Transportation in Taiwan Across Seven Decades

Railroad rolling stock maintenance back in 1958. (MOFA file photos)

In the Alishan National Scenic Area, train horns sound from time to time, and from the trackside one can occasionally catch sight of a little red engine hauling a train up or down the mountain. (photo by Lin Min-hsuan) —“A Century-Old Cultural Treasure: The Alishan Forest Railway” (January 2022)

A small green sampan transports fruits and vegetables between Kaohsiung’s Qijin and Gushan districts, linking together life in the harbor area. (photo by Yang Yong-shan) —“Chichin: Cut Off but Busy” (February 1983)

A ferry crosses Kaohsiung’s Xizi Bay, adding an air of leisure to this port city with its distinctive maritime ambience.
(photo by Diago Chiu) —“Taiwan’s Big Apple: Taipei in the Eyes of Everyone Else” (November 2020)

The Qijin ferry provides an essential transportation service for local residents as well as for visitors intent on experiencing the charm of the Port of Kaohsiung. (photo by Jimmy Lin) —“Kaohsiung: Onward and Upward” (January 2016)

The Kaohsiung City Government created a “Swinhoe’s Adventure” boat trip to let tourists reexperience the time spent in this port city by the British diplomat and naturalist Robert Swinhoe (1836–1877). (photo by Lin Min-hsuan) —“The Taiwan Journey of a British Diplomat: Robert Swinhoe, First Naturalist of Formosa” (June 2023)

This 1981 picture shows employees of the Yulon Motor Company leaving work by motorcycle.
(photo by Tang Ken-li)

Motorcycles are an important mode of transportation for residents of Pingtung County’s rural Manzhou Township, where scenes like this have long been commonplace. (photo by Ai Se) —“Taking Tea in Man-Chou” (August 1983)

Kaohsiung’s Qijin District has a unique geography with most streets being short and narrow, making car travel difficult. When this photo was taken in the early 1980s, many residents still preferred to get around by pedicab. (photo by Yang Yong-shan) —“Chichin: Cut Off but Busy” (February 1983)

Emissions from cars and motorcycles add to the burden of greenhouse gases. Countries around the world have been working together to reduce such emissions by promoting early adoption of means of transportation using low-carbon and renewable energy sources. (photo by Jimmy Lin) —“Not Just a Lot of Hot Air: Taiwan’s Role in the Global Warming Challenge” (March 2002)

eScooters are powered by electricity, and Gogoro’s use of swappable batteries draws on the concept of the sharing economy. (photo by Lin Min-hsuan) —“Creating Change: Gogoro eScooters” (August 2018)

Some love cars, some admire them, and some collect them—but what price do we all pay for motor vehicles? (photo by Vincent Chang) —“Cars: Civilization?” (September 1992)

Is this a train entering a station? No, it’s a line of buses in front of the Taipei train station. “Lady, there’s no hurry. Who knows how long it will be before we move!”
(photo by Diago Chiu) —“Taipei Transit!” (September 1992)

Taipei’s fast, convenient metro system shuttles through the urban jungle.
(photo by Lin Min-hsuan) —“Weaving Urban Legends—The Taipei Metro” (April 2017)

This 2021 photo shows a light rail car carrying passengers to Kaohsiung’s Pier 2 Art District, which attracts many weekend and holiday visitors for its Coast Guard vessels, its market, and its views of the 85 Sky Tower. (photo by Kent Chuang)

Sandiaoling is the only train station in Taiwan that is not accessible by road, but one can easily reach it by rail. The round-the-island rail network intersects with the Pingxi Line here. The photo shows an EMU3000 series train running a Tze-Chiang express service of Taiwan Railway. (photo by Kent Chuang) —“Lost Landscapes of the Pingxi Line: Old Trails, Potholes, and Sky Lanterns” (September 2025)

On the day they reported for military training, prospective university and college students from all over Taiwan who had passed the joint entrance exam arrived at Taichung’s Cheng Kung Station by special train. Officers from the Chenggongling training base met them on the platform to welcome them to boot camp. (photo by Xiao Meng) —“Cheng Kung Ling: The Road to Success” (October 1979)

The Taiwan High Speed Rail has now been operating for more than 19 years and is inextricably woven into Taiwanese life.  (photo by Jimmy Lin)—“Life in the Fast Lane: Exploring the Taiwan High Speed Rail” (September 2025)