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 need to notify the airline in advance. All of this varies by carrier. Do not lump them together as "generally speaking." Here is a summary of official policies from five carriers commonly flown by international cyclists. EVA Air, China Airlines, STARLUX, JAL, and ANA. Always check the airline's own website for the current policy before you fly:
- EVA Air: Notify at the time of booking. Only non-motorized touring or racing single-seat bicycles are accepted. Classified as special sporting equipment. Weight-limited, not size-limited. And can be included in your free baggage allowance. A 0.5-piece excess fee applies for 23–32 kg, a 3-piece excess fee for 32–45 kg (airline approval required), and bikes over 45 kg are not accepted. EVA Air recommends contacting reservations 48 hours before departure to confirm cargo space.
- China Airlines: Contact CI at the time of booking. The website states only non-motorized single-seat touring or racing bicycles are accepted. Classified as special sporting equipment. Weight-limited, not size-limited. And can be included in your free baggage allowance. If the total dimensions of the full set of equipment exceed 292 cm, a fee equivalent to 2 excess pieces applies.
- STARLUX Airlines: Notify at the time of booking. Only regular or racing bicycles are accepted, packed in a professional transport bag or sealed box. Plastic bags and similar packaging are not accepted. A 2-piece excess fee applies if total dimensions exceed 292 cm, and acceptance depends on cargo space. If the bike exceeds 32 kg or the recommended size, contact customer service at least 24 hours before departure (excluding holidays).
- Japan Airlines (JAL): Within standard size limits, bikes are included in your free baggage allowance; fees apply only for excess. Bikes must be packed in a protective case or cover. Disassembled or folded bikes are accepted if within regulations. Oversized items must be declared in advance.
- All Nippon Airways (ANA): No advance notice is required within standard size limits; for bikes over 203 cm, contact ANA directly. Bikes between 158–292 cm are exempt from oversize fees (subject to aircraft type and route), and bikes over 292 cm are not accepted. ANA is not responsible for damage if the bike is not adequately packed or protected.
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)
- 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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