1

There are lots choices to go to Hualien from Taipei:

1. Railway
There are two kinds of HSR and there are marks in the column of Train Type
(1) Taroko
(2) Puyuma
Tze-Chiang Express has lots series and Taroko & Puyuma are two of them (Same price).
HSR takes about 2 hours from Taipei to Hualien and costs NTD 440.
In fact, there are other choices. For example: Fu-Hsing Semi Express 684 take about 2.5h but costs NTD 200 only.
Therefore, you don't have to take HSR to Hualien.
The only difference is that you have to buy ticket reserved seat for HSR.
But you can take other type train with non-reserved ticket.(You can sit on any seat without people sitting on it)

How to buy a reserved ticket:
(1) Pay on TRA website with credit card
(2) Booking on website and pay within 2 days (You can pay in Railyway stations or 7-11, There are over 5,000 7-11 in Taiwan)

2. Bus+Railway
There is a kind of union tickets.
Take Bus to Luodong(or Yilan) from Taipei (near Taipei Railway Station)+ Take train to Hualien from Luodong(or Yilan)
http://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/554463_10151323876931839_1321868455_n.jpg
Cost about NTD 222.
But a little complex.

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Suggestion:
(1)Pay with credit card 14 days in advance
(2)Booking 2 days before arriving and pay in 7-11 in airport
(3)Buy non-reserved ticket (20% discount)
(4)Bus+Railway

Question 3:
You can check the weather forecast in Central Weather Bureau
And there are special weather forecast for National Taroko Park
It's almost sunny day in Hualien and over 20 C in Hualien.
There are 7-11 everywhere. You can buy cheap raincoat and umbrella there if necessary.

2

Almost everything has already been said very well above, but one thing to be aware of is that express train tickets to Hualien from Taipei are apparently notoriously hard to get these days because demand is very high. If you don't mind taking extra time, the slower trains are a lot easier.
Thee are also flights from Songshan airport (on the MRT line) in Taipei to Hualien with Trans Asia Airlines (which can be booked online through their English language website), although a good deal more expensive of course, although online fares can be bought for around NT$1,100.

3

Hey there, thanks both of you for the additional information. I did not know that there are other options instead of just tze chiang express and taroko express that i can take. Great information here, and i guess you are right, everyone is making a trip to Hualien, hence and thereby causing tickets to sell out fast. But knowing that i can go via Luodong, so thats fine. I will check up on that.

Thanks for the information. !

4

So to buy online you also have to wait to a time within two weeks of your travel date? Thanks!