Taroko National Park Self-Drive Guide (2026 Update): What's Open, Highway 8 Time Windows & Car Rental from Hualien

Taroko National Park Self-Drive Guide (2026 Update): What's Open, Highway 8 Time Windows & Car Rental from Hualien

Taroko Gorge (太魯閣) is still one of Taiwan's most spectacular drives, but it is not the same park it was before the Hualien earthquake of April 3, 2024 (locals call it "0403"). Most of the famous gorge trails are still closed for repairs, the Central Cross-Island Highway (Provincial Highway 8, 台8線) between Tianxiang and the Taroko entrance only opens in fixed time windows and closes at night, and the public bus between the Taroko Visitor Center and Tianxiang is suspended. That makes a rental car the easiest way to visit right now: you can time your drive to the traffic windows and combine the gorge entrance, Tianxiang and the Qingshui Cliffs in one day.

This guide is based on notices from the Taroko National Park Headquarters and Taiwan's Highway Bureau (公路局) for September 2026, checked on September 26, 2026: what you can visit, how the Highway 8 time windows work, how to plan a day from GoodCars' Hualien Station branch, and what to watch out for on mountain roads. For step-by-step pickup details at Hualien Station, see our Hualien car rental guide.

The road through Taroko Gorge is cut into marble cliffs (Unsplash, captioned by the photographer as Taroko; uploaded in 2021, before the earthquake)

Why a car is the best way to see Taroko right now

The park headquarters' September 20 information map says it plainly: buses are suspended between the Taroko Visitor Center and Tianxiang – bring your own transport or take a taxi. Its post-earthquake FAQ also recommends driving yourself or taking a taxi. Tourist Shuttle 310 and electric bus 302 currently turn around at the Taroko Visitor Center. Without a car, you stop at the entrance.

• You choose the time window: with only 5 releases a day between Tianxiang and the entrance, having your own car lets you pick when to go in and when to come out.
• The Qingshui Cliffs are in a different direction: the Chongde and Dachingshui viewpoints are on Highway 9 (the Suhua Highway), north of the gorge entrance. A car makes it easy to add them.
• Open spots sit at both ends of the controlled section: the mid-gorge highlights are closed, so the places where you can stop and walk are around the entrance and around Lushui and Tianxiang.

How the Highway 8 time windows work (September 2026)

The Highway Bureau's Taroko maintenance office meets in the second half of every month and announces the next month's traffic controls for the eastern Central Cross-Island Highway. This is the September 2026 version (Highway Bureau notice of Aug 28; the park's Sep 20 map shows the same times):

• Where to queue: heading in toward Tianxiang (westbound), wait at the Shakadang Tunnel east checkpoint; coming back (eastbound), wait at the Lushui checkpoint. The 10:00 and 15:00 releases last only 5 minutes – arrive early.
• Different roads in and out: between the entrance and Changchun Tunnel, westbound traffic uses the park's Shakadang Tunnel → Xilaan Tunnel → Changchun Tunnel, while eastbound traffic takes Highway 8 through Changchun Tunnel straight to the entrance. Just follow the signs and staff.
• Don't stop inside the controlled section: there are several work zones (Cimu Bridge, both ends of the Jiuqudong Tunnel, Zhuilu and Jinheng tunnels, Xipan and Ningan Bridge). The park asks drivers not to linger and to pass through these sections without stopping.
• Mid-Autumn holiday exception: from Sep 25 to Sep 28, Tianxiang–Taroko was open 06:30–18:00 both ways; the 5 daily releases resume from Tuesday, Sep 29.
• From October: when we checked on Sep 26, the October measures had not been announced yet. If you travel in October or later, check the latest notice. Releases can also be delayed or cancelled because of weather or incidents.

Road information: the Highway Bureau real-time site, the Highway Bureau's mobile app, or the Taroko road-status hotline listed in the notice, 03-996-2683 (Mandarin).

Highway 8 runs along the marble walls of the gorge; this section is currently open only during release windows – do not stop on the way (Unsplash, location tagged Hualien; uploaded in 2021, before the earthquake)

What you can visit: trail and sight status

Based on the park's Roads and Trails page (read Sep 26) and its Sep 20 information map, listed from east (Taroko entrance) to west (Tianxiang). There is no entrance fee for the park; only mountaineering routes in ecological protection areas need an entry permit.

This is the status on Sep 26. Trails reopen or close again as repairs progress, so check the park's Roads and Trails page again before your trip and follow on-site signs.

The Qingshui Cliffs – today, view them from the Chongde Recreation Area platforms (Unsplash, location tagged Qingshui Cliff, Xiulin, Hualien; uploaded in 2020)

Picking up at GoodCars Hualien Station and driving to Taroko

Driving times from Hualien Station (Google Maps, checked the evening of Sep 26; depends on traffic):

If you want the first 06:30 release, a 09:00 pickup is too late: pick up the day before and stay in Hualien City, or call the branch to arrange an early pickup. New to self-service rentals? Read our self-service pickup and return guide first.

Three ways to plan your day around the time windows

A. Half day: Taroko entrance + Qingshui Cliffs (no waiting)

1. 09:00 pick up at Hualien Station and drive north on Highway 9 – about 33 minutes to the Taroko entrance.
2. Photos at the Taroko archway → walk across Jinwen Bridge to Taroko Terrace → visitor center exhibits and the latest notices.
3. If you are fit, hike the Dekalun Trail (steep, about 1.5–2 hours return).
4. Drive to the Chongde Recreation Area and look at the Qingshui Cliffs from the platforms; restrooms at Dachingshui.
5. Back to Hualien City. No release windows needed, so the afternoon is free for the city or Qixingtan beach.

B. Full day: into Tianxiang with the release windows

1. 09:00 pick up, and be in the queue at the Shakadang Tunnel east checkpoint by about 09:40 for the 10:00–10:05 release (only 5 minutes – better early than late).
2. Drive through the controlled section to Lushui: exhibition hall and the first part of the Lushui Trail (turn back at the small suspension bridge).
3. Tianxiang: Xiangde Temple Trail, Wen Tianxiang Trail, Tabiduo Trail; the Tianxiang Visitor Center closes at 16:30. Food options are limited, so bring lunch and water. There are Formosan macaques here – keep food out of sight.
4. Be back at the Lushui checkpoint before 15:00 for the 15:00–15:05 release, or take the last release at 17:00–18:00 (after 18:00 it is exit only).
5. After leaving the gorge, stop at Chongde for the Qingshui Cliffs, then return the car at Hualien Station (bookable until 21:00; if you will be later, call first).

To catch the first 06:30 release, pick up the car the day before. These times are from the September notice; from October, follow the latest notice.

The Liwu River valley and a hillside temple (Unsplash; location not tagged by the photographer, the view resembles the Xiangde Temple area at Tianxiang; uploaded in 2020)

C. Two days: west to Hehuanshan, or south along the East Coast

• Crossing the Central Cross-Island Highway to Hehuanshan: the Highway Bureau advises westbound drivers (Taroko → Dayuling) to pass the Shakadang Tunnel east checkpoint by 15:00 so they clear Guanyuan before the night closure; eastbound drivers (Dayuling → Taroko) should reach Tianxiang by 17:00 for the last release. For the high-mountain part, see our Cingjing Farm & Hehuan Mountain self-drive guide.
• South through Hualien and Taitung: on day two, take Highway 9 through the East Rift Valley or Highway 11 along the coast – see the East Rift Valley self-drive guide. For pickup in Hualien and return in Taitung, tick the one-way option on the booking page; rules are in our one-way rental guide, and Taitung is covered in the Taitung car rental guide.

Heading west on the Central Cross-Island Highway leads up to Hehuanshan (Unsplash, location tagged Central Cross-Island Highway Wushe Branch)

Mountain driving tips and safety

• Rockfall and weather: the Highway Bureau warns that mountain roads are prone to rockfall after the earthquake, and advises against entering mountain roads during or after heavy or prolonged rain unless necessary. After a typhoon or heavy rain, check the notices first.
• Night closure: Tianxiang–Taroko is closed 18:30–06:30, so don't plan to be in the gorge late.
• Fuel is covered by your fuel card: every GoodCars car comes with a dedicated fuel card – pay at the pump with the card, not your own money, and there is no need to top up before returning. On Google Maps there are no gas stations along the gorge road from the Taroko entrance to Tianxiang (they are in Hualien City, Xincheng, the Taroko entrance and Chongde), so check the gauge before heading in and use your fuel card in Hualien City or near the entrance if needed. Fuel grades and self-service pumps are explained in our Taiwan gas station guide.
• Breakdowns or accidents: contact the branch where you picked up the car first (the number is in your booking confirmation) and follow their instructions.
• GO Worry-Free Protection Plan: optional add-on. With the plan, your liability for vehicle damage caused by a collision with another vehicle is reduced from NT$50,000 to NT$5,000 and the depreciation fee is waived. It does not apply to damage not caused by a collision with another vehicle – such as rockfall – or to glass and tyres, and loss-of-business compensation remains payable. See the GoodCars website for full terms.
• Driving rules: Taiwan drives on the right; speed limits, scooters and road signs are covered in our Taiwan driving rules guide.

Suhua Highway status (if you drive down from Taipei)

According to the Highway Bureau update of Sep 23 (reposted by the park), the Suhua Highway (Highway 9, including the Suhua Highway Improvement sections) is open, with several construction controls. The ones most relevant to a Taroko trip:

• Dachingshui cut-and-cover tunnel (Highway 9, km 159, near the Qingshui Cliffs): until Sep 30, daily 08:00–17:00, one lane with alternating traffic, and occasional full closures of about 30 minutes.
• Late-night full closures: Sep 29 – Oct 6, for bridge-beam transport to the Mataian River Bridge, Dongao–Nanao is fully closed about 23:30–00:20 and Heren–Chongde about 00:50–01:30 each night (Highway Bureau notice of Sep 18; times may be adjusted on site).
• Suhua tunnel equipment works: from 09:00 Sep 30 to 01:00 Oct 1, northbound Dongao–Suao is closed with a detour via Highway 9D; on Oct 7 Renshui Tunnel runs one lane with alternating traffic (Highway Bureau notice of Sep 23).

The easiest way to avoid Suhua roadworks is to take the train to Hualien Railway Station and pick up your car there (see our Hualien guide). If you prefer to drive from the north, you can also pick up in Yilan: GoodCars Yilan Station offers self-service parking-lot pickup bookable 00:00–23:55 – see our Yilan car rental guide.

What it costs: rental + mileage fee, with a fuel card

• Rental fee: based on car type and dates, shown live on the booking page.
• Mileage fee: charged per kilometre actually driven, with no cap on distance.
• Dedicated fuel card: fuel is already included in the mileage fee. Pay for fuel with the card in the car – you don't pay for fuel yourself, and there's no need to stop for fuel before you hand the car back. If you forget and pay yourself, keep the receipt: it can be deducted from your mileage fee when you return the car (up to 100% of the receipt).
• ETC tolls: every car has an eTag; freeway tolls are settled when you return the car, at a flat NT$1.2 per km for rental cars. Within Hualien you'll mostly use provincial highways. Details: Taiwan ETC highway toll guide.

How the mileage fee is calculated: mileage fee page and our mileage fee explainer; for a rough budget, see how much car rental costs in Taiwan.

Which car: for 2–4 people, a 5-seater (New Vios, New Yaris, Yaris Cross, New Colt Plus); for 5 or more people or lots of luggage, a 7–9 seater (Wish, M7 Turbo ECO Hyper, Touran, Staria, Starex). See the 5-seater and 7–9 seater pages; what is available in Hualien on your dates is shown on the booking page.

FAQ

Q1. Can I drive into Taroko Gorge now?

Yes, within time windows. Under the September 2026 notice, Tianxiang–Taroko entrance opens 5 times a day (06:30–08:00, 10:00–10:05, 12:00–13:00, 15:00–15:05, 17:00–18:00) and is closed from 18:30 to 06:30. Controls change monthly – check the park's Roads and Trails page before you go.

Q2. Are Swallow Grotto, the Tunnel of Nine Turns and Shakadang Trail open?

No – as of Sep 26 they are all closed, as are Changchun Shrine, Baiyang, Buluowan and the Zhuilu Old Road. Don't stop in the gorge section. Open now: Taroko Terrace, Dekalun, the Tianxiang trails (Tabiduo, Wen Tianxiang, Xiangde Temple) and the first sections of the two Lushui trails.

Q3. What licence do I need to drive in Taiwan?

Most visitors need their home driving licence plus an International Driving Permit (IDP). Visitors from Japan use their Japanese licence together with an official Chinese translation instead of an IDP. Country-by-country rules are in our IDP guide and the foreign visitor rental guide.

Q4. I only want to see the Qingshui Cliffs. Where do I go?

Go to the Chongde Recreation Area on Highway 9; its 1st and 2nd viewing platforms are open, about 11 minutes' drive from the Taroko Visitor Center. The Huide Trail is still closed, and until Sep 30 there may be short waits at the Dachingshui tunnel works.

Q5. Do I need to buy fuel before I return the car?

No. Fuel is included in the mileage fee – use the fuel card whenever you need fuel, and return the car on time to the designated lot at Hualien Station, whatever the fuel level.

Q6. Can I pick up a car at Hualien Airport?

No. GoodCars' only Hualien branch is Hualien Station at the railway station – take a taxi or bus from the airport to the station.