Limited-time Copper Coin Price Promotion for the Resumption of Taiwan’s Only Surviving Wulai Train

By MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Department

The Wulai Train, which connects the Wulai Old Street commercial area with the waterfall, is the only surviving train in Taiwan and an important cultural heritage of the forestry industry. It has been out of service since the impact of Typhoon Soudelor two years ago. After restoration and reconstruction by the Forestry Bureau, it has recently resumed service. In addition to enhancing safety mechanisms, the revived Wulai Train has also been given a brand-new exterior color scheme, and will operate at a promotional price of NT$30 until the end of September.

The Wulai Train was built during the Japanese colonial period to transport logging equipment and timber. In 1928, light rail tracks began to be laid in the Wulai area. In 1951, with the opening of a highway to Wulai, domestic and international tourists began to visit. At that time, the section between the Wulai district and the waterfall was only connected by the train tracks, so the train originally used for hauling timber also began to carry passengers. To meet tourism demand, the Forestry Bureau expanded the single-track section, about 1.5 km in length, into a double track in 1964, which increased transport capacity and reduced the inconvenience of passengers having to disembark and wait during passing. From then on, the “Wulai Sightseeing Train” was officially born, becoming an important cultural heritage of the forestry industry and a tourist resource in the Wulai area. It is also the only surviving train in Taiwan, bearing witness to Taiwan’s transportation history before the highway era.

The facilities and stations related to the Wulai Train, originating from the Japanese colonial period, were all built many years ago. To comply with current legal regulations, with active coordination by the Executive Yuan and assistance from the New Taipei City Government, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and the Public Construction Commission of the Executive Yuan, work such as land use rezoning, review of special buildings, and the establishment of safety operation standards were successfully completed.

The new look of the Wulai Train incorporates local key natural and cultural elements through painting, including wild boars, tree frogs, and Atayal children, offering visitors a refreshing and entirely new experience. To boost the development of tourism in the Wulai area and encourage the public to learn about Atayal culture and forestry history, a trial operation event of the train is being held until the end of September, during which passengers can ride at a discounted fare of NT$30.