Train travel has been gaining traction ever since COVID-19 sparked a love for slow travel amongst explorers. While our tiny little red dot does offer some delightful scenic bus rides, our MRT lines don’t really fare well in that area. You might want to consider a more scenic train ride elsewhere — like the Alishan Forest Railway in Taiwan that has cherry blossoms, spectacular mountains, misty forests and a wealth of natural beauty far beyond what the HDB flats outside of our MRT windows can offer.
About the Alishan Forest Railway
The Alishan Forest Railway is one of the three remaining steep-gradient alpine railways in the world (and the highest one in Asia!). The trains turned 111 years old in 2023, but it’s still chugging along the tracks that were built during the Japanese Occupation of Taiwan for transportation of the now-endangered Taiwan cypress trees down the mountain.
It’s also one of the Five Wonders of Alishan, and will serve as a connection to the four other wonders – the forests, sea of clouds, sunrise, and sunset.
Of course, as with the influence of the Japanese, there’s a certain Spirited Away vibe to the locomotives. There are two types of locomotives that you can catch: the regular red diesel train on regular days and the cypress-themed Shay steam locomotive that runs once a week.
If we’re lucky, we‘ll be able to take their newest addition to the fleet, the Formosensis carriages, in 2024. Although it doesn’t have the retro vibes of the older locomotives, it’s definitely more comfortable, with air conditioning, plush leather seats, and larger viewing windows.
Overview of the Alishan Forest Railway Route
The Alishan Forest Railway is split into two sections — the Main (Mountain) Line and the Branch Lines within the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area. The Recreation Area is also where all the tourist attractions are gathered. Due to damaged tracks from a typhoon, the Main Line ends at Shizilu. Passengers can choose to take a bus to the Recreation Area from Shizilu or from Fenqihu, which happens to be one of the major stations that you have to visit!
Your journey will begin at Chiayi Station. If you aren’t at Chiayi City yet, you can take the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR), a normal train (TRA), or private charter to get there. It’s a three-hour journey from Chiayi to Shizilu, with 10 stops along the way (not including stations closed for renovations). In contrast, the journey time of the Branch Lines in the Recreation Park will take around 10 minutes.
The centennial railway will pass through 47 tunnels, 72 bridges, a myriad of climates and terrain types. You’ll spot flora and fauna from three different forest zones on your journey, tropical, subtropical, and temperate.
What to look out for on the Main Line
Snag a seat on the right-hand side of the train for the best views when travelling uphill and on the left when running downhill.
From Chiayi Station, the train travels along relatively flat terrain before beginning a long spiralling climb up Dulishan. Before the climb, you’ll pass by Beimen Station, Lumachan Station, and Zhuqi Station which are the only three remaining cypress wooden stations from the 1900s.
Unfortunately, Beimen and Lumachan Station are closed for renovations, but you can still snap photos of the Japanese-styled Beimen Station that once served as the main hub of the railway from the passing train.
After Zhuqi Station, you’ll get more photo opportunities as the train navigates a series of horseshoe or U-shaped bends, allowing you to capture stunning shots of the train itself.
You’ll be able to admire the beautiful landscape of valleys and rivers between towering mountains, including the rocky Tashan as you circle up Dulishan.
Although the main line ends at Shizilu, here’s hoping that the entire railway will complete repairs by July 2024 as announced, so you can experience the famous ‘Alishan Switchback’ where the train travels in reverse to get up the mountain! It used to be quite the show when train conductors would jump out of the train to manually switch the track direction and jump back on when it began to move.
Fenqihu Station
Fenqihu Station is the largest rest station of the Alishan Forest Railway. In the past, train personnel and workers would take their breaks here, contributing to the bento (Japanese lunchboxes) culture that has since become a must-try for every tourist passing through.
Stroll down the Old Street selling Taiwanese delicacies like donuts, aiyu jelly, the high mountain teas of Alishan, and of course, the ‘Alishan Railway Lunchbox’. There’s also a locomotive museum if you’re into trains.
You can also embark on several trails like the Fenqihu Forest Trail or the Fenrui Historic Trail which will make you feel like you’re in a historical C-drama with an incredibly tall and dense bamboo forest.
Shizilu Station
Shizilu Station is dubbed as the ‘Crossroad’ station as it has roads leading to different indigenous tribal villages and historical trails. Now, instead of aborigines, tourists alight at the last station to take photos with the iconic Alishan train, tracks and unique stone tunnel before continuing on their journey up the mountain.
Spot the European-style B&Bs against the backdrop of the scenic mountains, and check out the peak of Tashan breaking through a sea of clouds on a misty day at the wooden observation deck.
Once you’re ready to continue your journey, take the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle 7322 or 7329 to the main tourist area, the Recreation Park.
What to look out for on the Branch Lines
The Alishan Forest Railway serves three branch lines and their eponymous stations: Chushan (Zhushan) Line, Shenmu Line, Chaoping (Zhaoping) Line. Two defunct lines, Shuishan Line and Mianyue Line, are still open for visitors to explore the tracks and trail.
It is at the Recreation Park where all the five wonders of Alishan are gathered in one place. You’ll also be able to catch Yoshino cherry blossoms from March to early April, with vibrant peach blossoms and wisteria following into the late spring.
That being said, blooming times differ each year due to climate changes, so you should check official websites to get an accurate forecast before booking any tickets.
Chushan (Zhushan) Line
Chushan Line is also known as the Sunrise Line, as it used to lead to Chushan Station where the Zhushan Sunrise Observation Deck was located. Due to reconstruction works at the Chushan Station, the train will now end at Duigaoyue Station, where you can still get to witness a dazzling sunrise at the station itself.
You can also choose to take a 20 minute walk over to the Zhushan Sunrise Observation Deck from the station, or at the Xiaoliyuan (Ogasawara) Mountain Observation Deck further ahead that has a 360-degree unobstructed view of the skies and mountains.
Chushan Line has another nickname: the Red Leaf Line. During autumn, crimson trees and autumn foliage cover every inch of the tracks, creating a romantic ride that will only add to your sunrise experience.
Chushan Line only has two trains, one to Duigaoyue Station in the wee hours of the morning and back to Alishan Station after the sunrise. Tickets and departure times of the train will only be released at 4.30pm the day before.
Shenmu Line
Shenmu Line services the Shenmu Station, which leads to every forest bathers’ favourite spot — the Giant Tree Plank Trail, featuring colossal, ancient red cypress trees shrouded in an ethereal mist.
Shenmu means ‘sacred tree’ in Chinese. The Line was named after the 3,000 year old Sacred Tree that you can visit down the trail, and you shouldn’t miss the Three-Generation Tree that is a popular phototaking spot as well.
You can also find a fantastic sunset viewing spot at Ciyun Temple that is just a short walk from Shenmu Station.
Chaoping (Zhaoping) Line
Those captivating photos that you might’ve seen online, the ones that make you wonder if it’s actually Japan or Alishan — well, they were all captured at none other than Chaoping Station. Known as the “Cherry Blossom Railway”, the Chaoping Line is without doubt the face of the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, offering the perfect backdrop for capturing the dreamiest of photographs.
Zhaoping Park, located right beside the station, hosts the King Cherry (Sakura King), a 1,000 year old tree that is the marker of the blooming season. Stroll through a shower of pink petals in this park boasting the densest population of cherry blossom trees in all of Taiwan.
Don’t worry if you end up missing the cherry blossom season; depending on which time you go, there’ll be other flowers like camellias, hydrangea, azaleas, or begonias to welcome you instead.
Many visitors often choose to walk down from Chaoping Station to Shenmu Station, immersing themselves in the serene nature while exploring renowned attractions such as Sisters Pond and Shouzhen Temple en route.
Taking the Alishan Forest Railway may not be your fastest option in getting to Alishan, but it certainly offers a more picturesque, cost-effective, and comfortable alternative compared to the public bus options, which left many complaining of motion sickness, being unable to fully enjoy the breathtaking scenery by their window.
It’s a vacation after all, so why not embrace the leisurely pace and go on a magical ride through lush forests and enchanting blossoms?
You can check the timetable details of the Main Line here and the Branch Lines here. Tickets for the Alishan Forest Railway can be booked here. They sell out very quickly, so I definitely would recommend getting your tickets at least 12 days earlier.
P.S. If you’re interested in embarking on more of these leisurely train rides, you should check out the Eastern & Oriental Express that’s making a comeback in 2024 with a Singapore-Malaysia itinerary!
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