Starting from Songshan Station and heading all the way north: a morning stroll through Beitou's hot spring street, sunset in Tamsui in the evening

On this page

1. How the day goes
2. Routes and ride times
3. Walking tips
4. Budget
5. If you've just moved here
6. FAQ
7. Sources

Songshan Station is the end of the Songshan-Xindian Line (Green Line). To get to Beitou or Tamsui, you first ride to Zhongshan Station, then take the Red Line all the way to its northern end. Since it's a long ride anyway, why not fit both places into the same day: a walk in Beitou in the morning, Tamsui in the afternoon, and waiting for the sunset at the river mouth in the early evening. From Songlong House to the MRT station: Songshan Station (Songshan-Xindian Line), about a 4-minute walk.

How the day goes

1. Morning09:00

   Set off

   From Songshan Station, take the Green Line towards Xindian for 5 stops to Zhongshan Station. Change to the Tamsui-Xinyi Line towards Tamsui and ride to Beitou Station, then change to the Xinbeitou Branch Line for 1 stop (about 34 minutes on the train, 2 transfers).

2. Morning10:00

   Beitou Library, Hot Spring Museum and Thermal Valley

   Beitou Library is about 380 m from Xinbeitou Station. It is open 08:30–21:00 on Saturdays and 09:00–17:00 on Sundays (closed on national holidays and on the first Thursday of each month). About 70 m further along is the Beitou Hot Spring Museum, open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:45), with free admission. It is closed on national holidays, but opens as usual when a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday. The building opened in 1913 as the Beitou Public Bathhouse, was rediscovered by local teachers and students in 1994, and became a museum in 1998. Walk on to Thermal Valley, open Tuesday to Sunday 09:00–17:00, with free admission.
   The outdoor hot spring bath in Beitou Park (Millennium Hot Spring) has been closed for renovation since 24 January 2025. The parks office has announced that the work is expected to be completed on 31 October 2026, but the reopening date depends on its official announcements, so don't make a special trip for it.

3. Afternoon13:30

   Head to Tamsui

   Take the Xinbeitou Branch Line back to Beitou Station, then change to the Tamsui-Xinyi Line and ride to the last stop, Tamsui Station (about 18 minutes on the train).

4. Afternoon14:00

   Tamsui Old Street and Fort San Domingo

   Tamsui Old Street (Zhongzheng Rd.) is about 780 m from Tamsui Station. Fort San Domingo is about 750 m from the old street, or you can take bus Red 26 or 836 from Tamsui Station to the "Fort San Domingo (Aletheia University)" stop. It is open 09:30–18:00 at weekends, and ticket sales stop 30 minutes before closing.

5. Early evening16:30

   Sunset at Fisherman's Wharf

   Take Red 26 to Tamsui Fisherman's Wharf. The harbour area is open 24 hours, the shops are open about 11:00–20:00, and Lover's Bridge is 165 m long. According to the Central Weather Administration's 2026 sunrise and sunset timetable, the sun sets in New Taipei City at about 17:40 in early October, about 17:15 at the end of October, and around 17:05 in November–December.

6. Evening18:30

   Head home

   Take Red 26 back to Tamsui Station, ride the Tamsui-Xinyi Line to Zhongshan Station, then change to the Green Line towards Songshan and ride to the last stop, Songshan Station (about 47 minutes on the train).

Routes and ride times

Times on the train are calculated from Taipei Metro open data. Allow an extra 5–10 minutes for each transfer and for entering and leaving stations.

Walking tips

• The three spots in Beitou are all within walking distance of each other, and you can also walk from Tamsui Old Street to Fort San Domingo. Wear comfortable shoes.
• Official information about the ferry from Tamsui Ferry Pier to Fisherman's Wharf is currently contradictory, and the service may be suspended. Check before you set out, and don't count on the boat for your way back.

Budget

Prices in the table are full-fare prices.

If you've just moved here

• EasyCard: The three MRT legs come to NT$130 in total, which is cheaper than the NT$150 one-day pass, so just tap your card.
• YouBike: Taipei City and New Taipei City both currently subsidise the first 30 minutes of YouBike 2.0 rides for registered members, so they are free (in New Taipei since 1 March 2025). This also applies in Tamsui. Regular members riding the e-assist YouBike 2.0E are not covered.
• Rainy-day plan: Spend more time at Beitou Library and the Hot Spring Museum, and skip Fisherman's Wharf. Fort San Domingo is closed on typhoon days.

FAQ

If you'd like to make your home around Songshan Station and head off easily in any direction at weekends, take a look at Songlong House.

Sources

(All accessed on 5 October 2026)

1. 1.Tourism Administration, MOTC – Beitou Librarytaiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0001090&id=A12-00254
2. 2.Taipei Travel Net – Beitou Librarytravel.taipei/en/attraction/details/538
3. 3.Tourism Administration, MOTC – Beitou Hot Spring Museumtaiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0001090&id=A12-00051
4. 4.Beitou Hot Spring Museum official websitehotspringmuseum.taipei/
5. 5.Taipei Travel Net – Thermal Valleytravel.taipei/en/attraction/details/536
6. 6.Taipei Travel Net – Thermal Valley: news on free admissiontravel.taipei/en/news/details/37639
7. 7.Taipei Travel Net – Beitou Park outdoor hot spring bathtravel.taipei/en/attraction/details/713
8. 8.Tourism Administration, MOTC – Tamsui Old Streettaiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0001091&id=19
9. 9.New Taipei City Tamsui Historical Museum – Opening hourstshs.ntpc.gov.tw/xmdoc/cont?xsmsid=0G245643771715011728
10. 10.New Taipei City Tamsui Historical Museum – Ticketstshs.ntpc.gov.tw/xmdoc/cont?xsmsid=0G245643868344101231
11. 11.New Taipei City Tamsui Historical Museum – Getting theretshs.ntpc.gov.tw/xmdoc/cont?xsmsid=0G245644014894433790
12. 12.New Taipei City tourism website – Tamsui Fisherman's Wharftour.ntpc.gov.tw/zh-tw/attraction/Detail?id=109659&wnd_id=60
13. 13.Tourism Administration, MOTC – Tamsui Fisherman's Wharftaiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0001091&id=7888
14. 14.New Taipei City tourism website – Tamsui Ferry Piertour.ntpc.gov.tw/zh-tw/Attraction/Detail?wnd_id=60&id=111403
15. 15.Central Weather Administration, MOTC – 2026 sunrise and sunset timetable (New Taipei City)cwa.gov.tw/Data/astronomy/Timetable_PDF/sun2026_02newtaipeicity.pdf
16. 16.Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government – Beitou Hot Spring Museumculture.gov.taipei/cp.aspx?n=680DE22A4F00B25F
17. 17.Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government – Beitou Hot Spring Museum: FAQculture.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=0EF5CBADD488A29A&sms=87415A8B9CE81B16&s=5990AA2BA88BBF44
18. 18.Taipei Public Library – Opening hourstpml.gov.taipei/cp.aspx?n=141EFA8D46038957
19. 19.Beitou District Office, Taipei City – Thermal Valleybtdo.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=B154724D802DC488&sms=759A651A8E9BFAC0&s=83422AB5F005D50D
20. 20.Parks and Street Lights Office, Taipei City Government – Beitou Park hot spring bathpkl.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=68E4428AAD994DE1&sms=87415A8B9CE81B16&s=C68320AA26E0DA81
21. 21.YouBike – New Taipei City ratesyoubike.com.tw/region/ntpc/rate/
22. 22.Taipei Metro – One-day passmetro.taipei/cp.aspx?n=CEF54168B23F73B4&s=9D540D31C5F81237
23. 23.Data.Taipei – Running times between MRT stationsdata.taipei/dataset/detail?id=513e97fe-6a98-4a0d-b7dc-11122c8638d4
24. 24.Data.Taipei – MRT station data (used for distance calculations)data.taipei/dataset/detail?id=1eefa68d-7c8d-491b-8e75-66a161947426
25. 25.Data.Taipei – MRT faresdata.taipei/dataset/detail?id=4acb4911-0360-4063-808d-fcee629508b3