Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Yanxiang Coastal Line switches to cruise-style train service; full operation begins November 1

▲ Low-floor bus of the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Yanxiang Coastal Line. (Photo / Courtesy ofTaiwan Tourist Shuttle - Yanxiang Coastal LineFanpage)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

Starting November 1, the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Yanxiang Coastal Line will fully switch to a cruise-style train service with two daily departures. Passengers can board at either Chiayi Transfer Station or the High-Speed Rail Station, must travel round-trip on the same vehicle, and the original stops at Dongshi Xiantian Temple and Nanxiongzu Taisu Temple will be removed from the route. The new cruise-style train regulations emphasize that passengers must reserve their seats with Chiayi Bus at least seven weekdays in advance of travel to be eligible to board.

The Yanxiang Coastal Line will begin full cruise-style train trial operations starting November 1. The train follows a same-vehicle round-trip policy, and all departures operate on a full reservation basis. The public can purchase a NT$200 one-day ticket to board at either Chiayi Transfer Station or Chiayi High-Speed Rail Station, following a scheduled 7-hour itinerary for the day. Volunteer guides will also be arranged on holidays aboard the train to provide commentary for visitors.

The Yanxiang Coastal Line has two fixed daily departures: the first is a 19-seat medium-sized bus, and the second is a low-floor barrier-free bus with 27 seats and 2 wheelchair-accessible spaces. The train departs from downtown Chiayi and makes stops along the way at the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum, Dongshi Fishing Port, the High Heel Church, Haomeili, and the Tainan Beimen Visitor Center. Each stop allows for a stay between 30 to 80 minutes, with passengers free to explore the sites on their own.

Taiwan Tourist Shuttle stated that due to the removal of the original Dongshi Xiantian Temple and Nanxiongzu Taisu Temple stops under the new regulations, those wishing to visit Nanxiongzu Taisu Temple can take the Greater Tainan Bus Blue 1 or Blue 2 branch lines, or the Xinying Bus 7408; Xiantian Temple can be reached by taking Chiayi Bus 7206 Xm Port–Chiayi Line. For detailed travel information about the Yanxiang Coastal Line, please check the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Yanxiang Coastal Line official website or fanpage, or refer to the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle published train schedule linkhttp://www-old.taiwantrip.com.tw/upload/phpmckfx5.pdf.

The following are the regulations for riding the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Yanxiang Coastal Line – Cruise-Style Train:
1. There are two departures every day, with different schedules for Tuesday to Sunday and Monday (to align with the Monday closure of the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum)
2. The first daily departure (09:00) uses a medium-sized bus with 19 available passenger seats.
3. The second daily departure (11:30) uses a low-floor barrier-free bus with 27 seats plus 2 wheelchair-accessible spaces.
4. All passengers board at Chiayi Transfer Station / Chiayi High-Speed Rail Station, where the driver checks the reservation list.
5. The cruise-style train operates on a same-vehicle round-trip basis and follows the scheduled timetable. Late arrivals will not be accommodated. Passengers may not switch between the two departure times, and independent transfer to other transport modes afterward will be considered a waiver of the latter part of the trip. Short-distance travelers are not accepted, and tickets are non-refundable after use.
6. Reservations can be made during weekday hours from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM, and 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM, for cruise-style buses departing within the next 7 days.For reservations, please call the Chiayi Bus hotline: 05-2750895 ext. 333
and speak to Miss Tsai (ext. 333) or Mr. Qiu (ext. 331).
7. As this route travels on Freeway No. 82 (from the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum to Dongshi Fishing Port) and Freeway No. 61 (from Dongshi Fishing Port to the High Heel Church), for passenger safety and in accordance with Article 9, Paragraph 7 of the Highway and Expressway Traffic Control Regulations, passengers may be denied boarding.
8. On holidays, volunteer guides will be on board to provide commentary, and passengers are free to explore each site on their own.