Taiwan TRA Bike Guide 2026: Taking Your Bicycle on the Train
How to travel with your bicycle on Taiwan Railways: the four official ways to bring a bike (bike bag, bike-with-you, checked baggage, charter train), the size and packaging rules, the reserved trains with bike coaches where the bike fare is 50% off, the bike quota check, and bicycle luggage rates from NT$60.
TL;DR / Quick Summary
How to travel with your bicycle on Taiwan Railways: the four official ways to bring a bike (bike bag, bike-with-you, checked baggage, charter train), the size and packaging rules, the reserved trains with bike coaches where the bike fare is 50% off, the bike quota check, and bicycle luggage rates from NT$60.
TL;DR
Taiwan Railways (TRA) is one of the few Asian rail systems where you can simply roll your bicycle on board. There are four official ways to travel with a bike, and which one you pick depends on whether you want your bike in the same coach as you or in the luggage van:
| Option | How it works | Where it works | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bike bag (攜車袋) | Fold or disassemble the bike into a purpose-made bag; ride as luggage | Every train, any coach | Free — treated as your luggage |
| Bike with you (人車同行) | Wheel the bike into a coach fitted with bike racks | Reserved trains with bike coaches | Bike fare = 50% of the full fare |
| Bike as baggage (自行車託運) | Hand the bike to the station baggage room; it travels in the luggage coach | Only 6 luggage-coach trains, dozens of stations | From NT$60 per bike |
| Charter train (兩鐵專列) | A whole train booked for your group | By arrangement | Quote on request |
For most travellers the bike bag is the low-friction choice: no quota, no special train, works on every service including the Puyuma and the branch lines. The bike-with-you option is the one that lets you keep the bike assembled and ride with it — on the two daily "bike coach" services between Chiayi, Hualien and Dounan.
1. Option A — The Bike Bag (攜車袋)
The simplest and most flexible option: fold or take your bike apart, put it in a proper bike bag, and travel like any other passenger. No reservation, no quota, no extra fee.
The rules TRA publishes:
- The bag must fully enclose the bike — no part of the bike may stick out, and a plastic or cloth shopping bag is not accepted as a substitute.
- Packed size limits: maximum length 150 cm, and length + width + height must not exceed 220 cm.
- All trains and all coaches are allowed. On Puyuma services, put the bag in car 1 or car 8 (大件行李空間 / large-luggage space) if possible.
- You must fully bag the bike before entering the ticket gate and must not take it out of the bag before leaving the gate.
- The bag must not block aisles, occupy a seat or inconvenience other passengers.
- If you break the rules, TRA charges the full fare for the distance travelled and asks you to get off at the next stop — the rest of your ticket is not refunded.
- During long holidays TRA may announce a suspension of bicycle carriage, so check the news before travelling.
2. Option B — Bike With You (人車同行)
This is the option people picture: the bike stands in the same coach, on a rack, while you sit in your reserved seat. It is limited, but the price is good.
Which bikes qualify
- Standard pedal bicycles ✓
- E-bikes that do not use lead-acid batteries ✓ — you must remove the battery or switch the power off, and you may not restore the battery or switch it back on before leaving the station
- Electric bicycles, mopeds/gas-bikes and modified vehicles ✗ (not accepted)
Which trains
Reserved (對號) trains run with a coach fitted with staff seating and bike racks. TRA publishes the services that run this way, and for 2026 they are:
| Service | Departure | Arrival |
|---|---|---|
| Bike coach service | Chiayi 05:52 | Hualien 12:53 |
| Bike coach service | Hualien 14:22 | Dounan 21:43 |
Non-reserved (非對號) services are also listed by TRA — station staff will guide you to the right coach.
What it costs
- Your own seat is charged at the normal class and identity rate.
- The bicycle is charged at 50% of the full fare for the class of train you ride — TRA does not sell a bicycle ticket on its own, it is attached to a passenger ticket.
- Book online, at a station counter, or pick up online bookings at a convenience store.
Group rules
- Minimum for a two-wheel group booking: 10 people and 10 bikes; you can book more people than bikes, and the extra riders are seated in the regular passenger coach (if that coach is full, the group booking cannot be accepted).
- One free change of travel date, train type or train number, if you complete it at least 30 minutes before departure. A second change, or a refund, follows the standard refund fee rules.
- Refunds are charged per ticket: two-wheel group tickets have a minimum NT$40 refund fee, general group tickets a minimum NT$20; individual two-wheel tickets a minimum of NT$20 per ticket.
- During three or more consecutive holiday days, group bookings and charter trains are suspended from the day before the holiday to the day after — individual travellers are still served normally.
Practical notes
- Check the bike quota for your train first (自行車額度查詢 on railway.gov.tw) — each train has a limited number of bike spaces, and it is first come, first served.
- Only some stations allow un-bagged bikes on and off trains, so plan your start and end points accordingly (TRA publishes the list of 兩鐵 stations, roughly 130 nationwide).
- You may not ride your bike on the platform or inside the station, and you are responsible for the bike yourself.
- If your station lacks bike entry facilities, call TRA customer service in advance — 0800-765-888 (landline) or 02-2191-0096 — and they will notify the station. You can also register at the station service desk for boarding assistance.
3. Option C — Bike as Checked Baggage (自行車託運)
If you do not want your bike in the coach with you, TRA will carry it in the luggage van of six specific trains. You hand it over at the station baggage room and pick it up at the destination station.
The six luggage-coach trains (2026)
| Train | Running section |
|---|---|
| 501 | Changhua – Chaozhou |
| 554 | Chaozhou – Hualien |
| 602 | Hualien – Taitung |
| 653 | Taitung – Changhua |
| 708 | Taitung – Xin Zuoying |
| 727 | Chaozhou – Taitung |
Note TRA's warning: the running section above is not the section over which the bike is accepted — check the acceptance stations for your origin and destination.
Accepting stations: only designated stations take bikes, and each publishes a baggage-room phone number (northern, central, southern and eastern sections, from Keelung and Taipei through Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Yunlin, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Taitung, Hualien and Yilan). Call the station first — luggage van space is limited and bikes are carried on a first-come basis.
Fee (per bike, tax included)
| Bike type | Rate | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Two-wheel bicycle | NT$20 per 10 km | NT$60 |
| Two-wheel e-bike | NT$25 per 10 km | NT$75 |
Timing: bring the bike to the station baggage room at least 1 hour before departure.
4. Option D — Charter Trains (兩鐵專列)
For clubs, tour groups and cycling events, TRA operates charter trains (兩鐵專列) built around the two-wheel bike service. These are arranged by enquiry rather than bought at a counter — TRA explicitly suggests this route for large bicycle events. Note the holiday rule: during three or more consecutive holiday days, charter and group business is suspended from the day before the holiday until the day after, while individual travellers continue normally.
5. Planning a Two-Wheel Bike Trip
TRA markets three branch lines for two-wheel bike travel — Pingxi, Neiwan and Jiji — and the whole TRA network is the corridor that connects them. A workable pattern:
- Ride the train with the bike, cycle the branch line, ride on. The branch lines are short and their stations are the bike-with-you stations listed by TRA.
- Check the quota before you commit. Bike-with-you spaces are limited per train, and only some stations open for un-bagged bikes, so check the official bike-station list before choosing where to board.
- Pack for the bag rule if you use a folding bike — a proper bag is mandatory, and the packed size must respect the 150 cm / 220 cm limits.
- Book early. The bike-with-you tickets follow TRA's normal booking window (see our TRA booking guide), and group bookings need 10 people and 10 bikes.
6. FAQ
Which option is easiest for a folding bike?
The bike bag. It is treated as ordinary luggage, every train and coach is allowed, and there is no extra fee or quota — you just need a proper bag that meets the 150 cm / 220 cm size limits.
Can I take an e-bike on the train?
Only e-bikes that do not use lead-acid batteries, and only with the battery removed or the power switched off — you cannot restore it before leaving the station. Regular electric bicycles, gas mopeds and modified bikes are not accepted at all.
How much does the bike ticket cost on a bike-with-you train?
The bicycle is charged at 50% of the full fare for the class of train, and it is attached to a passenger ticket rather than sold separately. The passenger seat itself is charged normally.
What if the bike-with-you train is full?
Each train has a limited number of bike spaces, so check the official bike quota page before you travel. You can also travel with the bike in a bag on any train, or send it as checked baggage on the six luggage-coach trains.
Can I send my bike ahead while I ride as a passenger?
Yes, on the six luggage-coach trains, from the designated stations' baggage rooms. It costs from NT$60 for a standard bicycle, and you must hand it over at least an hour before departure.
Is cycling allowed on the platform or in the station?
No. Riders may not cycle on the platform or inside the station, and they are responsible for their own bike. Station staff will guide you to the correct coach.
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