After 15 years of silence, Taiwan’s iconic Alishan Forest Railway has come roaring back to life. Full service resumed in July 2024 following a lengthy and challenging restoration that overcame typhoon damage, landslides, and collapsed tunnels. Today, the train offers a breathtaking ride through Taiwan’s misty cloud forests and the heart of Indigenous Tsou territory.
A crimson diesel engine pulls vintage coaches from steamy Chiayi to Alishan Station, perched 2,216 meters above sea level. The 71-kilometer climb winds through 50 tunnels and crosses 77 bridges, with switchbacks so tight you can spot your train curving along distant ridges.
Built in 1912 during Japanese colonial rule to haul cedar and cypress logs, the line was shattered by Typhoon Morakot in 2009. Since then, engineers and local Tsou villagers have painstakingly rebuilt the track ? often by hand ? transforming it from a broken lumber route into Taiwan’s most scenic rolling classroom.
Each stop feels like a small adventure. At Lumachan, passengers can grab a turkey-rice lunchbox to enjoy while watching green paddies ripple in the breeze. At Fenqihu, a wooden loco shed showcases soot-dark tools and vintage Shay steam engines from the old logging days.
Fireflies glow under towering cedars at night, and flying squirrels leap between trunks. Time-honored traditions live on: the conductor exchanges a brass token with the stationmaster at every stop to confirm the next single-track stretch is clear.
Securing a spot on the Alishan Forest Railway can be challenging, with only two daily departures and limited seating. However, it is an invaluable experience and a moving tribute to resilience, nature, and heritage.
May For The Teen Times teen/1751271026/1613367697
1. Why did the train stop running before?
2. Where does the train start and end?
3. What do fireflies and squirrels do at night?
4. Why is the train ride special?
1. Would you like to ride the Alishan train?
2. Do you like looking at mountains and trees?
3. Why is nature important to protect?
4. Do you want to visit Taiwan someday?
After 15 years of silence, Taiwan’s iconic Alishan Forest Railway has come roaring back to life. Full service resumed in July 2024 following a lengthy and challenging restoration that overcame typhoon damage, landslides, and collapsed tunnels. Today, the train offers a breathtaking ride through Taiwan’s misty cloud forests and the heart of Indigenous Tsou territory.
Each stop feels like a small adventure. At Lumachan, passengers can grab a turkey-rice lunchbox to enjoy while watching green paddies ripple in the breeze. At Fenqihu, a wooden loco shed showcases soot-dark tools and vintage Shay steam engines from the old logging days.
