Tainan High Speed Rail Station
Tainan HSR Station quickly connects you with the west coast of Taiwan.
Tainan High Speed Rail Station
Traveling along Taiwan’s west coast is a quick and easy affair due to the high speed rail. The Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation started service for their high speed trains in January of 2007, and the Tainan HSR Station has been part of that route since the beginning. Traveling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph), the trains make the trip from Taipei to Tainan in about an hour and fifty minutes. Trains from Taoyuan Station (near Taipei International Airport), make the trip in about an hour and twenty minutes.
Tainan HSR Station interior
The Tainan HSR Station is well outside of the city limits in amongst the vast plains of Tainan County. It is technically in a township called Guiren, though its also close to Rende, which is a suburb bordering Tainan city to the east. The station is surrounded by its own parking lots, broad highways, and open fields, making it feel more like a small airport instead of a traditional train station. It is a very clean and modern, glass and steel, two story structure with an elevated platform. The interior is both compact and open, with daylight offering much of the illumination. Facilities in the station include a 7-Eleven, Mos Burger, Sushi Express, and a cafe. Additionally, there are car rental services, Taiwan Fast-Link, and taxi service counters inside the terminal. Parking costs NT$30 per hour for cars and NT$10 for motorcycles (though there’s nothing stopping you from parking your motorcycle on the sidewalk outside) with a maximum daily fee of NT$180/$50 respectively. Free shuttle buses into Tainan City are available right outside of the terminal.
HSR train on Tainan Station platform
The HSR trains are a very clean and comfortable mode of transport. There are two types of cars: standard and business class. The standard class is perfectly comfortable and spacious, but the business class compartments have better equipment, including larger seating, personal audio entertainment systems, and power outlets for portable electronics at each seat. In standard class you also have the option of traveling in reserved or unreserved cars. Unreserved is a little cheaper compared to a full-priced ticket, but you might be standing if all the seats are full. All compartments are equipped with air-conditioning and restrooms. A snack cart makes its rounds throughout the train offering affordable snacks, beverages and lunch boxes.
A standard ticket from Taipei to Tainan on the HSR is about NT$1350. Discounts are also available depending on when you travel. Off-peak hours will get you either a Blue discount (15% off) or an Orange discount (35% off) depending on the time and day of the week. Check the Timetable and Fare Search for current ticket prices. Tickets can be purchased at the station, online, or at 7-Eleven or Family Mart convenience stores.
parking bay for the free shuttles
Taiwan’s High Speed Rail (THSR) complements the Taiwan Rail Association (TSR), but their services are not interconnected and their stations are far apart. While the traditional Tainan Railway Station services TSR trains and is in the heart of the Tainan City, the HSR Station is a long journey from the city. Supposedly a connector train run by TSR is in the works, but for now, the best options for getting to and from the HSR Station are to take a taxi, take the free shuttle service, or drive yourself. Taxis cost about NT$400 or $500 from Tainan City, making them a pricey option. The free shuttle service is a great choice. There are four routes offered on comfortable buses. View routes and schedules here (click on the services tab and choose bus routes starting with H). There are many routes you could take if driving yourself, but the simplest way is to drive east on Dongmen Road. Once you leave the city, Dongmen becomes Zhongshan Road. Continue along it until you come to Highway 39. You will see the raised HSR track running along the median of this highway. Turn right and continue until you get to the station. You can’t miss it.
Operation Hours: 06:20 ~ 24:00
Phone: (06) 600-9000
Location: No. 100, Guiren Blvd, Guiren Township, Tainan County
Love this website, I’m also an american living in Tainan city right now with my whole Family, andyour site is helping me a lot. I plan on going to Janfusun soon, do you think taking the train to Douliou and then cabbing it to the amusement park is the easiest way to go there?? the regular train of course not the HSR. Any suggestions??
I’m glad my site has been a help to you. As far as going to Janfusun goes, though, I can’t help you. I haven’t been out there. Your plan sounds good to me. I imagine most of the visitors to the Douliou train station are heading out there, so there will be line-ups of taxis offering flat rates. There’s probably shuttle buses as well, but I really don’t know.
There is now no longer a shuttle bus running from the HSR station to the downtown train station. Instead, these two stations are now linked by a train. The new train station is adjacent the HSR station and the train schedule is coordinated with departures and arrivals of HSR trains.
I will be visiting in June and staying at Shangri-la Hotel. What is best/cheapest way of getting there from high speed train station?
If you’re going to the Shangri-la Hotel from the High Speed Rail Station, you just need to take the local train from the High Speed Rail Station to Tainan Railway Station (regular train). It costs very little and leaves from a station that’s part of the High Speed Rail Station. From the Tainan Railway Station, exit to the east side and walk one block east to the Shangri-la. If you have a lot of luggage, you may want to just pay the NT$450 (US$13) cab ride.
Which terminal is the HSR shuttle bus located? I am traveling from Tainan HSR station to Tainan City Hall to visit family friends. I have heard that the shuttle itself is not very direct as in it makes many stops, how long would the ride from the HSR station to City Hall take? I greatly appreciate the help
The shuttle buses congregate outside of the station. They shouldn’t be hard to find. The one going to city hall takes about 30 – 35 minutes. It doesn’t make that many stops. You might cut that down to 25 minutes by taxi, but it will cost at least NT$400.
I plan to leave Tainan city direct to Taipei international airport to catch my flight out at 3.00pm. What is the best way for me to do so? Will the HSR take me to the airport directly. Would really appreciate your advice.
Taking the HSR straight to Taoyuan Station. From there you can take a shuttle for NT$30 to the airport (30 min.). If you’re flying China Airlines or Eva Airlines you can even check in at the Taoyuan HSR Station. You should have no trouble. I even let my parents do it themselves and they aren’t seasoned international travelers.
Hi,
How much would a taxi ride from HSR station to Queen Hotel in Yongkang?
Thanks.
Regards,
Joseph
I’m not sure exactly, but Yongkang is generally a faster cab ride from the HSR than downtown. I’d say around NT$300 as a rough guess.
Ravi
I have my buisness meet at Tainan city and I have my flight to Bangkok at 7am so how can I reach the TAIPEI airport in time
I highly suggest you leave Tainan the night before and get a hotel near the Taipei airport. There’s no way to get from Tainan to TPE that early.
I want to go to Taiwan Shoufu university. How can I go from Tainan High Speed Station?
Thank you
You should check with the university, because I haven’t a clue. It is quite far to the north of Tainan City and would be an expensive taxi ride. They might suggest taking the train line from the HSR station to the regular train station and then catching a local train a few stops north.
I want to know, how can go to Tainan HSR station? My location is Dawan Road near Kun Shan University. Thank you!