Dongju–Xiju ferry: four round trips a day on the ten-minute Juguang Star hop

If you want to see both Dongju and Xiju in one day, write down two times first: the first boat leaves Qingfan Harbor on Xiju at 07:30, and the last one back leaves Meng'ao Harbor on Dongju at 17:20. In between, Juguang Shipping's Juguang Star makes four round trips, leaving Xiju at 07:30, 11:00, 14:30 and 17:10 and Dongju at 07:40, 11:10, 14:40 and 17:20.

Those eight times appear in three official places: the inter-island timetable of the Lienchiang County Transportation and Tourism Bureau (Matsu eTravel), the transport page of the Juguang Township Office and the Matsu National Scenic Area's English guide to inter-island transport. They match exactly, but none of them gives a validity period, so this page treats them as the standing timetable, checked on October 30, 2026. Tide and weather changes are posted separately by the operator.

The crossing itself takes about ten minutes. What catches visitors out is the Dongju end: the boat ties up at Meng'ao and leaves again almost at once, and the National Scenic Area itself advises arriving at the pier early.

Departures from Qingfan and the quick turnaround at Meng'ao

Standing timetable published identically by the Lienchiang County Transportation and Tourism Bureau, the Juguang Township Office and the Matsu National Scenic Area, with no start or end date. Checked October 30, 2026.   Matsu National Scenic Area – Inter-island Transport (Dongju ⇄ Xiju) · 2026-10-30

NT$80 at the waiting-room counter

The fare is the same in both directions and on every day of the week: NT$80 for an adult and NT$40 for a half-fare ticket, one way. The county timetable marks this route as pay on site, so in practice you walk into the waiting room at Meng'ao or Qingfan and buy a ticket for the next boat. The county booking system also lists the route and only takes bookings up to two months ahead.

Half fares are for people aged 65 and over, children from 3 to under 12, and people with disabilities plus one necessary companion. Free travel is limited to children under 3 in the booking system's table and to registered residents of Juguang or Lienchiang County, who have to show proof; a visitor from Taiwan or abroad pays the adult or the half fare.

Fares as listed by the Matsu booking system, Matsu eTravel, the Juguang Township Office and the Matsu National Scenic Area (no date given). Checked October 30, 2026.   Matsu sea transport booking system – fares (Dongju – Xiju) · 2026-10-30

Two small harbors, two waiting rooms

This boat has nothing to do with Fuao Harbor on Nangan: tickets are sold only on the two islands, in the waiting rooms at Meng'ao on Dongju and Qingfan on Xiju. The map pins come from the pier points mapped in OpenStreetMap and are there to help you find your way.

Where Meng'ao and Qingfan sit in Juguang

Juguang Township is made up of two islands, Dongju to the east and Xiju to the west. The Juguang Star runs east from Qingfan Harbor to Meng'ao Harbor. Matsu eTravel and the township give the crossing as about ten minutes; the Matsu National Scenic Area says ten to fifteen. Neither the county nor the operator publishes a distance.

Good to know before you board

• Buy at the pier

  The county timetable says tickets are sold on site, at the Meng'ao and Qingfan waiting rooms. The Matsu booking system also lists the route, with bookings opening two months ahead.

• Be early on Dongju

  The boat comes from Xiju, stops briefly at Meng'ao and goes straight back. The timetable says 07:40, 11:10, 14:40 and 17:20; the harbor board says five minutes later. Be in the waiting room by the earlier time.

• Tides and swell change times

  In late October 2026 Juguang Shipping altered sailings for typhoon swell (21 to 24 October) and moved the 11:00 boat earlier for a spring tide (25 to 27 October). Its notices say last-minute changes are announced over the township's public address system.

• A small boat

  According to Matsu eTravel, the Juguang Star was built in 2017, is 17.5 meters long and carries 49 passengers with a crew of two.

• Buses meet the piers

  Juguang's Happiness Bus has a Dongju line via Meng'ao pier and a Xiju line via Qingfan pier. A visitor ticket costs NT$15, paid in coins or with an EasyCard.

How this hop fits with the boat from Nangan

Most visitors reach Juguang on South North Shipping's boat from Nangan to Juguang. According to Matsu eTravel and the township, it calls at Xiju first in odd-numbered months and at Dongju first in even-numbered months. Whichever island you land on, the Juguang Star takes you to the other, and you can catch the Nangan boat back from either. Nangan is also where the ferry north to Dongyin leaves. You may also see South North Shipping's boats listed between Xiju and Dongju on the harbor board; that is a leg of their Nangan loop, with its own times and fares, and the NT$80 Juguang Star ticket is not valid on it.

Coming from Taiwan, you first take the overnight Taima ship from Keelung to Nangan and change there. When sea services are suspended, the township office and the Matsu National Scenic Area list a helicopter between Nangan and Juguang as the fallback, at NT$2,000 for visitors not registered in the county, booked through Ling Tian Aviation; it does not fly between Dongju and Xiju.

Crossing between Dongju and Xiju: your questions