Taipingshan Self-Drive Guide: Driving Up from Luodong or Yilan Station — Route, Opening Hours, Bong Bong Train and Cuifeng Lake Road Rules

Taipingshan Self-Drive Guide: Driving Up from Luodong or Yilan Station — Route, Opening Hours, Bong Bong Train and Cuifeng Lake Road Rules

Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area (太平山國家森林遊樂區) sits deep in the mountains of Datong Township, Yilan (宜蘭). The access road climbs from Tuchang (土場) at about 365 m to Taipingshan Villa at about 2,000 m, and Cuifeng Lake (翠峰湖) lies further in still. There is only one bus up and one bus down each day, and the bus doesn't go to Cuifeng Lake at all — so if you want to chase the sea of clouds, walk the trails and soak at Jiuzhize hot spring on your own schedule, driving yourself is by far the most practical option. This guide is only about getting up the mountain: how long it takes from our three Yilan pickup points (Luodong Station, Yilan Station and Jiaoxi Station), the opening hours and road rules on Yizhuan Route 1 and the Cuifeng Scenic Road, how to buy Bong Bong Train tickets, and which trails and facilities were open according to the park's official notices in September 2026. For the rest of Yilan, see the route guides linked below.

Ridges and a sea of clouds seen from Taipingshan (Unsplash; the photographer tagged the location as Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area)

Why drive to Taipingshan?

The park's website lists one public transport option: the Kuo-Kuang bus to Taipingshan (route 1750 at weekends, 1750A on weekdays). It runs once a day — leaving Yilan and Luodong in the morning, reaching Taipingshan around 10:30 and heading back from Taipingshan Villa in the afternoon. That timetable makes early-morning clouds and an evening soak at the hot spring almost impossible.

More importantly, the bus doesn't reach Cuifeng Lake. According to the park's FAQ, the bus terminates at about the 25 km mark of the park road, the lake is another 16 km in, and the Cuifeng Scenic Road only admits vehicles up to 5 m long — so bus passengers have to arrange a separate car. With your own car you can reorder Jiuzhize, Jianqing, Taipingshan Villa and Cuifeng Lake around the weather, and stop whenever the clouds roll in.

Which station should you pick up from?

GoodCars has three pickup points in Yilan. We checked drive times on Google Maps on the morning of Sunday 27 September 2026: Luodong Station and Yilan Station take almost exactly the same time to reach Taipingshan Villa. What differs is how pickup works and when you can book:

In short: to beat the weekend traffic into the park, pick up at Yilan Station's self-service lot early in the morning, or collect the car the evening before; for a daytime start with a person to hand you the keys, choose Luodong Station. Enter the Chinese address into your map app. First time collecting a car from a self-service car park? Our step-by-step self-service guide walks you through it. For a fuller comparison of the three stations, read our Yilan pickup-point overview, and for how to walk from the platform to the Luodong branch, see our Luodong back-station pickup guide.

The route: Highway 7C / 7 → 7A → Yizhuan Route 1

The park's recommended driving route from Luodong is Provincial Highway 7C (台7丙) → Highway 7 (台7) → Highway 7A (台7甲) → Yizhuan Route 1 (宜專一線) → Tuchang → Jiuzhize → Taipingshan; from Yilan City you take Highway 7 onto 7A. Yizhuan Route 1 starts at Jiayuan Bridge in Tuchang, where it meets Highway 7A, and ends at Taipingshan Villa — about 25 km in all, and the main road in and out of the park (Google Maps labels it 太平林道). The drive along the Lanyang River valley to Tuchang is fairly flat; after Tuchang the road climbs from a few hundred metres to about 2,000 m in roughly 25 km.

Inside the park: ticket station to Taipingshan Villa about 44 min / 22 km; Taipingshan Villa to Cuifeng Lake about 36 min / 17 km (the park says about 40 min). Google Maps, checked on the morning of Sunday 27 September 2026; allow more time at weekends, in fog or when traffic controls are in place.

So from Luodong to Cuifeng Lake is well over 2 hr 20 min one way before you add stops, photos and queues. The park also advises allowing about 1.5 hours to drive and walk from the entrance ticket office to the Bong Bong Train ticket office.

Looking down from Taipingshan into a forested valley — the access road climbs through terrain like this (Unsplash; the photographer tagged the location as Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area)

Before you go: opening hours, tickets, parking and restrictions (checked 27 Sep 2026)

Sources: Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area official website — Opening Hours, Tickets Information, park road traffic control and site status (23 Sep 2026 version), trail status, site status, Cuifeng Scenic Road, vehicle control notice and FAQ — checked 27 Sep 2026.

Notices change often, so check the latest news on the official Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area website the day before you go, or call the park ticket station (+886 3-980-9619).

Inside the park: four areas, parking and current status

① Jiuzhize (Jioujhihze) Hot Spring — 4.1K, about 520 m

Just past the ticket station, down a short side road. It's open 09:00–19:00; the egg-boiling pools and the outdoor hot-spring SPA area are open (the park says to bring your own swimwear, swim cap and towel), while the restaurant, family bathhouses and nude bathing area are closed for repairs. If you plan to soak, the park says you must buy your entrance ticket before 18:00. The 1.2 km Jiuzhize Nature Trail next door is fully open. Most people stop here on the way down to finish the day.

② Taipingshan Villa and the Bong Bong Train — 25.5K, about 2,000 m

Taipingshan Villa is the park's lodging, dining and visitor hub, and the Bong Bong Train station is right there. The train — a converted mountain logging railcar — runs from Taipingshan Station to Maosing (Maoxing) Station. Know the ticket rules before you go:

• Tickets on the day only: tickets are return tickets sold only at the train station; sales for all of the day's departures open at 07:00, and each person can buy up to 10 tickets per purchase.
• Departures: the first train leaves Taipingshan Station at 07:30, then every hour on the half hour until 14:30 (plus a 15:30 train every day in July and August, and on national holidays in June and September).
• Maintenance days: no trains on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (moved to the next day if it's a national holiday); in the fourth quarter of 2026 that's 13 and 27 Oct, 10 and 24 Nov, and 8 and 22 Dec.
• Weekends sell out: the park warns that weekend tickets often sell out in the morning, so buy tickets first and walk afterwards. Guests staying at Taipingshan Villa can pre-book the first two trains (07:30 and 08:30) for the next day.

The Maosing Reminiscent Trail at the far end is currently open for only its first 200 m, so treat the train as a return ride through the forest. Next to the villa, the Cypress Forest Trail (0.6 km) and the Taiwan Hemlock Forest Nature Trail (1.3 km) are fully open; the park notes that the villa's central staircase leads up to the old-growth forest trail.

A giant tree in Taiwan's mountain forests; Taipingshan's Cypress Forest Trail starts beside Taipingshan Villa (Unsplash; photographer tagged Taiwan — illustrative, not Taipingshan)

③ Jancing (Jianqing) Historic Trail — 23.1K

Built on the bed of the old Jianqing logging railway, with rails and relics left in place. It's 0.9 km long, but it is currently open only to 750 m because Typhoon Kong-rey undermined a bridge abutment. Park at the Jianqing car park (toilets available); the park says a roughly 1.3 km cloud-viewing boardwalk runs alongside the road from the car park to the trailhead (separated from traffic, about 20–25 minutes on foot) and is the easiest place in the park to see a sea of clouds. On some long holiday weekends a shuttle runs 08:00–16:00 from the Taipingshan Villa service plaza to the trailhead (not on the last day of the holiday).

④ Cuifeng Lake Circular Trail and Taiwan Beech Trail — via the Cuifeng Scenic Road

At the fork near 25K on Yizhuan Route 1, turn onto the Cuifeng (Cueifong) Scenic Road, about 16.5 km of single-lane road. From October to March it's open 05:00–16:00 and closes in dense fog, strong wind, heavy rain or snow, and vehicles longer than 5 m are not allowed. There's a sunrise viewing platform at 14K, which the park lists as a year-round sunrise spot.

• Cuifeng Lake: at about 1,840 m and up to 25 hectares in the rainy season, it's Taiwan's largest alpine lake. The 3.95 km Cuifeng Lake Circular Trail (west entrance at 15.5K, east entrance at 16.5K of the scenic road) is fully open; drones are banned over the lake area.
• Taiwan Beech Trail: starts at the end of the scenic road; 3.8 km each way on the same path, about 3 hours return, and fully open. The Taiwan beech turns gold in autumn — the park says the best viewing is usually mid-October to mid-November — and in past years weekend vehicle limits have applied in peak season; see our Taiwan autumn foliage road-trip guide for timing and restrictions. The park advises not starting the trail after 14:00.

Mountain driving: seven things to know

Afternoon cloud often fills the valleys around Taipingshan, and landslide scars are visible on the slopes — check the weather and the park's road notices before you go (Unsplash; the photographer tagged the location as Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area)

If the car breaks down or you have an accident, get the car somewhere safe, switch on the hazard lights, then contact your pickup branch (all three Yilan stations: +886 3-956-0505); inside the park you can also contact the Taipingshan service centre (+886 3-980-9805). The park notes that mobile signal is weak beyond the 2 km mark of the Taiwan Beech Trail, so agree on a return time with your group before you set off.

Planning your day: a day trip or an overnight stay

Day trip: early start, Bong Bong Train + Jianqing + Jiuzhize

1. Pick up at Yilan Station's self-service lot early in the morning (or collect the car the evening before); it's about 1 hr 6–7 min to the park ticket station.
2. Drive on to Taipingshan Villa (about 44 min from the ticket station), buy Bong Bong Train tickets and take an early return trip to Maosing.
3. On the way down, stop at the Jianqing car park and walk the boardwalk to the Jancing Historic Trail (open to 750 m).
4. Soak and boil eggs at Jiuzhize (open until 19:00), then drive back to Yilan to return the car in the evening.

If Cuifeng Lake matters more, swap it for the train: the lake is another 36–40 minutes from Taipingshan Villa, the scenic road is open until 16:00, and it's best to be on it before midday. Fitting both the train and the lake into one day is very tight.

Overnight: sunrise and a sea of clouds

Drive up in the afternoon, walk the Jancing Historic Trail and stay at Taipingshan Villa or Cueifong Villa (book through the park's official reservation system). Next morning, watch the sunrise from the 14K platform on the Cuifeng Scenic Road or at Cuifeng Lake (from October the scenic road opens at 05:00), walk the lake trail, ride the Bong Bong Train back at the villa and soak at Jiuzhize on the way down. Villa guests can pre-book the 07:30 and 08:30 trains, which takes the pressure off day two.

Want to pick up at Yilan Station and return at Luodong? Whether a different-station return can be booked, and what it costs, is shown on the booking page — see one-way car rental in Taiwan. If the mountain weather turns or the scenic road is closed, head for the lowlands instead: on dry days try the 5 Yilan self-drive routes, and when it rains switch to the Yilan rainy-day guide.

Cloud builds quickly over Yilan's mountains — if the weather turns, move your plans to the lowlands (Unsplash; the photographer tagged this as Matcha Mountain in Jiaoxi, Yilan — illustrative, not Taipingshan)

Which car for Taipingshan?

The whole route is paved, so an ordinary five-seater car can make it up — you don't need four-wheel drive. Three things to weigh up:

• People and luggage: for 2–4 people, a five-seater (the website lists New Vios, New Yaris, Yaris Cross and New Colt Plus); for 5–7, a seven-seater (Wish, M7 Turbo ECO Hyper, Touran).
• The long climb: you'll gain well over 1,500 m, so with a full car and luggage, a model with a bit more power and space makes the drive more relaxed.
• Vehicle length if you're going to Cuifeng Lake: the park FAQ says only vehicles up to 5 m long may use the Cuifeng Scenic Road. The nine-seat Staria and Starex are both longer than 5 m, so if your plan includes Cuifeng Lake or the Taiwan Beech Trail, choose a five- or seven-seater, or call the park ticket station to check before you go.

The cars actually available at each station are shown on the booking page; see the five-seater and seven- to nine-seater pages for the full range. When you pick up, check the wipers, tyres and lights — you'll need all three in mountain fog and rain.

What you pay: rental, mileage fee and the fuel card

• Rental: set by the model and your dates — the booking page shows today's price for each Yilan station.
• Mileage fee: based on the kilometres the odometer shows between pickup and return, and there's no cap on how far you drive — Luodong to Cuifeng Lake and back is more than 150 km, which is fine.
• Dedicated fuel card: the cost of fuel is built into the mileage fee, so petrol is never paid out of your own pocket and the tank doesn't have to be topped back up at drop-off. Just swipe the card at the pump before the climb; if you pay by mistake, hang on to the receipt and the full amount comes off your mileage fee.
• Park tickets, parking, the Bong Bong Train and hot-spring entry: paid on site at the park; see the official Taipingshan website for current prices.
• ETC: all our cars carry an ETC tag, so any freeway tolls on your trip are simply added up at drop-off — more in our Taiwan ETC toll guide.
• GO Worry-Free Protection Plan: with tight bends and frequent fog up here, some drivers add the GO Worry-Free Protection Plan at checkout; it lowers what you'd have to pay if the car gets damaged. The website explains exactly what's included and what isn't.

The per-kilometre rates are on the official mileage fee page, and the logic behind them is in our mileage fee explainer.

FAQ

Q1. How long is the drive from Luodong to Taipingshan?

According to Google Maps (traffic permitting), Luodong Station to the park ticket station is about 1 hr 4–7 min, to Taipingshan Villa about 1 hr 48–50 min, and to Cuifeng Lake about 2 hr 20 min. Yilan Station to Taipingshan Villa is also about 1 hr 50 min; Jiaoxi Station about 2 hours.

Q2. Do I need to book? How do I buy tickets?

Tickets are sold at the entrance ticket station at 3K on Yizhuan Route 1 — buy yours before 18:00 — and parking is charged separately; see the official website for prices. The park uses a dynamic vehicle cap (1,000 vehicles) and weekend mornings from about 09:00 to 12:00 are busiest, so arrive early to avoid waiting. Bong Bong Train tickets are also sold on the day only; to stay overnight, book your room on the park's website in advance.

Q3. Can I drive a nine-seater to Cuifeng Lake?

It depends on the length. The park FAQ says the Cuifeng Scenic Road only admits vehicles up to 5 m long, and nine-seaters such as the Staria and Starex are longer than that. For a big group heading to the lake, consider two five- or seven-seaters, or call the park ticket station (+886 3-980-9619) to check before you go.

Q4. Is there a petrol station up the mountain, and do I need to add fuel before returning the car?

There's no petrol station in the park, so top up in the Luodong or Sanxing area with the dedicated fuel card before you head up. At drop-off the tank doesn't need topping back up, because fuel is part of the mileage fee — simply bring the car back at your booked time.

Q5. Can I pick up a car very early in the morning?

Yes. Yilan Station and Jiaoxi Station are self-service car parks that take online bookings for 00:00–23:55 (you pay online when booking), so a pre-dawn start is easy. Luodong Station's online window is 09:00–21:00; to collect or drop off outside those hours, phone the branch beforehand and the team will arrange it (+886 3-956-0505). For other branches around Taiwan with late-night or early-morning self-service, see our list of self-service locations.

Q6. What licence do I need as a visitor, and will staff speak English?

Bring your passport and your home driving licence; most nationalities also need an International Driving Permit (IDP), while Japanese visitors can drive with a Japanese licence plus an official Chinese translation. Check the IDP guide for Taiwan, the guide for Japanese licence holders and our complete guide to renting a car in Taiwan as a visitor. At the counter, staff use translation apps, and some branches can help in English.

Q7. Does the road close for typhoons or snow?

Yes. The park closes pre-emptively when a typhoon may affect the area (once in July and once in August 2026); the Cuifeng Scenic Road closes in dense fog, strong wind, heavy rain or snow; and after freezing nights the park clears ice before reopening the road section by section. Check the official Taipingshan website and its Facebook page before you set off.