Latest Update: Typhoon Soudelor Brings Torrential Rain and Strong Winds | Overview of Taiwan’s Ground and Sea Transportation Information

▲ High-Speed Rail services have been suspended due to Typhoon Soudelor. (Photo / Reporter Ji Xiangru)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

Typhoon Soudelor has wreaked havoc across Taiwan, leading to the cancellation of various ground and sea transportation services. The situation for buses, trains, and ferry services on August 8 is as follows:

Roads

As of 10:00 AM on August 8, the road conditions in the jurisdiction of the Third Construction Office affected by Typhoon Soudelor are as follows:
Kaohsiung City: Section 97k–102k of Provincial Highway 20 between Qinhé and Fùxīng (detour route), was preemptively closed at 9:00 PM on August 7. It will reopen depending on disaster conditions and weather.
Taitung County: Section 153K–184.7K of Provincial Highway 20 between Xiàngyáng and Wùlù, was preemptively closed at 6:00 PM on August 7. It will reopen depending on disaster conditions and weather.
Pingtung County: 1. Section 32K of Provincial Highway 24 — Wutai Guchuan Bridge, was preemptively closed at 10:00 PM on August 7. It will reopen depending on disaster conditions and weather.
2. Section 32k+100 of Provincial Highway 24 (inside the open-cut tunnel at the Shenshan exit) was blocked by mudflow from the upslope at around 8:00 AM on August 8. It is expected to reopen at 6:00 PM on August 9.

Taipei City:Due to the typhoon, Taipei City Government has closed both directions of Zhongxiao East Road (between Guangfu South Road and Yixian Road). Buses and national highway buses have been rerouted. The bus stops on Zhongxiao East Road (near Taipei Metro National Father Memorial Hall Station) will not be serviced. Exits 3, 4, and 5 of Taipei Metro National Father Memorial Hall Station are temporarily closed. The reopening time of the road will be announced separately.

Buses

Buses within New Taipei City:All services were suspended after 6:00 AM on August 8. Services will resume flexibly once the wind and rain subside.
Buses within Taipei City:Except for some mountainous area routes, most city buses have resumed service.

MRT (Taipei Metro)

All lines except the Wenhu Line resumed operation at 6:00 PM.

Intercity Buses

Kaihsien Bus (New Chang Bus):

1. Routes 9002 (Yangmei–Taipei), 9003 (Hsinchu–Taipei), and 9010 (Hsinchu–Taichung) are suspended all day.
2. Routes including Central-East Line, Xinzhong Line, Zhudong Line, Zhongzhu Line, subsidized routes, and other routes: all suspended for the day.
3. City buses (including electric bus routes), free Zhubei citizen buses, Hsinchu County Express Route 5, and Express Route 6: all suspended for the day.

Zhongli Bus:Zhongli Bus routes 5300, 9001, and 9009 are all suspended on August 8.

Jianming Bus:For August 8 departures: Routes 5500 (Taipei–Hsinchu), 5502 (Taipei–Taoyuan Airport), and 5503 (Taichung–Taoyuan Airport), all trips before noon are canceled. Trips after noon will be adjusted or canceled depending on weather conditions. Passengers should confirm departure status with the bus station before traveling (Neihu Station: 02-87917200. Terminal 1: 03-3931351. Taichung Gancheng Station: 04-22263543. Hsinchu NTHU Station: 03-573-9068, 0980065772).

Taiwan United Bus:Route 5350 [Taipei City - Window on China Theme Park - Leofoo Village Theme Park] suspended for 8 days.

High-Speed Rail

Taiwan High-Speed Rail has adjusted its operating schedule for 8 days. Services are suspended across the entire line before 16:00. From 16:00 (inclusive) to 22:00, Taipei Station (southbound) and Zuoying Station (northbound) will each operate three all-stations, non-reserved-seat trains per hour (business class excluded), with departures at the top of the hour, 20 minutes past, and 40 minutes past.

Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA)

Train operations on August 8 are as follows:
1. The route between Zhunan (West Coast Line) and Changhua, including overhead lines and equipment, resumed services starting with Train No. 2537 (departing from Tongxiao at 16:46).
2. Diesel multiple unit (DMU) local trains (excluding EMUs) between Kaohsiung and Fangliao: Downbound services resumed starting with Train No. 3531 (departing from Kaohsiung at 17:17), and upbound services resumed starting with Train No. 3534 (departing from Fangliao at 17:08).
3. Local train services between Keelung and Taoyuan resumed from 19:00. Downbound services started with Train No. 1271A (departing from Keelung at 19:00), and upbound services started with Train No. 1288A (departing from Shu-Tiao at 19:00), operating on current schedules.
4. Alishan Forest Railway trains are fully suspended on both August 8 and 9.
 

Midsummer Taiwan Cruise Train
The Midsummer Taiwan Cruise Train scheduled for August 8 has been canceled. Passengers who purchased tickets can obtain a full refund at any TRA station. Additionally, passengers who purchased additional tickets for Train No. 5232 on August 8 or Train No. 5243 on August 9 can also apply for a full refund.

"Qingjing, Arazumu, and Coastal Route 2-Day" Cruise Train
The originally scheduled "Qingjing, Arazumu, and Coastal Route 2-Day" Cruise Train (Trains No. 5801 and No. 5816) for August 8 and 9 has been canceled. For refund inquiries, please contact the third-party partner, EasyCard Travel.

Ferry Services

Nanhai Star 2
The inaugural ceremony of the Nanhai Star 2, originally scheduled for tomorrow (the 7th) at the Magong Ferry Terminal, will proceed as planned, but ferry services to Wangan and Qimei have been canceled.

Donggang - Xiaoliuyu
On August 7, Ryuxing Co., Ltd. canceled all 10 scheduled trips for the day. The Dongliu Line Joint Ferry Service suspended the last trip from Donggang to Xiaoliuyu at 10:00 and from Xiaoliuyu to Donggang at 10:30, with an additional 10 trips canceled afterward.
On August 8, Ryuxing Co., Ltd. canceled all 10 scheduled trips for the day. The Dongliu Line Joint Ferry Service canceled all 16 trips for the day, and Taifu International Ferry Co., Ltd. canceled all 12 trips for the day.

Keelung - Ishigaki Island
Star Cruises' SuperStar Aquarius canceled its originally scheduled three-day, two-night Ishigaki Island vacation package departing from Keelung on Friday, August 7.

Su'ao - Hualien Round Trip
LINA, originally scheduled to operate round-trip services between Su'ao and Hualien on August 7, 8, and 9, has canceled all trips due to Typhoon Soudelor. Passengers who have booked tickets can contact the original ticketing office to reschedule or request a full refund without any handling fee.

Green Island, Orchid Island - Taitung Fugang Round Trip
All ferry services between Green Island, Orchid Island, and Taitung Fugang from noon on August 6 through August 9 have been confirmed canceled.

Houpihu - Orchid Island Route
Round-trip ferry services between Houpihu and Orchid Island are expected to remain suspended until August 8.

Taipei Harbor - Fuzhou Pingtan Port Round Trip
LINA canceled two round-trip ferry services between Taipei Harbor and Fuzhou Pingtan Port on Thursday, August 6.

Kaohsiung - Magong Round Trip Flights
The August 7th 9:00 and 23:30 Kaohsiung to Magong ferries on the Taiwan Ferry, as well as the August 7th 16:00 and August 8th 9:00 Magong to Kaohsiung ferries, have been cancelled. Additionally, the August 9th 9:00 Kaohsiung to Magong and 16:00 Magong to Kaohsiung ferries have also been cancelled.

Keelung - Matsu
The August 6th, 2015 (104 year in Taiwan calendar) Keelung to Matsu (via Dongyin first, then Matsu) ferry on the Taiwan-Matsu Ferry has been cancelled.

Budai - Magong
All domestic fixed-route ferry services between Budai and Magong from August 7th to 8th have been cancelled.

Yilan - Guishan Island
Whale-watching boat services in Yilan have been suspended.