Getting to Jiufen & the Last Bus Home
How to arrive, where the queues form, parking reality, and the last bus back — for a town with no train station.
Jiufen has no train station of its own, so almost everyone arrives by bus — either a direct bus from Taipei or a train to Ruifang and a short bus up the hill. The single most useful thing to know is when the last bus leaves, so you don't get stranded on the ridge after dark. Bus times below are from the operator's published timetable, but this is a tourist route on a mountain road: always check the posted time at the stop.
How do I get to Jiufen from Taipei?
Two main ways.
Direct bus: Keelung Bus (基隆客運) route 1062 runs from the MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing (忠孝復興) station, Exit 2, through Ruifang and Jiufen Old Street up to Jinguashi (金瓜石) / Quanji Temple. It takes roughly 1 to 1.5 hours, longer in traffic.
Train + bus (often better on weekends): take a TRA train from Taipei Main Station to Ruifang (瑞芳), about 30–60 minutes, then any uphill bus (788, 827, 965 or 1062) for the last 10–15 minutes to Jiufen. The train avoids the road congestion that slows the direct bus on busy days.
Where does the bus queue form in Taipei?
The route 1062 queue forms about 50 metres south of MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing Exit 2, on Fuxing South Road. Note that the exact stop has moved more than once over the years, so look for the Keelung Bus 1062 sign and the line of people. On long weekends the queue here — and at Ruifang — can be long, and several full buses may pass before you board. Bus 965 (from the Banqiao/Taipei side) is often promoted as a lower-queue alternative to the 1062.