Keelung

Keelung, also spelled Chilung (基隆; Jīlóng), is a port city in the north of Taiwan, near the capital, Taipei.

Districts
Keelung is divided into 7 administrative districts:

Get in
Keelung can be reached from Taipei by either freeway bus or train along the same route, or a longer bus ride along the North coast. Both means of transport are very frequent, and stops for Keelung bound buses by various companies are located all across Taipei.

By train
Probably the easiest way to get to Keelung from Taipei is by commuter trains, which ply the route every 15 to 20 minutes and stop at many stations. Travelers heading to Keelung should be aware that although the city lies on the extreme north end of the main Western Line it is not accessible on all trains running north, many of which are bound for the east coast and will not pass through Keelung but branch off at Badu. Only take trains with Keelung clearly shown as their final destination or you may accidentally find yourself on the train to Taitung - a six-hour journey from Keelung! if this happens to you (usually on an express train), get off before the Badu station.

You can check the train time table here

Keelung is a large area which has several stations on the TRA network:

Many of the other districts of Keelung are also connected by the TRA network via the following stations:

By bus
The bus from the East-West bus station of the Kuo-Kuang Bus company (the building also serves as the terminal for the Taipei - Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport service) just to the left of Taipei Railway station is the quickest way to get to Keelung. Buses leave every 10 minutes and go non-stop to Keelung harbor for NT$55 one way, it is best to buy a ticket in advance. Journey time is around 35 minutes under good traffic conditions. The bus station and ticket booths are clearly marked in English. You can also use the 'Easy Card' that operates with the Taipei Metro and local buses. Touch on the sensor when you get on and when you get off.

Several companies operate buses between Taipei and Keelung. The journey can range from between 35 minutes to two hours depending upon the route taken and traffic conditions. Because of the large number of bus routes and stops, the high potential for delay, and the limited English ability of most drivers, taking a bus from Taipei to Keelung is probably not a good idea. Unless you are familiar with the greater Taipei geography and can speak some Taiwanese or Mandarin, it is wiser to take a train and transfer to city buses, MRT (Mass Rapid Transit in Taipei) or taxi to reach your final destination.

By boat
Keelung is one of Taiwan's busiest container ports, second only to Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan thanks to its long deep water harbour. A twice-weekly passenger and goods service to Xiamen is available, operated by the vessel COSCO Star.

A regular domestic ferry to the outlying islands of Matsu is also available, though it is very basic and used mostly by military personnel. The nightly ferry service to Matsu leaves the harbour at 23:00.

Get around
The downtown area is small enough to cover on foot.

Before you getting around you might visit the Keelung City Tourist Information. Tel: (02)24287664

Star Cruise also provided a range of cruising line between Keelung and nearby major cities, you might see Keelung as the center of travel hub to plan your holiday.

Do

 * Sample some of the culinary delights at the night-market - especially the baked crabs and fish ball soup.
 * Visit Taiwan's scenic northeast coast.
 * Take a photo of the replica Statue of Liberty adjacent to the Golden Arches - an ironic statement of American culture taking over in Taiwan.

Buy

 * Pineapple Cake

Eat
Miaokou Night Market


 * Stinky tofu
 * Oyster omelet
 * Pot-edged pancake soup
 * Bubble ice
 * Fried sandwiches
 * Bean noodle thick soup
 * Shrimp Taiwanese balls
 * Tianbula (Taiwanese Tempura)
 * Shaved ice (with different toppings)
 * Chinese sausages

Heping Island

Drink

 * The Starbucks coffee shop across from the railway station overlooks the harbor, so you can enjoy ship-viewing with your latte.
 * Bubble tea is on every corner- indulge yourself.

Go next

 * Jiufen (Chiufen) is a historic gold mining town near Keelung.