Kaohsiung Cijin Island Ferry: Gushan or the Quieter Zhongzhou Boat?
Two routes, the same fare — but the pier you leave from changes where you land on the island.
Published · Updated
"Is the Gushan pier near Sizihwan the only place to catch a boat to Cijin?" It's a question that comes up when planning Kaohsiung. Besides the Gushan (鼓山)–Cijin (旗津) route, there's also a Qianzhen (前鎮)–Zhongzhou (中洲) ferry. The fare is the same, but where you land and how often the boats run are quite different. Based on Kaohsiung Ferry Company (高雄市輪船)'s official information and real travelers' experiences, here's how it works, as of October 2026.
01 · Kaohsiung Cijin Ferry Routes at a Glance
| Gushan–Cijin | Qianzhen–Zhongzhou | |
|---|---|---|
| Mainland pier | Gushan Pier (No. 1, Binhai 2nd Rd, Gushan) | Qianzhen Pier (No. 2, Linshui Rd, Qianzhen) |
| Cijin-side pier | Cijin Pier (No. 10, Haian Rd, Cijin) | Zhongzhou Pier (No. 77, Zhongzhou Lane, Cijin) |
| Crossing time | About 5 minutes | About 15 minutes |
| Operating hours | 05:00 (from Cijin) to 02:00 next day | 06:00 (from Zhongzhou) to 22:00 (from Qianzhen) |
| Frequency | Every 5–7 min at rush hour, 10–15 min otherwise | Every 30–40 min at rush hour, about 60 min otherwise |
| Adult fare | NT$30 | NT$30 |
The table follows Kaohsiung Ferry Company's official FAQ and route pages, plus crossing times from Kaohsiung's official tourism site, as of October 2026. The Gushan–Cijin boats run flexibly with demand rather than to a fixed timetable, with extra sailings at weekends. The Qianzhen–Zhongzhou route runs to a timetable, so check the official schedule before you go.
02 · Cijin Ferry Fares and Card Payment
Pay with coins or a transit card Both routes take cash (coins) or electronic transit cards such as iPASS (一卡通), EasyCard (悠遊卡) and icash (愛金卡). Cards get a separate discounted fare — check the fare board at the pier for the amount.
One card per person According to the official notice, each card can only be tapped once per crossing. A group of five needs five cards, so pay the rest in coins if you're short.
Concessions for kids and seniors Children aged 6–12 and people 65 and over pay NT$15, and under-6s ride free. Tell the staff how many free children are with you before boarding (as of October 2026).
Bikes can come along A bicycle costs NT$10 and a scooter NT$30. The NT$25 student fare requires a student ID.
03 · When Does the Zhongzhou Ferry Make Sense?
On OpenStreetMap, the Tianhou Temple (天后宮) is only about 150m from Cijin Pier, where the Gushan boats land, so it's the natural start for Cijin's old street. Zhongzhou Pier, by contrast, is roughly 5km in a straight line south-east of Cijin Pier, so if the old street is your goal, the Gushan route is much closer. Still, there are times when Zhongzhou fits better.
Staying in Qianzhen or the south Gushan Pier is near MRT Sizihwan (西子灣) and the Hamasen (哈瑪星) light rail stop, while Qianzhen Pier is in southern Kaohsiung. According to the official page, buses 214A, Red 9A and Red 9B stop at Qianzhen Pier.
Cycling the length of the island The official page lists a Kaohsiung public bike station at Zhongzhou Pier. Land at Zhongzhou, ride up the island to the old street, then leave on the Gushan boat — no doubling back.
When Gushan is busy at weekends The Gushan–Cijin route draws weekend crowds. Within its operating hours, Zhongzhou is a handy back-up.
"From Zhongzhou Pier it took us about 20 minutes by bike to reach the old street." — one traveler's experience on the Zhongzhou ferry. Your time will depend on your pace and stops.
04 · Leaving Cijin Island
Zhongzhou's last boat is 22:00 The last Qianzhen–Zhongzhou sailing leaves Qianzhen at 22:00, so check the official timetable for the last boat from Zhongzhou. If you're staying into the evening, the Gushan route is the safer way out.
A sea bus runs at weekends According to the official FAQ, a separate sea bus links Gushan, Pier-2 (棧貳庫) and Cijin on weekends and holidays, with an adult fare of NT$80. Check the official timetable for sailing times.
Check seafood restaurant hours The seafood restaurants by Cijin Pier each have their own hours and days off. Check the current opening hours on Google Maps before you go.
If you're planning a Kaohsiung trip, our Kaohsiung 3-night itinerary check helps you decide which day suits Cijin, and if you plan to cycle on the island, see YouBike rental tips for Kaohsiung and Tainan. For food after the crossing, browse the Kaohsiung food map and Kaohsiung street food, and for seafood on Cijin, see Qihou Seafood (旗后海產).
Find Cijin seafood spots on the map
Pin places to visit after the crossing so your island day is easy to plan.