Cycling in Taiwan: Xindian to Toucheng, Yilan 台9線 新店-頭城(Hwy9: Xindian to Toucheng)

Looking for an epic climb that delivers a solid 1000m of elevation gain without destroying your legs? Consider this cycling route – 台9線 新店-頭城 (Hwy9: Xindian to Toucheng)!

Why I love this route and why you should try it?

• Two magnificent 500m+ ascents with a cyclist-friendly average gradient of just 4%
• First peak has a coffee shop to meet with other cyclists and swoon over the fancy bicycles if that’s your thing
• On the way down to Pinglin Old Street is a lovely view of Thousand Island Lake (千島湖). Pose for the photographers, this is a famous road for race drivers!
• Panoramic East Coast views from the second peak overlooking Yilan’s coastline
• It’s a refreshing 10°C cooler up here (27-28°C vs the city’s scorching 38-41°C)

Cycling Route

Total Distance: Xindian to Toucheng, 62KM
Elevation Gain: 1067m across two major climbs

First Half: 北宜/國史館~海倫咖啡 (12.09km, 4.1% avg gradient)

• Meetup: Xindian MRT Station
• Warm up along the Beiyi Rd! On the descent, take the left inner lane to continue along Beiyi Rd. Drift right and you’ll find yourself heading toward Wulai instead
• The route is beautifully straightforward—just follow Beiyi Road as it winds its way up through the mountains
• Coffee Break: Coffee a Taste of Helen 海倫咖啡

Pro tip: If this is your first time pushing above 500m elevation, you can bail here and descend back to Xindian. Once you commit to the second half, you’re locked in for the full adventure. No turning back!

Second half: 台9(坪林至宜蘭縣界), 4% & 2.8%

• Drop to Pinglin Old Street, stock up on your favorite electrolyte drinks, get a banana, pee, in 71 1 or Family Mart
• Starting from Pinglin’s 190m elevation, the initial climb to 300m comes quickly, but you’ll be grinding through the 300m zone longer than you expect
• Push through 400m, then grind out those final meters to the 500m+ summit
• Banana Break: Taipei-Yilan Boundary Park 石牌縣界公園

Descend the winding road to either Toucheng or Jiaoxi TRA Station. I personally prefer Jiaoxi because it’s such a fun hot spring town!

This route delivers everything you want in a Taiwan cycling adventure: challenging climbs that won’t wreck you, jaw-dropping scenery, perfect rest stops, and that incredible mountain-to-coast transition that makes this island so special for cyclists.

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That’s it for now! Stay tuned for more adventures and tips on balancing work and travel!

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