If you’re planning a trip to Taiwan’s dreamy Cingjing Farm (清境農場), one of the very first things you’re probably trying to figure out is how to get from Taichung to Cingjing.
Cingjing, also spelled Qingjing, is a gorgeous mountaintop resort located in Taiwan’s central region, Nantou. Often dubbed as the “Little Europe in Taiwan,” it’s just the spot to enjoy a slice of unparalleled beauty, get some fresh air, and check out all the amazing things to do in the area. Make sure to read my detailed Cingjing Farm guide to find the very best things to do!
While Cingjing is a great add-on to any Taichung itinerary, most people only visit Cingjing on a day trip from Taichung. With that said, though, it’s worth staying overnight to really enjoy all this beautiful area has to offer.
Since Cingjing is a popular attraction in Taiwan, there are quite a few ways to go there. To help you make sense of all the options, here’s my quick transport guide highlighting the best ways to go to Qingjing Farm.
Ready to find out how to get to Cingjing from Taichung or Taipei? Let’s go!
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How to Get to Cingjing from Taichung
Taichung is the main gateway to Cingjing, so if you’re already in Taichung, half of the work is already done! Those heading to Cingjing from Taipei, keep reading as I’ve also included the best ways to do so below.
Taichung HSR Station to Cingjing
The most straightforward way to travel to Qingjing Farm is to take the direct Nantou Bus from Taichung HSR Station. There are only four direct buses daily, so timing is crucial if you’re coming from elsewhere in Taiwan. See the Nantou bus schedule here.
Once you arrive at Taichung HSR Station, make your way to Exit 5, where you’ll find the Nantou Tour Bus ticket booth. The staff speak great English and are really helpful. Don’t forget to grab a map and the bus timetable while you’re there!
While it’s possible to pay with your Easy Card or buy a one-way ticket, it’s worth investing in the Cingjing Farm Pass. The pass costs NT$600 for a return ticket (valid up to 15 days from departure) and includes access to Cingjing Farm, Cingjing Skywalk, and discounted admission to the Little Swiss-Garden. Please note, bus tickets cannot be reserved in advance, so try to be at the station a little earlier so that you have time to line up.
Direct Nantou Bus from Taichung HSR Station to Qingjing:
Buses to Cingjing Farm depart from Platform 3 at 8:50 am, 9:35 am, 10:15 am, and 11:35 am from Taichung HSR Station daily.
- Bus Fare: A one-way bus ticket to Cingjing Farm costs NT$239, but as mentioned, I highly recommend getting the Cingjing Pass instead (NT$600).
- Duration: 2h10
Insider’s Tip: Whichever bus you take, it’s crucial to ask your hotel where to get off as only the main stops are indicated on the bus schedule. The hotels are quite spread out in Cingjing, and since the little town is set on a mountain, it would be a nightmare tugging along your luggage. The bus announcements are in English and Chinese, but it’s best to keep Google Maps open to keep track of your whereabouts.
Taichung to Cingjing Farm via Puli Station
If you’ve missed the direct bus from Taichung to Cingjing, don’t worry. It’s still possible to get there, but you’ll first need to get yourself to Puli Bus Station and from there transfer to the Qingjing bus. Here are the steps.
- From Taichung to Puli: Take Nantou Bus 6670 bound for Sun Moon Lake from Nantou Bus Gancheng Station (Google Maps) or Taichung HSR Station (Exit 5, Platform 3) to Puli. Buses depart every few minutes, with the first bus leaving at 7:15 am. See bus 6670’s schedule here.
- From Puli to Cingjing: Take bus 6658, 6659, or 6664. The first bus comes at 6:00, and the last bus is at 16:35. Buses arrive every 20-45 minutes and take just over an hour. The ticket costs around NT$130, and you can see the schedule here.
Insider’s tip: Combining your Cingjing trip with Sun Moon Lake? No problem! Book a shared transfer between Cingjing and Sun Moon Lake for a stress-free experience.
Joining a Day Tour to Qingjing Farm
If you’re only going to Cingjing for the day, then joining an organized day tour from Taichung is by far your best choice. The tour includes a pick-up right at your hotel in Taichung and lasts about 9h30.
Besides stopping at several iconic sites like the Green Green Grassland, Cingjing Skywalk, Little Swiss Garden, and the uber-luxurious Old England Hotel, it’s a great hassle-free experience as you won’t need to plan a thing!
Klook.comTaking a Transfer or a Taxi to Cingjing from Taichung
For those pressed for time or traveling in a group, it might be worth taking a transfer or a taxi to Cingjing. While this is certainly the most expensive option included in this guide, it will save you the headache of figuring out all the logistics.
Your best bet would be to book a shared transfer or a private transfer via Klook. Keep in mind, though, that these options do not include entry to any of the attractions at Qingjing Farm.
Alternatively, grab an Uber via the Uber app to pick you up directly at your hotel. From time to time, there might also be a few taxi drivers offering rides from Taichung HSR Station to Qingjing. Expect prices to start at around NT$2000, but you could always try to negotiate for a cheaper rate.
How to Get From Taipei to Cingjing
If you are traveling to Qingjing from Taipei and not taking a private transfer, the very first thing you’ll need to do is get yourself to Taichung.
Since Taichung is approximately 160km from Taipei, I wouldn’t recommend taking a bus or the local train as you’d be wasting too much time on traveling. Instead, the fastest and most convenient way to go from Taipei to Taichung is by HSR, Taiwan’s highly efficient high-speed train.
Trains leave every 10-15 minutes from Taipei Main Station and cost NT$700 for a standard reserved seat. (Check timings here). The journey takes about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the train you take. Once in Taichung, follow the same steps as above.
If you’re traveling on a tight budget, here are a few alternatives to go to Cingjing from Taichung or Puli.
- Taking the local train to Taichung:
If you must take the local train, you can catch any south-bound train from Taipei Main Station to Taichung TRA Station. From there, walk ten minutes to Nantou Bus Gancheng Station (Google Maps) where you can get a bus to Cingjing. (See the Nantou bus schedule here).
- Taking the bus to Taichung:
You can also take Ubus 1619 to Taichung from Taipei Main Bus Station and alight at TRA Taichung Station. The ride takes about 2.5 hours and costs NT$300. Check the Ubus schedule here. Once there, you’ll need to get to Gancheng Station (same as above).
- Taking the bus to Puli Station:
Another option is to take Kuo-Kuang bus 1831 to Puli from Taipei Bus Station. The ride takes 3h40 and costs NT$405. Once in Puli, you’ll need to transfer to the Nantou Bus to Cingjing. Buses depart frequently, and the journey will take about 1 hour from here. See the Nantou bus schedule here.
Getting to Cingjing in Conclusion
All in all, Cingjing is a very accessible destination, whether you’re coming from Taichung or elsewhere in Taiwan. Have you visited Qingjing Farm? If you think I’ve missed anything or have an easier route to go to Cingjing, let me know in the comments below so that I can keep this post updated!
Need more help getting around Taiwan?
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Hi Mariza,
My name is Tennard from Singapore.
I will be travelling with my family (4 pax) from Taipei to Taichung.
I would like to stay a night at Cingjing. It is first time we are going to Taichung and Cingjing.
We need your guidance and suggestions.
1. Should I stay a night at Taichung. Then, take a bus at Taichung Station to Cingjing?
2. From Taichung to Cingjing by bus is take approximately 2 hours?
3. Any hotel in Cingjing have included the transport?
4. Any hotel recommendations in Taichung and Cingjing?
Thank you in advance!
Best Regards,
Tennard
Hi Tennard, thanks for reaching out to me. Please see my feedback below.
1. You don’t necessarily have to stay in Taichung first, as a few buses go to Cingjing during the day. It basically boils down to what time you’ll arrive in Taichung and if you have enough time to catch the bus to Cingjing. The journey from Taipei to Cingjing can take anywhere from 3.5-4 hours, depending on which train/bus you take, so make sure to plan accordingly.
2. That’s right – the bus ride takes about 2 hrs from Taichung to Cingjing.
3. If you’d rather not take the bus, a good alternative is booking a shared shuttle or private transfer from Taichung to Cingjing via Klook (see links above). Alternatively, you can check with your accommodation if they can arrange a private transfer for you at an additional charge.
4. For Cingjing, I suggest Cotswolds Villa, and in Taichung, check out SOF Hotel or The Carlton. See my Cingjing guide and my Taichung itinerary for more tips.
Hope this helps!
Hi, thanks for the detailed post on how to get to CingJing. However, having read both articles regarding the place I can’t seem to find information for the following.
For a one day itinerary with no stayover, may I ask for suggestion on what time should I end my day. Also where should I end the trip to be convenient for taking transport to head back? Any timing information on the transport will be helpful as well.
Thank you 🙏🏼
Hey Derence, you’ll need to time your visit carefully if you’re only going for the day as you’ll need to still catch the bus back to Taichung. I just checked the schedule and it seems the last direct bus to Taichung is at 15:10. There are three buses after that, but you’ll need to transfer at Puli Station. Here’s the link to bus schedule – keep an eye on it though as they change from time to time. Google Maps works pretty well in Taiwan (esp in touristy spots), so you can also use that to check routes.
Hi Mariza,
Thank you for your very helpful information on the buses that goes from Taichung to Qingjing,
I am Yvonne from Singapore. My hubby and me intend to take the direct Nantou Bus from Taichung HSR Station at 8.50 am to Qingjing. From there we intend to travel to Taroko National Park for a short tour.
After checking around, we could not find any transport going from Qingjing to Taroko Park. Klook also don’t have.
Do you know of how to get there (from Qingjing to Taroko Park)?
Would really appreciate your kind advice.
Thanks.
Yvonne Koh
Hey Yvonne, I had a quick look on Klook and it seems they don’t have that option anymore (which sometimes happens during the off-season). You could arrange a private driver via KK Day or even book a taxi service through a company like Tripool, but they are quite expensive. If you can, I would suggest renting a car so that you can explore the area at your own pace.
Hi Mariza,
Where can Cingjing farm passes be bought from?
Hey Charmaine, you can buy them at the Nantou ticket booth at Taichung HSR Station. Just take the escalator down to the basement floor, and go straight until you see the booth in the corner, near the bathrooms.
Thanks for useful information, Mariza.
Anytime 🙂 Have a great trip!
Hi Mariza. I read your post on both SML and Qingling farm. I’m travelling with my parents (around 70yo) and my baby (around 2yo). I am planning to stay in SML. Can I check with you if there are transport available between SML and Qingling farm? Is that easy to find a chartered car around SML area?
Hey Elynne, there is a local bus that travels between SML & Qingjing, but I think it will be much easier for you to either book a shared shuttle service or a private transfer via Klook.
Hi! Just so you know, the information regarding where to buy the Qingjing farm pass is no longer accurate. Instead, search google maps for “nantou bus gancheng station” and it will bring you to the correct place, which is a ticket office. This is also where the bus leaves from.
Thanks for this Mallory, I’ve updated the info. You can also buy the Cingjing Pass at the Nantou bus booth at the Taichung HSR station.
Hi Mariza, I read from review from Nantou bus and they said that the bus schedule for Nantou bus is a joke. Apparently the bus schedule is just set up for fun as the bus just didn’t show up. Customer service doesn’t know nothing about the busses either. We called them twice and they told us each call a different time when the bus is supposed to arrive at our stop (of course not matching with the bus schedule you find online).
I am afraid that the bus might not show up once we arrive HSR Taichung. Any advice?
Thank you Mariza.
Hi Nadie, that’s very strange. Did you phone the Nantou bus office at the HSR station? The ladies there are usually very helpful and know their stuff. You can try them on +886 04-3601-8665.
That said, the schedule does change from time to time. Here’s the latest schedule from the Nantou bus website. There are only a handful of buses going directly (the grey ones) to Cingjing a day, so you’ll really need to time it. BUT…if you miss the “direct” bus, you can also take a bus to Puli (like bus #6670) and then transfer to a bus to Cingjing from there. I quickly checked on Google Maps, and it’s only throwing out the buses via Puli so there does seem to be some kind of mess up. Of course, if you don’t want to deal with any of the logistics, the most stress-free way to get to Cingjing is to book a shared shuttle via Klook (see above).