Highway Bureau adjusts Taroko Gorge access from 24 to 26 October

Taroko Gorge near Hualien will use adjusted Highway 8 traffic controls from 24 to 26 October, with wider daytime access during the holiday.

Highway 8 traffic controls at Taroko Gorge in Hualien, Taiwan, will change from 24 to 26 October 2026 for the Taiwan Retrocession Day holiday. The adjustment affects the road through the gorge and the approach towards Tianxiang, while repair work continues along the eastern section of the Central Cross-Island Highway.

Taroko Gorge traffic controls change from 24 October

The Highway Bureau's Taroko Maintenance Section announced the special arrangement after a meeting on 23 September. Between Guanyuan and Tianxiang, two-way traffic will be permitted from 6.30am to 4.30pm each day from 24 to 26 October. The road will then be cleared from 4.30pm to 6pm, allowing vehicles already inside to leave but preventing new entry.

On the Tianxiang to Taroko Entrance section, two-way traffic will be allowed from 6.30am to 6pm during the same three-day period. A clearance period will run from 6pm to 6.30pm, followed by a nightly closure from 6.30pm to 6.30am. The October traffic notice says regular controls will resume on 27 October.

How the holiday change affects the gorge route

The temporary arrangement widens daytime access compared with the regular pattern, but it does not reopen the damaged scenic sites and trails. The park authority says that trails and attractions between the Taroko entrance and Tianxiang remain closed after the April 2024 earthquake and later typhoon damage.

Highway 8 remains the route alongside the gorge, with traffic controls at the east portal of Shakadang Tunnel and near Tianxiang. The notice also records diversion measures between the Taroko Entrance and Changchun Tunnel. This links the holiday timetable directly to the gorge's present condition: visitors may pass through controlled sections, but the main trail experience remains restricted. The park's visitor guidance confirms that public bus services between the Visitor Centre and Tianxiang are suspended.

Taroko Gorge lies within Taroko National Park in eastern Taiwan. The park was established on 28 November 1986 and covers more than 92,000 hectares in the northern Central Mountain Range. Its landscape includes steep gorges, high peaks, waterfalls and the Liwu River. The national park introduction identifies the Central Cross-Island Highway as a viewing route for the gorge and the river.

Visiting Taroko Gorge: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The adjusted traffic controls apply from 24 to 26 October 2026. Guanyuan to Tianxiang allows two-way traffic from 6.30am to 4.30pm, while Tianxiang to Taroko Entrance allows it from 6.30am to 6pm.
• Night access is not available. Both sections close from 6.30pm to 6.30am, and the clearance periods prevent new vehicles from entering.
• The gorge is reached via Provincial Highway 8 from the Hualien area. Public buses between the Taroko Visitor Centre and Tianxiang are suspended, so access to the Tianxiang area requires private transport.
• The Taroko entrance to Tianxiang section includes closed trails and attractions, including Shakadang Trail, Swallow Grotto and the Tunnel of Nine Turns. Rockfall risk remains high, and visitors are advised to use only officially open areas.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Taroko Gorge

When do the Taroko Gorge traffic controls change?

The adjusted arrangement runs from 24 to 26 October 2026, with regular controls returning on 27 October 2026.

What is open at Taroko Gorge during the holiday period?

Highway 8 permits controlled daytime vehicle access, but the main trails and scenic sites between the Taroko entrance and Tianxiang remain closed.

Where is Taroko Gorge and how do you get there?

Taroko Gorge is in eastern Taiwan within Taroko National Park, near Hualien. The route is reached by Provincial Highway 8, but public buses between the Visitor Centre and Tianxiang are suspended.