Which ship goes from Nangan to Dongyin today, and when? It depends on the date. Under the county government's Taima and inter-island timetable, on odd dates the Taima Star leaves Nangan for Dongyin at 08:30 and the New Taima leaves Dongyin for Nangan at 06:30; on even dates the New Taima leaves Nangan at 09:30 and the Taima Star leaves Dongyin at 07:30. The Maritime and Port Bureau's list for 2 to 13 November 2026 largely follows that rule.
The reason is that both ships also sail to Keelung. The New Taima leaves Keelung on odd-dated evenings, drops passengers at Nangan the next morning and continues to Dongyin at 09:30; the other pair of times (Nangan 08:30 on odd dates, Dongyin 07:30 on even dates) belongs to the Taima Star. When one of the big ships is in for maintenance, sheltering from weather or needed elsewhere, the South North Star 2 takes over and the times shift.
That is why this page stops at November 13 and spells out every exception. Whether a sailing runs, and from which berth, is announced by All Ports the day before or on the day; in late October several sailings were cancelled or handed to the South North Star 2.
The bureau's list for early November, odd and even dates
Even dates: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 November
| No. | From Nangan – Fuao Harbor | From Dongyin – Zhongzhu Harbor |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 09:30 | 07:30 |
Odd dates: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 November
| No. | From Nangan – Fuao Harbor | From Dongyin – Zhongzhu Harbor |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 08:30 | 06:30 |
Maritime and Port Bureau (MOTC) domestic sailing list, lane C001 as filed by All Ports Shipping, 2 to 13 November 2026, checked against the Lienchiang County odd/even-date timetable. Each sailing is confirmed by the operator the day before or on the day. Checked October 30, 2026. Maritime and Port Bureau – domestic passenger ship schedule, Nangan Fuao – Dongyin Zhongzhu · 2026-10-30
NT$400 on any of the three ships
Whichever ship turns up, the fare for a visitor is the same: NT$400 one way for an adult and NT$200 for the half fare, available to seniors (65+), children who are at least 3 but not yet 12, and a disabled traveler with one essential companion. The county timetable quotes the same figures for the stand-in boats.
A child under 3 who does not take a seat travels on a NT$50 insurance ticket. Lower fares for registered Lienchiang residents need proof of residence and do not apply to visitors. The booking system takes reservations up to two months ahead.
| Adult | NT$400 |
| Half fare (65+, ages 3 to under 12, disability plus one companion) | NT$200 |
| Insurance ticket, under 3 without a seat | NT$50 |
Fares in the Matsu sea transport booking system and the Matsu eTravel timetable (no date given). Checked October 30, 2026. Matsu sea transport booking system – fares (Nangan – Dongyin) · 2026-10-30
Board at Fuao, land at Zhongzhu
The two ends work differently: on Nangan you can still buy on the morning of travel at the Fuao counter, but on Dongyin the ticket has to be bought at an office the day before.
Nangan – Fuao Harbor
The county booking system gives the ground floor of the Fuao Harbor passenger building as the place to buy tickets and board on Nangan. The exact gangway depends on the ship: in the late-October notices the South North Star 2 boarded at berth F3-B, while the New Taima used the new passenger building, with boarding from 08:30 and gates closing at 09:20. Tickets are sold at All Ports' Nangan office from 14:00 to 17:00 the day before, or at the ground-floor counter of the Fuao passenger service center on the morning itself.
Dongyin – Zhongzhu Harbor
On Dongyin you board at Zhongzhu Harbor, at the port building, but nothing is sold at the pier. All Ports' notices tell passengers to buy at its Dongyin office the day before, 14:00 to 17:00 or 19:00 to 19:30. The booking system also lists a Taima Star service desk on the ground floor of the Laoye Hotel next to the post office (29 Lehua Village), again for purchase the day before travel.
North from Nangan to Dongyin
Dongyin lies north of Nangan and the boats sail between the two without calling anywhere else. The Matsu National Scenic Area gives the crossing as about two hours. In the bureau's list the Taima Star and New Taima mostly arrive two hours after departure, while a South North Star 2 sailing on November 10 is listed from 07:30 to 09:00. No official distance is published. The pins mark the harbor points mapped in OpenStreetMap.
Before you book the Dongyin leg
- Check whether the date is odd or even
Odd dates: Nangan 08:30, Dongyin 06:30. Even dates: Nangan 09:30, Dongyin 07:30. November 4, 8, 9, 10 and 11 have exceptions, listed with the timetable.
- No ticket sales at Dongyin pier
Buy your ticket back to Nangan the afternoon before at the All Ports office on Dongyin or the Taima Star desk at the Laoye Hotel.
- Read the notice for your sailing
In late October this leg was cancelled or switched to the South North Star 2 on several days. All Ports posts the departure time and boarding point for each sailing under 'Latest news' on the Matsu booking site.
- Different ship, different gangway
The South North Star 2 has boarded at berth F3-B on Nangan, the New Taima at the new passenger building. On October 29, for example, boarding for the 09:30 South North Star 2 began at 09:00.
- Helicopter when boats stop
Only when sea services are suspended, Ling Tian Aviation flies Nangan–Dongyin; non-resident passengers pay NT$3,000, and each flight needs at least four registered residents.
Why this short hop follows the Keelung ships
This leg uses the same ships as the Keelung–Matsu night ship, so when that service is cancelled or rerouted the Dongyin leg changes too: on October 28, for instance, the Taima Star sailed from Keelung straight to Nangan and skipped Dongyin. The county timetable also says that when the New Taima or Taima Star is under maintenance, South North Shipping's Donghai Pearl or South North Star replaces it, with times posted separately.
The extra South North Star 2 sailings on November 8 (Nangan 16:30) and November 9 (Dongyin 07:30) were added on the authorities' instructions so that Dongyin residents could attend a theater event on Nangan; All Ports says they depend on the sea and will be confirmed at noon on November 7. From Nangan you can continue on the Nangan–Beigan ferry or the boat from Nangan to Juguang, and in Juguang the Dongju–Xiju ferry links its two islands.
Sailing between Nangan and Dongyin: questions
How often do boats cross between Nangan and Dongyin?
In the bureau's list for 2 to 13 November, usually one each way: Nangan 08:30 and Dongyin 06:30 on odd dates, Nangan 09:30 and Dongyin 07:30 on even dates, with extra South North Star 2 trips on the 4th, 8th and 9th.
Can I buy my ticket at Dongyin pier?
No. Tickets are not sold at the pier; buy them the afternoon before at the All Ports office on Dongyin or the Taima Star desk at the Laoye Hotel.
Does the South North Star 2 cost more?
No. Adults pay NT$400 one way and half-fare passengers NT$200 on any of the ships; children under 3 without a seat need a NT$50 insurance ticket.
How long is the crossing?
About two hours according to the Matsu National Scenic Area. The bureau lists most Taima Star and New Taima sailings arriving two hours after departure; a South North Star 2 sailing on November 10 is listed 07:30 to 09:00.
What about sailings after November 13?
They were not yet in the bureau's default list when we checked. All Ports posts each day's sailings under 'Latest news' on the Matsu sea transport booking site.
Is there another way to Dongyin when the boats are cancelled?
A Ling Tian Aviation helicopter flies only when sea transport is suspended: NT$3,000 for visitors, departing Nangan at 11:00 and returning from Dongyin at 11:20 when there is a single flight, and only with at least four registered residents on board.