Forest Railway Journey: Rediscovering Alishan's Healing & Learning Experience

However, the changes in Alishan at this moment go beyond just the renewal of transportation with the full railway restoration. It's as if Alishan has awakened from hibernation, ready to welcome visitors with a different face. Why not change your previous impressions of Alishan and head up the mountain again for a deep "forest breath"!

Alishan Forest Railway Resumes Full Service
The "Alishan Line," as the main line of the forest railway, departs from a dedicated platform inside TRA Chiayi Station, passes through Beimen Station - the headquarters of the forest railway - before heading up the mountain, with the terminus at Alishan Station inside the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, covering a total distance of 71.6 kilometers. The departure point at Chiayi Station is only 30 meters above sea level, while Alishan Station sits at 2,216 meters.

Starting from July 7, 2024, there are two pairs of trains running up and down the mountain daily: one pair departs from Chiayi Station, passing through Beimen and Fenqihu, traveling to and from Alishan Station. The other pair only runs between Chiayi Station and Shizilu Station midway; travelers can then transfer to Taiwan Tourist Shuttle or Chiayi County buses to reach the Forest Recreation Area.

Additionally, the "Vivid Express" train operated by travel agencies features a blue and white color design concept inspired by the endemic bird species "Collared Bush Robin," also known as the "Alishan Robin." Its onboard service breaks from conventional frameworks, combining refined five-sense experiences of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Passengers can admire the constantly changing scenery while traveling, listen to professional in-depth guided tours, enjoy the fresh fragrance of high mountain tea and magnolia flowers filling the carriages, and savor snacks made with local ingredients prepared by the crew, offering travelers diverse enjoyment.


The Alishan Forest Railway resumes full service after 15 years of suspension

Forest Stroll on Shuishan Trail
Within the Forest Recreation Area, there is a former Shuishan Line railway (also known as the Dongpu Line or Duoduo Ka Line) that once served forestry work areas. After trains stopped running and the line was abandoned, the original corridor was converted into a hiking trail open to the public. This approximately 1.6-kilometer "Shuishan Giant Tree Trail" (formerly called "Shuishan Trail") has no steep slopes along the way since it was originally built for trains, making it very easy to walk. It's suitable for families with children to take a leisurely stroll, and also perfect for solo travelers to freely enjoy an agri-healing & learning journey.

The starting point of Shuishan Giant Tree Trail is at the level crossing beside Jingguang Villa, just about a 5-minute walk from the forest railway's Zhaoping Station. Nearby facilities include the Alishan Salamander Hall, Ecological Education Center, and Taiwan Pleione Display Area.

Along the route, there are old railway tracks winding through cedar forests, bridges built to imitate traditional wooden trusses, and a simple platform showing the former Shuishan Station. Travelers strolling along the trail can enjoy the natural environment embraced by the "Three Treasures of the Forest" - activated oxygen, negative ions, and phytoncides. With good luck (and sharp eyesight), there's also a chance to spot natural residents such as Formosan macaques, Reeves's muntjacs, sambar deer, ferret-badgers, Swinhoe's pheasants, emerald doves, or Mikado pheasants, showcasing rich ecological resources. The Shuishan Giant Tree at the trail's end is approximately 1,080 years old, over 30 meters tall, and can be considered the largest giant tree in the Forest Recreation Area.

Enjoying the Mountains at Your Own Pace
Since 2017, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency has been promoting the concept of forest healing in 8 national forest recreation areas, including Alishan. They have also collaborated with the "Taiwan Forest Health Association" to plan Taiwan's exclusive forest healing courses and train professional forest healing guides. If you have the opportunity to experience nature's vitality under the guidance of a forest healing guide, the rewards for body, mind, and spirit will surely be even more fulfilling.

The Chiayi Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency has also developed another "Shuishan Healing Trail" from around the 2.5-kilometer mark of Zhushan Forest Road leading to the Shuishan Giant Tree, which can form a V-shaped route with the existing Shuishan Giant Tree Trail. It was officially opened in March 2023. This new 863-meter route is Taiwan's first healing trail, featuring four spaces along the way: "Shuishan Classroom," "Forest Seat," "Imagination Ground," and "Forest Sky Cinema," with different healing activities designed for travelers to experience.

In these locations, instead of traditional rigid information boards, there are four domestically produced Japanese cedar posts marked with the characters "He" (close), "Tu" (exhale), "Cang" (hide), and "Wo" (lie down), with built-in Bluetooth to broadcast healing content. Travelers can download the "Forest Tour Alishan" APP and follow the guidance for self-guided healing activities, free from time constraints or the need to join forest healing groups.

Even if you want to completely turn off your phone and not be disturbed, travelers can still comfortably enjoy these spaces and receive the mountain forest's gifts at their own pace.


Shuishan Giant Tree

Combining Rail and Road for a Leisurely Tour
For information about forest railway trains and booking methods, please visit their official website. During the summer vacation period when service just resumed, it may be difficult to book seats on forest railway trains and travel agency themed trains. Travelers might consider arranging a combination of "one forest railway trip + one Taiwan Tourist Shuttle trip" to cover scenic spots along both railway and highway routes.

For travel information about the Alishan area, please refer to the Alishan National Scenic Area website, which includes route maps, timetables, and real-time updates for the "Taiwan Tourist Shuttle." The Taiwan Tourist Shuttle bus stops at Chukou Visitor Center, Eryanping Trail, Xiding, Shizhuo, Shizi Village, and Youth Activity Center along the way from Chiayi to Alishan.

Shengli Farm, a Tian Mama restaurant in Xiding, is praised for its dishes featuring Alishan tea, and the farm's beautiful tea garden scenery also attracts many photography enthusiasts; Jinglong Coffee Estate combines highlights of coffee, tea gardens, accommodation, and wagyu hot pot all in one. In Shizhuo, agritourism operators like Longyun Leisure Farm and Yunlong Cottage have jointly promoted Taiwan's first privately established "Natural Ecological Conservation Area," with rich flora and fauna resources across over 400 hectares of forestland. During the period when Shizi Village served as the temporary forest railway terminus, it also attracted young people to return home, creating new life for this mountain settlement.

After 15 years, Alishan Forest Railway trains are ready to welcome travelers up the mountain once again. Why not temporarily leave behind your daily commuting vehicles, adjust your mood and take a relaxed, slow journey by train or bus, receive the healing hospitality of Shuishan Trail, then visit the mountain ecological conservation areas and tea gardens, thoroughly relax your body and mind, and fully enjoy the beauty of Taiwan's mountain forests.


Extended Reading:
Field Tea Research: High Altitude Special Forces - Agri Travel Website
Field Tea Research: Chiayi Tea Awakening Journey - Agri Travel Website

This content was translated by AI. Please refer to the original text if you have any concerns.