Guides · Cycling in Taiwan
Bring Your Bike to Taiwan｜Airline Baggage Rules
Planning to fly your own bike to Taiwan? From packing and checking it in, to clearing customs, to getting your bike and bags from the airport to your starting point. Every step has details worth knowing. This guide summarizes official checked-bike policies from EVA Air, China Airlines, STARLUX, JAL, and ANA, plus customs and Taiwan Railway rules, all linked to their sources, so you can sort it all out before you leave.
Packing Your Bike, Hard Case or Bike Bag
Before you fly with your bike, decide how to pack it. International travelers typically use one of two methods. A hard-shell bike case or a soft bike bag. A bike bag usually means partially disassembling the bike (removing the front wheel, sometimes the handlebar and pedals) and packing it into a soft bag. Compact and easy to carry, but with less protection. A hard case protects the bike better, but is bulkier, harder to move through the airport, and some airlines factor its size into baggage limits.
EVA Air and STARLUX Airlines both specify packing details on their websites. Tires must be deflated, the handlebar rotated 90 degrees and secured, and pedals removed or folded inward, packed in a sturdy box or dedicated bike bag. Plastic bags and similar flimsy packaging are not accepted. China Airlines requires a sturdy box or dedicated bike bag as well, to avoid damaging other checked baggage or the bike itself. Packing requirements vary by airline, so check the website of the airline you are flying with before you go. Packing to spec lowers the risk of damage or refusal at check-in.
Checked Bike Policies, Airline by Airline
Whether a bike counts toward your free baggage allowance, whether there is a size limit, and whether you must notify the airline in advance: every carrier answers these differently, so do not settle for a "generally speaking" summary. The table below covers six airlines commonly flown out of Taiwan, verified against each airline's own website on 9 September 2026. Always check the carrier's current policy before you fly.
EVA Air's sporting-equipment charges move to a new schedule for travel on or after 29 September 2026, the most recent substantive change in this set. The old free-of-oversize-fee threshold was 277 cm total dimensions; the new one drops to 203 cm, and 203 to 292 cm now costs 3 excess baggage pieces. The surcharge for a single item of 23 to 32 kg also rises from 0.5 piece to 1 piece. Which schedule applies depends on both your ticketing date and your travel date: ticketed on or before 28 September and travelling on or before 28 September, everything follows the old rules; ticketed on or before 28 September but travelling between 29 September 2026 and 31 March 2027, the size and weight limits follow the old rules while the rates follow the new ones; travelling after 31 March 2027, everything follows the new rules.
China Airlines lists bicycles as "exceptional sporting equipment," a category limited by weight only, with no total-dimension limit. The line on their site about paying two excess baggage pieces above 292 cm applies to sporting equipment outside that exception list, not to bicycles, so the number is not one you need to worry about.
- EVA Air: deflate the tyres, turn the handlebars 90 degrees and secure them, and fix the pedals inward or remove them. A dedicated hard case or a sealed cardboard box is required; the airline reserves the right to refuse other easily damaged packaging. E-bikes must have the battery removed before they can be checked.
- China Airlines: tyres must be deflated. A hard-shell case or sealed cardboard box is required; a soft professional bike bag is accepted only if you sign a limited release tag, and simple plastic carrier bags are refused.
- STARLUX: deflate the tyres, turn the handlebars 90 degrees and secure them, and fix the pedals inward or remove them. A professional bike bag or sealed cardboard box is required; plastic bags and other fragile packaging are refused.
- Tigerair Taiwan: one bicycle per passenger, packed in a protective box or bike bag. Fully deflate the tyres, align the handlebars with the frame, remove the pedals or align them with the frame, and wrap the drivetrain. The site does not explicitly refuse plastic bags, but it does require packaging with a protective structure.
- JAL: a protective case or cover is the requirement; disassembled and folded bikes are also accepted, so taking it apart is not compulsory. The site takes no position on pedal-assist e-bikes, so check with JAL before flying with one.
- ANA: the airline states plainly that it is not responsible for damage or loss caused by inadequate packaging or protection.
| Airline | Advance notice | Free allowance | Size limit | Weight and charges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EVA Air | Notify when booking; the airline also suggests contacting reservations 48 hours before departure | Counts toward the free allowance | For travel from 29 Sep 2026: free up to 203 cm total, 3 excess pieces for 203 to 292 cm, above 292 cm only if the hold can take it | 1 excess piece for 23 to 32 kg, 3 pieces for 32 to 45 kg with airline approval, over 45 kg not accepted |
| China Airlines | Notify when booking | Counts toward the free allowance | Listed as exceptional sporting equipment, no total-dimension limit | Weight only; excess charges apply once you pass your free allowance |
| STARLUX | Notify when booking, and contact customer service or file the online form 24 hours before departure (business days) | Counts toward the free allowance | Free up to 292 cm total, 2 excess pieces above 292 cm and only if the hold can take it | Per your cabin allowance; charges apply once you exceed pieces, weight or size |
| Tigerair Taiwan | Once packed, a bike over 203 cm or 30 kg counts as oversized baggage and the airline says you must contact customer service beforehand; below that it only recommends calling ahead | Counted within your checked baggage weight | 203 cm total, with no single side over 100 cm | Over 30 kg or 203 cm is treated as oversized baggage, TWD 550 to 950 per piece depending on where you arrange it (booking, manage booking, call centre, airport counter); 45 kg maximum per piece |
| JAL | Contact JAL in advance if the total exceeds 203 cm, if it cannot be laid on its side and stands over 150 cm (79 cm on any side for Boeing 737 aircraft), or if it weighs over 32 kg | Counts toward the free allowance | 203 cm total | 32 kg in First and Business, 23 kg in Premium Economy and Economy; JPY 10,000 for 23 to 32 kg, JPY 60,000 for 32 to 45 kg, and JPY 20,000 for a total over 203 cm |
| ANA | Contact ANA in advance above 203 cm | Counts toward the free allowance | No oversize fee from 158 to 292 cm (still subject to aircraft and route limits), above 292 cm not accepted | Per your cabin allowance; excess charges apply beyond it |
E-Bikes and Lithium Batteries Always Need Individual Confirmation
Because e-bikes have a built-in lithium battery, this is the part of trip planning most likely to go wrong. And where outdated information circulates most. Airline policies are not consistent. EVA Air's website explicitly states that e-bikes must have the battery removed before they can be checked in as a regular bicycle. ANA's website, on the other hand, lists electric bicycles as an exception to its rules on electric mobility devices (like hoverboards and self-balancing scooters). Meaning ANA allows e-bikes under certain conditions, though the exact watt-hour (Wh) threshold and requirements are not spelled out on the page, so you will need to contact their customer service directly.
China Airlines and JAL's websites currently do not mention any e-bike-specific policy. Contact the airline's customer service directly before you fly to confirm whether e-bikes are accepted and whether the battery needs to be removed. Do not assume "e-bikes are never allowed on flights," and do not assume every airline follows EVA Air's approach.
Lithium battery rules change frequently, and regulators keep updating them, for example, Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration followed a new ICAO rule in 2026 limiting passengers to two power banks and banning in-flight charging. But that rule targets power banks, not e-bike batteries directly. E-bike battery policy still comes down to each airline's website or customer service response. Rules can change, so always double-check the latest announcement before you fly.
How Customs Treats Your Bike When You Enter Taiwan
Taiwan customs has no bicycle-specific duty-free provision. Bikes fall under the general rule for travelers' personal effects. Under Article 11 of the Regulations Governing the Declaration, Inspection, and Taxation of Baggage Carried by Passengers on Entry, personal, already-used items are duty-free if a single item's assessed value is NT$10,000 or less and customs approves; and remain duty-free if the total value of your other personal effects is NT$35,000 or less. This exemption does not apply if there is evidence of commercial intent, or if you have entered or exited Taiwan 2 or more times within 30 days or 6 or more times within 6 months.
In practice, a bike you actually ride yourself. Used and for personal use, will usually fall within the duty-free threshold, though the final call is made by customs officers on the spot. Before you travel, it is worth roughly estimating the total value of your bike and gear; if you are close to or over the threshold, declaring through the red channel is the safer option.
E-bikes involve additional rules around commodity tax, registration, and import permits, since the duty-free logic for standard bicycles does not apply the same way. Check with Taiwan's Customs Administration or your airline before you travel to understand the specifics, rather than finding out the rules differ once you are already at the checkpoint.
Getting Your Bike and Bags to Town After You Land
Once you have collected your bike and luggage, the next question is how to get from the airport to your hotel or starting point. All four international airports. Taoyuan, Taipei Songshan, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. Have arrival halls to navigate, but a bike box or bike bag is bulky and will not always fit in a regular taxi's trunk. Transferring via MRT or bus means dealing with station access, carrying everything up and down platforms, and rush-hour crowds. Moving a full set of gear on your own is not easy.
24EZGO's airport bike transfer service exists to solve exactly this part of the trip. One vehicle carries you, your bike, and your luggage together. No disassembly, no transfers. So you can head straight to your hotel or starting point the day you land. It covers all four airports (Taoyuan TPE, Taipei Songshan TSA, Taichung RMQ, Kaohsiung KHH), and the vehicles can carry bike cases, bike bags, and oversized luggage. If your trip also includes a round-island tour or a race, follow-on transfers and support can be arranged as part of the same plan.
Bringing Your Bike on the Railway to Get Around Taiwan
Beyond airport transfers, if your trip also involves Taiwan Railway, the Taiwan Railway Administration offers three ways to bring a bike on board, each with different rules and eligible trains:
- Bike bag: Fold or disassemble your bike and pack it into a bike bag to carry as hand luggage. Allowed on every train, with no extra fee. Once packed, the bag cannot exceed 150 cm in length or 220 cm in combined length, width, and height; the bike must be fully enclosed with nothing exposed, and it cannot be taken out of the bag before entering or after exiting the ticket gates.
- Bike-with-rider: Bring the whole bike into the same carriage as you. Only available at select stations, with limited capacity per train. Check availability in advance.
- Bike as checked baggage: Treated like oversized luggage, carried in a separate car from passengers. Only available on trains with a baggage car attached.
- The Taroko Express and some Tze-Chiang trains have no space for oversized luggage in their carriages, so even a bagged bike may not be allowed. Always check Taiwan Railway's official website or the Bike Train (兩鐵列車) site for the latest rules on which trains allow it.
Sources
- 交通部民用航空局 - 機場分佈圖
- 全國法規資料庫 - 入境旅客攜帶行李物品報驗稅放辦法
- 交通部民用航空局 - 旅客搭機限帶2個行動電源公告
- China Airlines - Special Baggage
- 長榮航空 - 運動器材
- STARLUX Airlines - 特殊行李 (運動器材)
- 台灣虎航 - 行李規定 (運動器材)
- 台灣虎航 - 手提及託運行李費用
- JAL FAQ - Can I check my sports bicycle as baggage?
- ANA - Bicycles and Sporting Equipment (International Flights)
- ANA - Items With Conditions Attached to Their Carry-on or Check-in
- 台灣鐵路管理局 - 攜帶自行車搭乘臺鐵列車有三種方式
Rules and road conditions change — always check the official announcements before you travel.
Related guides
- Getting from Taoyuan Airport to the Ten-Day Traverse Start Line in Kaohsiung
- Flying a Bike from Korea to Taiwan, Baggage Rules and What It Actually Costs
- TPE Taoyuan Airport Bike Pickup & Transfer
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