Keelung (基隆) is the port city on Taiwan's north coast, at the end of the railway line from Taipei. A day here works best in two halves: the coast in the afternoon, with the rocks of Heping Island and the painted houses of Zhengbin Fishing Port, then Miaokou Night Market in the evening, which is what most people come for. The train takes under an hour and runs until late, so staying for dinner is easy.
- Train Taiwan Railway from Taipei Main Station to Keelung Station, 38 to 56 minutes, NT$62 on a local train
- MRT None. Keelung has no MRT; use the train, then city buses or a short walk
- Best for Night market food, coastal rocks, harbor views
- Time An afternoon and evening
How to get to Keelung from Taipei
Take a Taiwan Railway (TRA) train from Taipei Main Station to Keelung Station (基隆), the end of the line. On the weekday timetable we checked, there were two or three trains an hour through the day. Local trains took 43 to 56 minutes and cost NT$62; a Tze-Chiang express took 38 minutes for NT$97. Tap your EasyCard at the gates.
Keelung has no MRT. From Keelung Station, Miaokou Night Market is about a 10-minute walk, and Keelung City buses run out to Zhengbin Fishing Port and Heping Island. The Taiwan Tourist Shuttle T99 (台灣好行濱海奇基線) also links the night market, Zhengbin Fishing Port and Heping Island; check its timetable before you rely on it.
What to see
Heping Island Geopark (和平島地質公園)
An island on the east side of the entrance to Keelung Harbor, with a coast of sea-eroded rock: tofu rocks, mushroom rocks, sea caves and wave-cut platforms. A loop trail of about 400 meters takes around 30 minutes, and 101 steps climb to a viewing platform on the hill.
- Where: No. 360, Pingyi Road, Zhongzheng District, Keelung.
- Getting there: Keelung City Bus 101 or 102 from Keelung Station to the Heping Island Park stop (和平島公園). No MRT.
- Hours: 08:00 to 19:00 from May to October; 08:00 to 18:00 from November to April. Ticket sales end an hour before closing.
- Entry: NT$120; NT$60 for seniors 65 and over and students; under 6 free. The ticket does not cover the guided rock-area and Alabao Bay (阿拉寶灣) tours, which are booked separately.
Zhengbin Fishing Port (正濱漁港)
A row of brightly painted houses along the water, Keelung's best known photo spot. The port was built in 1934, during the Japanese era. Keelung City suggests the viewing platform on Zhengbin Road across the water for the best view, and says the colors reflect in the harbor on clear days, with the lights coming on at sunset. It is free and open every day, and on the way to Heping Island, so the two pair well.
- Where: Zhengbin Road, Zhongzheng District, Keelung.
- Getting there: Keelung City Bus 101 to the Heping Bridge stop (和平橋頭, at the Indigenous Cultural Center), or bus 103 or 104 to the Zhongzheng Road and Zhengbin Road junction, then a 2-minute walk. No MRT.
Miaokou Night Market (基隆廟口夜市)
"Miaokou" means "temple entrance": the market grew up around Dianji Temple (奠濟宮) on Rensan Road, fed by worshippers, locals and fishermen. Keelung City names its best known foods as tempura (天婦羅, fish cake, which it calls a market specialty), ding bian cuo (鼎邊銼, rice noodle soup), the "nutritious sandwich" (營養三明治), butter crab and paopao ice (泡泡冰). Keelung City adds that food lovers come back for the crab seasons.
- Where: Rensan Road, Ren'ai District, Keelung.
- Getting there: about a 10-minute walk from Keelung Station, along Zhongyi Road. No MRT.
- Hours: an open street with no fixed hours. Keelung City says it is busiest, with the most stalls, from around dusk to 21:00.
- Pay: cash only.
NightMarket.tw has stall-by-stall notes on Miaokou. → Taipei's night markets
Zhongzheng Park and Ershawan Battery
Two free hillside stops on the east side of the harbor if you have time before dinner. Zhongzheng Park (中正公園) climbs in three levels from the gate on Xin'er Road to a large white Guanyin statue looking over the city and harbor. On the middle level is the Zhupu Altar (主普壇), the center of the Keelung Ghost Festival (雞籠中元祭) in the seventh lunar month. The park is open at all hours.
Ershawan Battery (二沙灣砲台) is a fort built after the Sino-French War to guard the inner harbor, with the words "海門天險" over its gate. A shaded trail runs past gun emplacements and barracks to a view over the port. It is a listed heritage site, free and open at all hours. Both are on Shoushan Road, Zhongzheng District, with no MRT; a taxi from Keelung Station is simplest.
Timing tips
- Coast first, market last. Heping Island closes at 18:00 or 19:00, and the night market is at its best from dusk.
- Catch Zhengbin near sunset if the sky is clear, then head back into town for dinner.
- Know the last train. On the weekday we checked, the last train from Keelung to Taipei left at 23:10.
- Bring cash for the night market.
- Check the weather. Heping Island closes when a typhoon or other disaster closes offices and schools.
Yehliu Geopark is along the coast from Keelung, and Keelung Bus 790 and 862 run there from the city, so you could see the Queen's Head in the morning and end the day at Miaokou. → Yehliu Geopark · All day trips from Taipei
Sources
Train times, fares and the last train from Taiwan Railway's timetable search (a weekday in November 2026). Miaokou Night Market, Zhengbin Fishing Port, Zhongzheng Park and Ershawan Battery from Keelung City's tourism site (night market, fishing port). Heping Island hours, tickets and typhoon closures from the geopark's website and admission page, the trail from its FAQ, and the address, landforms and bus from the Taiwan Tourism Administration. Buses to Yehliu from the Yehliu Geopark. Checked October 2026.