From Taipei, I took HSR from Taipei Metro Station to Chiayi HSR station. It took about 1 hour 25mins to reach Chiayi HSR station. I bought the ticket at the counter for 1080 TWD one way. To track your HSR station, I would suggest downloading the ibus公路客运. It is a very useful apps. I tracked my location in the HSR train towards chiayi station. The train was a good ride with the maximum speed that I could see was at 299km/hour. Amazing speed. At chiayi HSR station, there were only 4 buses in a day to go to Alishan. The buses are 7329 and 7329A at 9.30am, 10.10am, 10am and 13.10pm. both buses 7329 and 7329A have the same bus routes and final stop at Alishan bus stop. The only difference is that the 7329A will stop at Fenqihu station. Please check the timetable again on the website. There are plenty of buses from chiayi train station to Alishan bus stop. Upon arrived at chiayi HSR station, go to exit 2 and platform 7 to catch the bus to Alishan. You can pay with cash or an easy card. If you choose to pay with cash, please kindly pay the exact fare 278 TWD for one way as the driver might not always return the balance. I came on non peak season, just walk in and get on the bus. It took about 2 hours and 25mins to the last stop at Alishan bus stop. Before you get off the bus, the bus driver will give you a yellow paper that can give you up to 50% discount when you purchase the Alishan national park entrance ticket which the normal ticket is 300TWD. So if you present the ticket, you only need to pay 150TWD. If you are staying at Alishan, then you have to call your hotel to get the free shuttle to pick you up at the 7-eleven shop (exactly the same place the bus drops you off at the Alishan bus stop). There are many ways to travel around Alishan national park, if you are planning to watch sunrise at Zhushan then you are advisable to buy the ticket one day before (office only open till 4.30pm) or on the spot. One way ticket is 150TWD. You can buy the ticket at the Alishan train station. You can also buy a return ticket at the same time. The train can get very packed because there is no seat number. First come first serve basics. If you can't get the seats then you need to be packed like a canned sardine by standing. Remember there is only one train to go back from zhushan station to Alishan or zhaoping station. Please ask the staff. During my visit, the train left from zhushan station by 6.20am. If you miss the train then you have to walk down for an hour plus to the town. Zhushan station is cold at around 15 degree Celsius. So please wear some warm jackets. Regarding the hiking trails in Alishan, you can basically walk around all over by yourselves without any guide or public transportation. But I will advise you to take E-bus (60TWD for one way or return is 100TWD. Only buy from the counter) from Alishan town to zhaoping station then from there you can walk to Shuishan giant tree for about 45mins. If you take the E-bus, once you get off the bus and you are facing the train railway, then turn left and walk down the road. From there, there are two ways to go to Shuishan giant tree. First one is to take the main pavement road on your left and pass the guard house on your right, walk up the small slopes for around 900m until you see the colourful pavement and then turn to right into the hiking trail, till you see the giant tree and walk back via the abandoned railway track. Second route is when you get off the E-bus then you turn left and walk down the road till you see the railway track on your left then walk all the way in till you see the giant tree and go back thru the pavement road and get out via the guard house. I would suggest taking the first route as it is much easier and less tiring. After you are done with the shuishan giant tree, then go back to the Zhaoping train station and walk towards the Alishan hotel. You will be able to see the sign of going to the sisters ponds. Just follow the signboards and the pathway.It is less than 15mins walk to sister ponds. Then follow the path you can go to shenmu trainstation