Alishan Forest Railway in Alishan

Part of the Alishan travel guide — see every topic in All Alishan Guides.

The Alishan Forest Railway is one of the great mountain railways of Asia. It was built in the early twentieth century, during Japanese rule, to carry cypress logs down from the high forest. The main line climbs from the plains at Chiayi to Alishan at about 2,200 metres, using spirals and zigzag switchbacks to gain height. Typhoons and landslides have damaged the line many times, and service has been restored in stages. Always check the current status and booking rules before you plan your trip.

A railway built for logging

The line opened in stages from the early 1910s. Its purpose was to bring timber from the old cypress forests of the Alishan range down to Chiayi. Small, powerful steam locomotives with geared drives, known as Shay engines, pulled the trains up steep grades. When large-scale logging ended, the railway became a passenger and tourist line. Some of the old steam engines are kept and shown at stations, and a few run on special occasions. Today the railway is managed by a government office for forestry and nature conservation.

Spirals and switchbacks

The line climbs more than two thousand metres. To do this, engineers used two clever methods. Near Dulishan, the track winds around a single hill in a series of spiral loops, so the train circles the same mountain as it rises. Higher up, the line uses zigzag switchbacks, where the train runs forward up one section, stops, and then runs backwards up the next. From the window, the forest changes from tropical trees and bamboo near the bottom to cool cypress forest near the top. It is one of the most interesting train rides in Taiwan.

Damage, repairs and current status

The mountains here are steep and wet, and heavy rain often causes landslides. In 2009, Typhoon Morakot badly damaged the main line, and parts of it were closed for many years. Since then, sections have reopened step by step, and trains have returned to more of the route. But service is limited, timetables change, and new storms can close sections again, especially in the typhoon and plum rain seasons. Do not assume that a train will run on your date. Check the official Alishan Forest Railway website for the current timetable and any closures shortly before you travel.

Branch lines in the forest

Inside the Alishan Forest Recreation Area, short branch lines link the main station with other points. The best known is the Zhushan line, which runs very early in the morning to take visitors up to the Zhushan sunrise viewpoint. The Shenmu line runs a short distance to the area of giant trees and the walking trails. These short trains are often easier to ride than the main line. The sunrise train time changes with the season and is usually posted at the station the day before. Check at your hotel or the station on arrival.

Tickets and booking rules

Seats on the main line are limited and sell out quickly, especially at weekends, on holidays and in cherry blossom season. Tickets are sold online through the official railway booking system and at stations. Booking opens a set number of days before travel, and the rules on how to collect and pay change from time to time, so read them carefully on the official site. Have a backup plan, such as the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus from Chiayi. Many visitors ride the train one way and take the bus the other way.

Alishan Forest Railway at a glance

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