Welcome the Sunrise: Alishan Forest Railway Adds 12 Special Sunrise Trains; Tickets on Sale December 10

▲ Visiting the “highest railway station in Taiwan,” Zhushan Station, to watch the sunrise has always been a popular choice for tourists ringing in the new year. (Photo / From Wikimedia Commons)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Alishan boasts rich natural scenery, with its sunrise, sea of clouds, and forest railway listed among the “Five Wonders of Alishan,” making it one of the best spots for many to greet the first sunrise of the year after New Year’s celebrations. To accommodate the large number of visitors heading up the mountain to watch the sunrise, Taiwan Railways has arranged 12 “Alishan Forest Railway Zhushan Line New Year’s Sunrise Trains,” allowing people to reach Taiwan’s highest railway station smoothly to welcome the first light of 2014.

The Zhushan sunrise trains will begin operatingat 3:20 a.m. on January 1, 2014. A total of 12 outbound trips are scheduled to carry tourists up the mountain. With the estimated sunrise time at 7:05 a.m. that day, the last outbound train will depart from Alishan Station at 6:00 a.m.There will be eight return trips, with the first one leaving Zhushan Station at 7:15 a.m. bound for Alishan Station.

▲ The “Zhushan Line” is a special section of the Alishan Forest Railway designed for sunrise viewing. The image above is only a schematic of the Alishan Forest Railway. (Photo / From theAlishan National Scenic Area Administration Facebook Page)

Taiwan Railways stated that tickets for the Zhushan Line sunrise trains will be sold separately for group and individual advance bookings. Group reservations are available only for six outbound trips—trains 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, and 61—and can be booked by phone from December 10 to December 20. Each group must consist of at least 30 people, with a maximum of 100 people per booking. Return trips have no restrictions on train numbers.

Individual advance sales will take place on December 31 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the first-floor hall of Alishan Station, with a limit of 10 tickets per person.Ticket availability per trip is limited and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. If any tickets remain after the advance booking period, the 12 outbound trips will be available for sale starting at 2:30 a.m. on January 1 at Alishan Station, and the 8 return trips will go on sale at 4:00 a.m. at Zhushan Station—again, until sold out.

Taiwan Railways also recommends that, due to the narrow-gauge tracks of the Zhushan Line and limited capacity, visitors enjoy the sunrise and then hike down the mountain to breathe in the fresh forest air, following the downhill path back to Alishan. The walk takes approximately 80 minutes.

For more details on the “Alishan Forest Railway New Year’s Sunrise Trains,” please visit the Taiwan Railways official websitefor inquiries.