Getting Around Chiayi City
Chiayi City is a compact, manageable place to visit, and most of what a tourist wants to see sits within a fairly small area. The city is also the main gateway to Alishan National Scenic Area, so a lot of visitors pass through on their way up the mountain. Getting around is straightforward once you understand the handful of transport options: the regular railway, the high-speed rail link, the BRT, local and long-distance buses, taxis, and your own two feet.
Rail: TRA and the Alishan Forest Railway
Chiayi's main train station is the anchor of the city's transport network. It serves the regular Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) mainline, and it is also the starting point of the narrow-gauge Alishan Forest Railway. Both depart from the same station, but they have separate ticketing counters, so buy your Alishan ticket at the dedicated counter rather than the main TRA window.
The Alishan Forest Railway is one of Chiayi's signature attractions in its own right. Note that the line was severely damaged by Typhoon Morakot and, as of the source material, runs only as far as Fencihu, with the remainder closed for repairs. The local lines within the Alishan recreation area itself operate normally. If you are planning to ride up to Alishan, check the current status before you build your plans around it.
High-Speed Rail and the BRT Connection
Chiayi's high-speed rail (HSR) station is not in the city centre — it sits well outside town, and the practical way to bridge that gap is the Chiayi BRT. The BRT's main line links the HSR station with the TRA station, a trip of roughly half an hour. The fare is modest and you need exact change, but travel directly between the HSR and TRA stations is free.
Finding the BRT stop at the TRA station takes a moment of orientation. The stop is on the rear side of the station, reached by a pedestrian bridge. If you are arriving by BRT from the HSR station, cross the street at the intersection just past the stop and bear right for the pedestrian bridge into the "back station" area. If you are starting from the TRA station, walk far to your left as you face the station, past the taxi queue, and follow the signs upstairs to the pedestrian bridge; the BRT itself is on the ground floor, usually at bus terminal 1, for the free ride out to the HSR station.
Buses
Long-distance buses leave from a terminal immediately outside the TRA station, which makes onward connections easy if you are arriving by train. Local buses, including services to the hot spring town of Guanzihling, use the Zhongshan Road bus terminal a few hundred metres further down the street.
Buses in Chiayi are visitor-friendly: announcements and signage are provided in both English and Chinese, so you can follow your route without speaking Mandarin.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are plentiful, particularly around the train stations where demand is highest. Some drivers speak English, which is helpful if you want to explain a destination or ask for a recommendation. For short hops around the city centre, a taxi is a convenient fallback when you do not want to wait for a bus.
Walking the City
Central Chiayi is walkable, and several of its main draws cluster along a couple of streets. Culture Road is the main shopping street, and Zhongshan Road runs from the main train station to a roundabout fountain at Culture Road, forming a more commercial shopping corridor. Two night markets — the well-known Culture Road Night Market and the Carrefour Night Market on Bo Ai Road — are part of the city's evening life, and the local specialty, turkey rice, is sold cheaply at both sidewalk shops and indoor eateries.
Beyond the shopping streets, you can walk to Chiayi Park and the Botanical Gardens, with trails through native plants and trees and ponds full of koi, turtles and frogs; the park is active from early morning until late afternoon. Hinoki Village, a cluster of wooden Japanese-style dormitories, is another walkable heritage stop, and the Sun-Shooting Tower, the Old Prison, the Museum of Ancient Taiwan Tiles and the Chiayi Municipal Museum round out a compact set of sights. The Chiayi City Municipal Baseball Stadium is also in the city. Walking between these is realistic, though you may want a taxi or bus for the longer legs.
Getting Into the City from the Airport
Chiayi is served by Shueishang Airport, which sits just outside the city. The source material does not detail specific airport-to-city bus or taxi services, so the reliable approach is to arrange your transfer on arrival: taxis are the most direct option, and the city's bus network connects the surrounding area to the centre. If you are arriving at one of Taiwan's larger international airports instead, you would typically reach Chiayi by high-speed rail and then connect via the BRT as described above.
Practical Tips
- Buy Alishan Forest Railway tickets at the dedicated counter at the TRA station, separate from the main TRA ticket windows.
- Keep exact change for the BRT; the HSR-to-TRA direct trip is free.
- Allow extra time to find the BRT stop at the TRA station — it is on the rear side, reached by pedestrian bridge.
- Long-distance buses leave right outside the TRA station; local buses use the Zhongshan Road terminal a few hundred metres away.
- Chiayi is a practical base for Alishan trips, with buses leaving frequently; the mountain can be done as a day trip or over several days.