We stayed near Zhongshan MRT which was one stop away from Taipei MRT. Once out of the MRT, it was the TRA/HSR ticket counter. The TRA platform was just above, less than 1 min walk. Very convenient. Next time, need not come too early. Went to collect the train tickets at the TRA counter.
Someone shared in the tripadvisor forum that he/she could not get the tickets online, even on a weekday. Though my departure time from Taipei was 10:50am on a Tuesday, the train was packed to the fullest! No empty seats. Only 2 of us could sit together, the remaining 3 seats were at the aisle. Pictures of the Taipei Station Platform below.
Here comes our train - very new and nice looking
Inside the train - clean, spacious and new. All seats were taken up and there was no free seating on this train.
Bought one TRA 便當 on board the train to try.
Verdict - this one we picked was not so delicious. BTW, in the Taipei station, there are two TRA shops selling 便當 and they got snapped up real fast!
Journey was quite smooth and scenic. This was a seaview train so lots of sea view.
But because hubby was sitting at the aisle, he could not take any photos from the window. Though train was new, my daughter felt a little nausea as the train ride was bumpy at the beginning. And comparing with HSR, this train is a little bumpy. HSR is much smoother. However, HSR is only available on the west side of Taiwan.
After 2hrs 4mins, we reached Hualian finally.
Hualian Train Station
Many taxi drivers outside the station soliciting business from passengers coming out of the station. One gave me a name card and said we could tour East Valley Rift or Taroko Gorge for NT2000 for half a day. He could set off immediately. No thanks, I declined since we already engaged Mr Looi. Asked for directions to the public bus station and it is a little builidng on the left of the train station. Paid at the counter (left of photo) and took the public bus which was waiting outside. See right of photo.
This bus passes by Quality Inn which does not provide shuttle to/from the station. It costed NT22/person. The bus journey was less than 5 minutes. Pretty x, is it? Furthermore, the bus driver overshot the bus stop near our hotel even though I told him a few times the stop we wanted to get down. Sigh... Bad experience... At the end, we have to walk back an additional block. The weather was cool and since we have only 1 handcarry luggage it became a consolation.
You might be interested in the Summary/Itinerary:
Day 1 - Lunch at Airport,Flight to Taipei, Check in Dandy Hotel(Review), Dinner in Taipei at 肥前屋
Day 2 – Breakfast at Dandy, Martyrs' Shrine 忠烈祠, Shinlin Residence 士林官邸
Yangminshan,Beitou Sulphur Valley, 烏來内洞囯家森林 Wulai Old Street
Day 3 – Journey to Hualian, Review of Quality Inn Hualian, Hualian Town - Food Sampling, Dinner at Hualian
Day 4 - Breakfast at Quality Inn, 清水斷崖,池上便當,Lunch outside Tourist Centre, Taroko Gorge,七星譚, Hualian Town/蔥油餅/Dinner, Review of Hotel Bayview Qixingtan
Day 5 - Breakfast at Hotel Bayview, Qixingtan area around hotel, Journey Back to Taipei, Lunch at囯賓大腸煎, Check in Dandy Hotel(Review), XiMenTing, Dinner at Shilin Night Market
Day 6 - Breakfast at Dandy, 野柳 Yeliu GeoPark, Shifen 十分放天燈, 九分老街, 金瓜石, 陰陽海, 黃金瀑布, 鼻头角, 南雅rock formation, 基隆廟口夜市
Day 7 - Breakfast at Dandy, National Palace Museum, 天母, Lunch at Beitou, Danshui, Fisherman’s Wharf, Dinner at 梅江韓溝囯淡水店
Day 8 - Breakfast at Dandy, Experience HSR to Taichung, Shopping at 新光三越 Taipei Station,
Taipei Underground Front Station, Pass by CKS, Lunch at 高記, Taipei 101, Dinner at foodcourt
Day 9 - Breakfast at Dandy, Daiso, Lunch at Taipei Breeze Centre, Taipei Milk King, Home Sweet Home
Review of Dandy Hotel – Dec 6-7
Review of Quality Inn Hualian Dec 8
Review of Hotel Bayview Hualian Dec 9
Review of Dandy Hotel – Dec 10-13
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