Sun Moon Lake is one of Taiwan’s top destinations and a natural stop between Taipei or Taichung and Alishan when traveling around the country.
Getting to Sun Moon Lake is relatively easy, but choosing the best route from Taipei or Taichung can feel overwhelming.
In this guide, I’ll introduce the various ways to travel to Sun Moon Lake from Taipei or Taichung, exactly how each one works, and help you choose the best option for your travel style.
At the end, I’ll also cover getting there from Cingjing Farm, Alishan, and Taroko Gorge, three other common access points.
Also see my Sun Moon Lake guide, how to plan your Sun Moon Lake itinerary, and my similar guide for getting to Alishan.
Getting to Sun Moon Lake: Best Ways Summary
Taipei to Sun Moon Lake
- Best Overall: HSR + Bus
- Low Budget: Direct Bus
- Easiest: Private transfer, rental car, or day tour
I’ll also discuss renting a car and some faster hybrid options below.
Taichung to Sun Moon Lake
- Best Overall: Bus
- Easiest: Private transfer, rental car, or day tour
Taichung is the gateway to Sun Moon Lake, so going from there is easiest and fastest.
Taipei to Sun Moon Lake Overview
For most travelers looking to travel from Taipei to Sun Moon lake, I recommend the HSR + bus option – it’s fast, reliable, and easy to arrange.
In the below table, you’ll see three other common options, as well as three faster or more flexible “premium” options to get there.
| Main Options | Time | Cost (TWD) | Why Choose? | Cons |
| HSR to Taichung + Bus | 2.5-3 hrs | 839 | Fastest and most popular | Transfer, busy bus |
| Direct Bus | 3.5 hrs | 465 | Cheapest, no transfers | Only 4 per day |
| Private Transfer | 3-4 hrs | 4500+ | Door-to-door comfort | Price, time, traffic |
| Day Tour (example) | 3-4 hrs | 2000 | No planning required | Long travel time |
| Premium Options | ||||
| HSR + Private Transfer | 2-2.5 hrs | 2700+ | Fastest possible | Price |
| Rental car | 3-4 hrs | 1400/day | Maximum freedom | Time to pick up, IDP required |
| HSR to Taichung + Rental car | 3 hrs | 595 + 1400/day | Speed + freedom | Time to pick up, IDP required |
There are two important things to note. First, the cost indicated is for one person. If you have two people, the HSR, bus, or tour prices will simply double.
However, if you have two people and take a private transfer or rental car, the cost per person will be halved. With four people, the cost per person will be quartered. In other words, the cost per person goes down for groups.
Second, the HSR prices I’ve used here assume that you purchase discounted (15% off) tickets on Klook.
Not recommended: You can also take the regular train from Taipei to Taichung + Bus to SML. I don’t cover this option in detail because it costs almost as much as the HSR method but takes about an hour longer.
Taichung to Sun Moon Lake Overview
Taichung is the closest major city to Sun Moon Lake and the most common access point.
Most people simply take the bus. Going by car is more flexible but only slightly faster, while there are also several tours.
| Options | Time | Cost (TWD) | Why Choose? | Cons |
| Bus | 1.5 hrs | 271 | Most popular | Busy bus |
| Private Transfer | 1 hr 15 min | 2100+ | Comfort and ease | Price |
| Day tour (example) | 1 hr 15 min | 1200 (return) | No planning | Not for everyone |
| Rental car | 1 hr 15 min | 1400/day | Freedom | Time to pick up, IDP required |
In this table, you’ll see the travel times are almost the same, but the costs vary a lot.
Just like before, your cost per person for a private transfer or rental car will go down if you have more people.
Getting from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake: In Detail
Now we’ll get into all the finer details of each method for getting from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake. I’ll explain each option in detail so you can decide which one fits your trip best.
HSR to Taichung + Bus
The most common way for travelers to get from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake is to ride the High Speed Rail (HSR) from Taipei Main Station to Taichung and then hop on the bus to Sun Moon Lake.
The HSR ride from Taipei to Taichung takes 47 to 64 minutes and costs TWD 700. Klook offers 15% off (TWD 595, which is the cost I used in my calculations) and occasional buy-one-get-one-free deals.
If you don’t book this in advance for the deal, you can also just show up at the station and buy a ticket. Try reserved seats first. If they are sold out, you can always buy a non-reserved ticket and sit anywhere in the non-reserved cars at the back. See my HSR booking guide and HSR Pass guide for more info.
Arriving at Taichung HSR Station, go down the escalators to the bus station on 1F exit 5. Step outside and look for the stop labeled “Sun Moon Lake” (it’s usually right outside the door, and there’s usually a line of people).
Here’s a full timetable of bus 6670 (Taiwan Tourism shuttle bus) from Taichung to Sun Moon Lake. Make sure to look at the third column (HSR Taichung Station) and “Sun Moon Lake” stop. Note that times in red are Friday to Sunday only. Times in gray are Monday to Thursday only.
The bus ride to Sun Moon Lake takes 1.5 hours and costs TWD 244. Most people swipe EasyCard to ride this bus. Make sure your card has enough funds on it before leaving Taipei.
However, since the bus originates in Taichung city center, you’ll be boarding at the third stop. There will already be some passengers on the bus, plus many more usually get on here.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to reserve your seat on the bus, especially on weekends and holidays. I explain how in this guide. If you can’t get on the bus, you’ll have to wait for the next one.
But please note: only 10 seats per bus are reservable, and not every departure time is available for booking. So if you can’t get a booking, don’t worry. Just show up and swipe your EasyCard like most people do.
You’ll arrive at Sun Moon Lake Bus Station (here) in Shuishe, the main village at Sun Moon Lake. Read more about Shuishe here.
If you want to stay in Ita Thao, a village on the other side of the lake, you’ll have to take this round-the-lake bus to get there. Read more about Ita Thao here.
Direct Bus from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake
Kuo-Kuang bus #1833 travels directly from Taipei Bus Station (here just north of Taipei Main Station) to Sun Moon Lake Bus Station (here) in Shuishe, the main village at Sun Moon Lake.
The bus only goes four times per day in each direction (see times here) and takes about 3.5 hours. This makes it slower than the previous option.
Tickets cost TWD 465 per person (half price age 6-11, under 6 free with no seat). This bus is by far the cheapest way to reach Sun Moon Lake. It’s an easy and relaxing ride with no transfers required.
To purchase a ticket, go to any Kuo-Kuang (國光) ticket window on 1F of Taipei Bus Station (several visible in above photo) and purchase it anytime before departure. One or two days in advance is usually enough, or even on the morning of departure.
When departing, you’ll go up to one of the upper floors to catch the bus.
However, this option is less popular because it takes slightly longer, some people just don’t know about it, and it has limited departure times.
Private Transfer from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake
Private transfers (I recommend several here) are a very convenient and comfortable way to travel in Taiwan. You don’t have to worry about EasyCard balances, bulky luggage, booking tickets, or bus/HSR times.
What’s more, you’ll get point-to-point service from hotel to hotel. This is also a great option if traveling with young children or elderly.
However, you’ll need to pay more for the convenience. Rates for a private car from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake start from around TWD 4500 for a small car (maximum four people and two large pieces of luggage). If you need an English speaking driver or larger vehicle, the cost will go up.
But this price is for the whole car. If you’re traveling solo, of course that’s a lot. But if you’re traveling in a group, the price per person will drop accordingly.
Another factor here is the travel time. Driving from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake can take longer than the High Speed Rail + Bus option, simply because the HSR is SO fast. In a car, you’ll also need to navigate possible traffic jams in Taipei or on the highway, depending on the day.
Therefore, overall, I only really recommend this option for people traveling with kids or elderly (and even then, my kids would have more fun riding the HSR).
Pro Tip: One very smart option which I highly recommend is to take the HSR to Taichung, then take your private transfer from there. This is not only faster but usually cheaper, too. I’ll cover this option in more detail below.
Sun Moon Lake Day Tour from Taipei
Many travelers opt to join a day tour from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake like this one. If you’re short on time or prefer not to plan, this is a convenient option.
These tours are also quite reasonably priced, at around TWD 2000 per person. All you need to do is show up and they will take care of the rest.
However, tours like this involve a four hour drive from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake, only four hours of visiting, and a four hour drive back to Taipei. In other words, it’s a long day, and you’ll spend two-thirds of it driving.
For an improved tour experience, consider taking one from Taichung (like this one). This will cut down your total driving time a lot, since it’s only 60-90 minutes driving time from Taichung to Sun Moon Lake.
Since the tour offers pickup from Taichung HSR Station at 9:15 AM, you can still do it as a day trip from Taipei if you want – just take an HSR that gets there by 9 AM.
Yes, this will end up costing a little more than the day tour from Taipei, but it will save you an hour of travel time on either end.
HSR to Taichung + Private Transfer
If you want to get from Taipei to your hotel at Sun Moon Lake as fast as humanly possible, taking the High Speed Rail + a private transfer is the answer.
HSR travel time from Taipei to Taichung is 47 to 64 minutes and costs TWD 700. Klook offers 15% off (TWD 595) and occasional buy-one-get-one-free deals.
If you arrange your private transfer in advance, the driver will be waiting there for you. You’ll set off immediately for the 60-90 minute drive directly to your hotel at Sun Moon Lake, for a total travel time of 2 to 2.5 hours.
Rental Car from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake
Driving to Sun Moon Lake is a feasible and convenient option (I recommend booking it here). I drove to Sun Moon Lake on my last trip – after doing it this way, it would be hard to ever going back to those buses again.
Driving gives maximum flexibility, the roads are good, and the cost is reasonable, starting at around TWD 1400 per day. But, there are several factors to consider if you want to start your drive from Taipei.
First, to rent a car in Taiwan, you’ll need an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) and credit card under the same name. Find more info in my guide to renting a car and driving in Taiwan.
Second, driving is quite a bit slower than taking the HSR. That’s why below I’ll recommend renting your car from Taichung, not Taipei, which is what I did.
Third, Taipei is probably the most stressful place in Taiwan to start your driving experience.
Last but not least, in my estimated driving time of 3-4 hours, I did not include the time needed to actually pick up the rental car, which usually takes another 30 minutes or so.
If driving, you can consider making some small stops on the way – read about them in my Puli guide. But you can also do these if you start your car rental from Taichung.
You’ll also have the freedom to explore less touristy places beyond Sun Moon Lake, like Hohocha Tea Center, Shuiyuan Rainbow Suspension Bridge, Checheng, Xitou Monster Village, and Sun Link Sea.
Most hotels at Sun Moon Lake offer parking. This will be mentioned on their booking page. Make sure to let them know you need a spot so they can save one for you and give you the parking instructions.
Note: You can usually return the rental car in other cities in Taiwan for a small added fee. For example, after Sun Moon Lake, you can drive to Alishan and then drop off the car at your next city stop, like Tainan or Kaohsiung, where the car will be less useful.
HSR to Taichung + Rental Car From There
If you plan to rent a car, you can seriously think about starting the rental from Taichung instead of Taipei.
The first benefit of doing this is reduced travel time. The HSR only takes about an hour to Taichung, while driving takes two.
Secondly, starting your Taiwan driving experience from Taichung HSR station, which is outside the Taichung city center, will be much easier than starting from downtown Taipei. You’ll pretty much get right on the highway to Sun Moon Lake.
Most car rental shops are a short walk from the HSR station. I’ve included time for that in my estimated 3 hours from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake, and that’s why this option takes a little longer than HSR + Private Transfer.
The only downside with this option is the added cost: you’ll need to pay for HSR tickets (TWD 595 per person on Klook) plus the car rental fee (starting from around TWD 1400 per day).
Getting from Taichung to Sun Moon Lake: In Detail
Taichung is the main access point and closest major city to Sun Moon Lake. Your options for getting from Taichung to Sun Moon Lake are faster and simpler.
Taichung to Sun Moon Lake by Bus
Nantou Bus 6670 starts from Gancheng Bus Station (here a few blocks north of Taichung Railway Station) in the Taichung city center.
See the full bus schedule here. Make sure to look at the first column (Taichung Gancheng Station) and “Sun Moon Lake” stop. Note that times in red are Friday to Sunday only. Times in gray are Monday to Thursday only.
If you board the bus at Gancheng, you’ll have the highest chance of getting a seat.
Go to the ticket window first – even if you plan to swipe EasyCard (make sure you have enough funds on your card), they’ll give you a ticket representing your spot in the line when it’s time to board.
You can also buy your ticket in cash at the station or book a seat in advance online (recommended on weekends and holidays).
Klook also sells round-trip tickets (here). This is simply a voucher, not a seat reservation, so your seat will be first-come-first-served, just like those who are swiping EasyCard. But it’s slightly cheaper than other payment methods.
Three minutes later, the bus makes a brief stop here in front of Taichung Railway Station – swipe EasyCard to board here.
Twenty-two minutes after that, the bus reaches the third stop, Taichung HSR Station, where many people tend to get on. It’s also possible to reserve your seat from there. If you plan to swipe EasyCard, there’s a higher chance that the bus could fill up from here.
The fare from Gancheng Station or Taichung Railway Station is TWD 271 and travel time to Sun Moon Lake is about one hour and 45 minutes.
The fare from Taichung HSR Station is TWD 244 and travel time to Sun Moon Lake is about 1.5 hours.
Private Transfer from Taichung to Sun Moon Lake
Taking a private transfer to Sun Moon Lake makes more sense from Taichung. While it’s only slightly faster than the bus, there are several other benefits.
First, you won’t have to worry about schedules or seat availability. Second, you can get dropped off directly at your hotel, which will be especially valuable if your hotel is not close to the bus stop in Shuishe – for example, if you choose to stay at Ita Thao on the other side of the lake.
The cost for a small car from Taichung city center or Taichung HSR station starts from around TWD 2100. For Ita Thao, expect it to start from 2300. If you can share this cost among a group, it becomes especially reasonable.
As always, it will also cost a little more if you want an English speaking driver or need a larger vehicle.
Sun Moon Lake Day Tour from Taichung
If you want to take a day tour to Sun Moon Lake, it makes more sense to do it from Taichung than from Taipei. This removes two hours of driving time there, and the same going back.
A Sun Moon Lake day tour like this one starts at 9 AM in the Taichung city center or 9:15 AM at Taichung HSR Station.
This is a more reasonable starting time (the tours from Taipei start as early as 7:00 AM due to the long driving time).
What’s more, it means that if coming from Taipei, you catch an early HSR (try to reach the station by 9 AM) to join this tour. You could also travel back to Taipei by HSR after the tour if you’d like.
Yes, this will mean paying more than the Sun Moon Lake day tour from Taipei, but you’ll get to depart from (and return to) Taipei one hour earlier, saving your two hours in total.
There are also day tours from Taichung to Sun Moon Lake and Cingjing Farm or Sun Moon Lake and Gaomei Wetlands. These are more rushed but make sense if you are short on time and want to see a lot.
Rental Car from Taichung to Sun Moon Lake
Driving from Taichung to Sun Moon Lake is very easy and opens up options for making small stops along the way (read about them in my Puli guide). But, there are still a few things to know.
As I mentioned earlier, you’ll need an IDP and credit card under the same name. See my guide to driving in Taiwan for all the info.
Second, there are no car rental shops in the Taichung city center. Most are located at Taichung HSR Station, while a few have pick-up offices just a little outside the city center.
Either way, you’ll need to budget an extra 30 minutes or so to travel from your hotel to Taichung HSR station or the pick-up spot. Options for getting there include local train from Taichung Station to Xinwuri, which is connected to the HSR station, the MRT Green Line (if you happen to be on it), or a taxi.
You also need to budget another 30 minutes to pick up the car, then 60-90 minutes to drive to your hotel at the lake.
Most hotels at Sun Moon Lake offer parking. This will be mentioned on their booking page. Make sure to let them know you need a spot so they can save one for you and give you the parking instructions.
Getting to Sun Moon Lake from Other Destinations
Here’s some quick info for traveling to Sun Moon Lake from a few other popular locations.
Alishan to Sun Moon Lake
There are two direct buses (#6739) per day from Sun Moon Lake Bus Station (here) to Alishan Bus Station (here), departing at 13:00 and 14:30 on weekdays and 13:00 and 14:00 on weekends. The trip takes about three hours and costs TWD 292.
From Sun Moon Lake to Alishan, the bus departs at 8:00 and 9:30 AM on weekdays and 8:00 and 8:30 AM on weekends.
While it’s possible to swipe EasyCard, you can (and really should) book your seats in advance.
The highly scenic route goes past Yushan (Taiwan’s tallest peak). Driving it also takes about three hours, but note that the highway (around Yushan) closes from 17:30 PM to 7:00 AM.
If your destination is one of the smaller villages in Alishan region, like Xiding (for Eryanping Trail), Shizhuo, or Fenqihu, this may impact how you get there.
By public transportation, you’ll actually find it faster to take the bus from Sun Moon Lake to Taichung HSR Station, ride the HSR to Chiayi, then take the bus from Chiayi HSR Station to whichever village.
Just note that there are only five buses per day from Chiayi HSR station – here’s the full schedule and how to book the bus online (only necessary at peak travel times like national holidays or cherry blossom season in Alishan).
If driving from Sun Moon Lake to one of the small villages, it will actually be faster to drive via Chiayi city – GoogleMaps will show you the fastest way, although it will be less scenic than going via Yushan and Alishan.
For more information, see my guide to getting to Alishan.
Cingjing Farm to Sun Moon Lake
Cingjing Farm is Taiwan’s most famous and scenic high mountain tourist farm.
Most tourists take a bus (2.5 hours, with transfer in Puli) from Taichung to Cingjing Farm. Private transfers and tours to the farm are also very popular, especially since many accommodations there are actually quite far from the farm (learn more in my guide to getting to Cingjing Farm).
Most (but not all!) buses from Taichung to Sun Moon Lake also stop at Puli on the way.
Puli is therefore a transfer hub between Cingjing Farm and Alishan. Take a bus from Cingjing Farm to Puli (1.5 hours) then transfer to another bus from Puli to Sun Moon Lake (30 minutes).
For Sun Moon Lake to Cingjing Farm, it’s the same thing in reverse.
There’s also a day tour from Taichung to Cingjing Farm and Sun Moon Lake. It’s a little rushed, but then you can see both in one day.
Hualien or Taroko Gorge to Sun Moon Lake
Taroko Gorge and Sun Moon Lake might look relatively close on the map, but there’s no public transportation between them and it’s a surprisingly long and painfully winding drive.
If you do plan to make the journey, there are some crucial things to know.
From Hualien city, it’s a 45-minute drive to the entrance to Taroko Gorge. Due to ongoing repairs since the 2024 Hualien Earthquake, you can only enter the gorge five times per day. I cover this in detail in my guide to Taroko Gorge’s opening situation.
There are few places you can stop on the 30-minute drive to Tianxiang at the top of the gorge. Budget 1-2 hours to visit Tianxiang.
From there, it’s a very winding, two-hour drive (with possible delays at several road reconstruction spots) to Wuling Pass (the highest navigable pass in Taiwan) in Hehuanshan Area.
You may want to budget an extra hour for stopping at the pass or a few other scenic lookouts to admire the view – I introduce these in my Hehuanshan guide.
From Wuling Pass to Cingjing Farm and Sun Moon Lake will take another two hours of winding driving.
All things considered, this day of driving will take you 8-10 hours, so make sure to start early. The same thing goes for doing it in the opposite direction, and make sure you reach Tianxiang (the top entrance of Taroko Gorge) by one of the five daily opening times or you won’t be able to pass through.
From Other Cities in Taiwan
If you’re coming from Tainan, Kaohsiung, or any other cities, just get to Taichung first (ideally by HSR), then follow my above instructions for traveling from Taichung to Sun Moon Lake.