HSR to Taipei (1.5 hrs), then transfer to an express train to Hualien (2 hrs).
Thank you for so many details. Do you know if we can we stop at Fenqihu on the way if we sleep there ?
Kind regards
The bus from Sun Moon Lake to Alishan does not pass Fenqihu. It takes the high mountain road past Yushan National Park. So if you want to go from SML to Fenqihu, there are two ways. 1. Take the bus to Alishan first, then another bus from there to Fenqihu. 2. It will be faster if you take a bus from SML to Taichung HSR, ride the HSR to Chiayi, then take a bus from Chiayi HSR to Fenqihu (one 1 per day).
Thank you for your tips & guides! This has helps me a lot so far. The page to book the ticket doesnt seem to exist anymore, and the website seems ready but it’s in Mandarin. And can u help explain what is the difference of booking this ticket vs if i’m getting the SML-Alishan pass? I guess the pass is just for some money saving and doesnt guarantee me a seat?
Thank you in advance!
They are still working on the websites, so just email yulinbus@gmail.com to make your reservation. You will swipe EasyCard to ride the bus. If you get the Sun Moon Lake Alishan pass, it includes the bus fare (so you will swipe that instead of EasyCard) but you still need to reserve a seat, or just show up without reservation (but I don’t recommend that because it does fill up). So yes, it’s just for some money saving but still need a reservation.
Nick, your guides (and Facebook group) have been a lifesaver throughout Taiwan. In particular, these numerously highly detailed Alishan guides have been incredibly helpful, since this, as you mention, it is one of the most confusing and convoluted (but desirable) sites for travelers in Taiwan. We are deeply indebted to you, and I want to express my gratitude for your time and energy. Your guides are a backpacker’s dream!
I’m so glad to hear that. Thanks for reading!
Hi Nick,
There are 3 of us with luggage, one prone to motion sickness. For Alishan to SML, then SML to Taichung, would Tripool be better option than bus to give us flexibility to pull over as needed (albeit more costly and slower)? How far ahead should we book if yes?
Yes, it would definitely help, as the drivers can go slower on the turns and stop whenever needed. You can book up until 6 PM of the night before, but during busy times it would be smarter to book at least a week or two in advance.
As of today (12 September), I was able to reserve a seat for my trip from Sun Moon Lake to Alishan at the beginning of November (60 days in advance) by email. The response time was about 48 hours.
In the signature, it says: “Due to the continuous Teacher’s Day holiday, the 6739 reservation service will resume on September 30, 2025. We apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you!”
I am not sure whether this means that the bus is not operating in September, or simply that they are not accepting reservations for that period of operation. The website is not loading for me.
Sharing some feedback! 🙂
IG: greekville
Their awkward message is referring to the long weekend of September 27-29 (Teacher’s Day). It’s not clear whether this means A) you can’t reserve buses for that weekend, or B) they won’t answer emails on that weekend. Either way, if you are going in November, this shouldn’t affect you.
Hi Nick,
Your web is superrr useful for foreigners! I just received seat confirmation today. I told them departure point was Xiangshan visitor center and stop at Shangdongpu. They confirmed Sun moon lake to Alishan. After reading your web carefully, I find that Sun moon lake means Shueishe visitor center. If I wait at Xiangshan visitor center will I get the booked seats?
Similarly, they confirmed seats on the way back as Alishan to Sun moon lake. But I will get on at Shangdongpu not Alishan. Will the seats be kept for us?
Thanks again
I feel they just reply to emails quickly (possibly copy-pasting their reply) without reading them carefully. I suggest that you reply to the email and confirm these details. I had this happen once too, and when I replied to emphasize my trip details, they confirmed that they understood.
Hey Nick,
I tried this method and they sent an email saying I was confirmed for a 9:30AM bus. Do you know anything about this new bus time?
Hi Nick,
Thanks for all the wonderful tips! Just wanted to point out and clarify that the Alishan bus stop is at Alishan *Transport* Station, not Alishan Transfer Station, right?
I had trouble finding it by copying the name on Google maps but was able to find Alishan Transport Station which is by 7/11.
It’s called “Alishan Bus Station” and “Alishan Transport Station” on GoogleMaps, both at the same location here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RDAQVAkkuSRLUG9MA The 7-11 in the bus station is now closed.
It seems that they have just changed the bus times. The times from SML to Alishan are now 8:00 and 9:30 on weekdays and 8:00 and 8:30 on weekends. I will update my article with these changes. If you want the earlier time, you can write back and ask for it.
Good morning, I sent the email on Wednesday the 22nd, and today, Sunday the 26th, I still haven’t received a reply. Are reservations still being made by email? I need the bus for November 5th.
Thank you and best regards.
Eva
Have you still not received it? I suggest emailing again in case they missed the first one.
there is a note at alishan station saying that starting October 1, there is a new bus service on weekdays from alishan to sun moon lake running at 9:30 and back from sun moon lake to alishan on 14:30.
hi Nick!
I am an Indian and I am midway through my Taiwan trip currently, which I completely planned through your blog. thanks so much for everything.
I have a query for my bus from SML to Alishan tomorrow. I read in another of your blogpost that we get 50% off on alishan entrance ticket with the bus ticket. However, since for this bus route I only have an email reservation (thanks to you) and will be swiping easy card on the bus for bus fare, how do I get the bus receipt?
When you swipe EasyCard for the bus, the driver should give you a little paper voucher that you can show to get the discount.
Thank you – I have already added these new bus times to the above article.
Hi Nick!
Your guides are incredible and so detailed – much appreciated! I took your suggestion and emailed the bus company to reserve my seats from SML to Alishan for mid/late November. Because their earliest bus time (8am) is full, I have reservations for 9:30am. Do you think it’s worth trying to show up early to try and catch the 8am bus (in case there are cancellations) or would it be challenging given that it seems full at this time? And if it’s worth trying to show up early and catch the 8am, should I then email the bus company to cancel my reserved seats? Or is there another way to notify them if I’m successful on catching the earlier bus?
Many thanks!
Cindy
It’s certainly worth a try, as some travelers might not show up, especially since you don’t need to pay in advance for this reservation. However, I can’t guarantee it will be possible. If you do succeed, you don’t need to let them know about your later reservation. They will just consider you a no-show.