Don’t lose your train ticket!! With an Alishan Forest Railway ticket, ride Japan’s railways for free until the end of November

▲ The Kurobe Gorge Railway, listed among Japan’s 100 Secret Scenic Spots, only operates during the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route opening period. (Photo / Courtesy ofKurobe Gorge Railway Co., Ltd. official Facebook page)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

With the opening of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, the Alishan Forest Railway and its Japanese sister railway, the “Kurobe Gorge Railway,” have once again launched a mutual ticket benefit program this year following last year’s collaboration. Taiwanese travelers can exchange one round-trip regional train ticket between Chiayi and Fenchihu on the Alishan Forest Railway for one free regional train ticket on the Kurobe Gorge Railway until the end of November.

The “Kurobe Gorge Railway,” which is only open from April to November each year, is—like the Alishan Forest Railway—a 762mm gauge mountain railway. It runs from Unazuki Station at an altitude of 224 meters up to Kurobe Gorge Station at 599 meters. In addition to enjoying the Unazuki Onsen hot springs, visitors can take in the stunning natural scenery of the Kurobe Gorge, which has earned it a spot among Japan’s Three Great Valleys and Japan’s 100 Secret Scenic Spots. It’s also a must-visit destination for backpackers during the opening season.

▲ The Alishan Forest Railway became sister railways with the Kurobe Gorge Railway in 2013. (Photo / Courtesy of the New Impression of Alishan official Facebook page)

The Forestry Bureau stated that the current operating section of the Alishan Forest Railway main line is between “Chiayi and Fenchihu,” with a round-trip ticket price of NT$408. From April 28 to November 30, passengers who ride the Alishan Forest Railway within this period can, before the end of November, exchange their ticket for a round-trip ticket on the Kurobe Gorge Railway worth approximately NT$1,200 for free.