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Taiwan

Kaohsiung

A port city in southern Taiwan. The light rail circles the city centre, and the MRT runs straight to the airport.

Taiwan Railway (TRA)

Tap an iPASS or EasyCard at the gate to ride. But Tze-Chiang 3000, Puyuma and Taroko trains bar those cards - board one and you pay the fare plus 50%. The HSR at Zuoying is a separate company - own gates, own tickets.

Updated 17 days ago

How to ride

  1. 1
    Decide the train type first
    Local trains take an IC card. Tze-Chiang 3000, Puyuma and Taroko bar cards; other Tze-Chiang and Chu-Kuang leave you standing.
  2. 2
    Tap your IC card at the gate
    Tap an iPASS, EasyCard or icash at the gate; what the gates ignore is wallet ride codes.
  3. 3
    Buy a ticket at a counter or online
    Buy at a counter, a machine or online; an e-Booking mobile ticket is scanned as a QR code at the gate.
  4. 4
    Check the train type on the platform
    Never board a Tze-Chiang 3000, Puyuma or Taroko train on an IC card.
  5. 5
    Always tap out as well
    Skip it and the next gate blocks you; even doubling back inside the gates costs a fare.
  6. 6
    Change to the high-speed line at Zuoying
    HSR Zuoying links to TRA Xinzuoying by a second-floor concourse; its tickets are a separate system.

Fares

Single fares3

Local train, Kaohsiung to Xinzuoying
Next to the HSR station; short hops inside the city sit at this minimum fare
22 TWD ≈ $0.7
Local train, Kaohsiung to Jiuqutang
Jiuqutang is the southern end of the TRA stretch the TPASS monthly card covers
30 TWD ≈ $0.9
Local train, Kaohsiung to Gangshan
The northern edge of the city; the metro's red line also reaches RK1 Gangshan
47 TWD ≈ $1

Estimates use exchange rates as of September 5, 2026

Payment

Tap to ride
The gates read stored-value transit cards only; a bank card will not open them
Card payment at machines
The operator does not name the brands it accepts
Card works when collecting a booked ticket at a counter or machine
IC card
At the gates: iPASS, EasyCard and icash; tap both on the way in and on the way out
App tickets
iPhone is excluded because Apple has not opened NFC access
At the gates: Only the EasyWallet app's NFC ride function opens the gates
QR ticketing
Ride codes from iPass Money, EasyWallet and Line Pay are not read
At the gates: TRA's own ticket QR is scanned at the gate; at ungated stations, show staff
Paper tickets
At machines: Reserved trains need a ticket; online booking opens 28 days before travel
Cash
At machines: Works at station counters, as does topping up an IC card there or at a machine

Quick facts

Fares from
22 TWD+

Heads-up

  • Three train types your IC card may not board

    Boarding a Tze-Chiang 3000, Puyuma or Taroko train on a stored-value card counts as fare evasion - the fare plus a 50% surcharge. Check the train type on the platform display before you step on.

  • Tapping in and out at one station still costs you

    Stepping inside the gates for a shop and coming back still costs money - NT$22 within an hour, NT$161 from one to three hours, and a flat NT$933 beyond three.

Timetable

Check the official site for the latest times and service status