For long-distance travel, you definitely do not need any form of personal transportation. For local travel a scooter could be beneficial, but is not necessary. It is advised to purchase bicycle (used bicycles are sold by the university during the first month of each school year at very affordable prices – you can sell it back to the school when you leave). The campus is very large and it will be a great help to you in getting around. There are also a number of beautiful bike trails that you can use for recreation. These trails can take you to many tourist sites.

Taiwan has an amazing train system that can take you (almost) anywhere in the country. The ticket price from Hualien to Taipei is NT400 – NT500 (2 – 3 hours, one way). The trains make stops at many stations along the way, and all train stations are serviced by taxis and connections to buses. All taxis will use a meter to charge you, so you never have to worry about bartering for a price.

Within cities, there are many options such as mass transit (Taipei, and Gaoxiong soon), buses (all cities), and even public bicycles. The new High Speed Rail connects Taipei (north) to Gaoxiong (south) in only 2 hours (a 5 hour ride with the regular train!) and makes multiple stops along the way.