Old Sugar Railway Gets New Life: Yanshui Green Corridor in Xinying Expected to Be Completed Before Lunar New Year

Many old Taiwan Sugar Corporation railways have been abandoned for years. To revitalize their use and boost tourism, in recent years the Tainan City Government has collaborated with the corporation to transform these old tracks into bike paths, giving the former sugar railways a new lease on life. (Photo by Wan Yu-chen)

Although the warehouses behind the Taiwan Sugar Yanshui Station are old, they possess a unique vintage charm. If revitalized, they could become new hotspots for visitors to take photos. (Photo by Wan Yu-chen)

The Yanshui Green Corridor passes by landmarks such as the Taiwan Sugar Yanshui Station and old warehouses. Though these are old structures, they have a distinctive character. (Photo by Wan Yu-chen)

Giving old sugar railways a new life, the renovation project of the Tainan Xinying-Yanshui Sugar Railway Bike Green Corridor is expected to be completed before the Lunar New Year. This will effectively connect regional leisure activities with famous tourist attractions and attract more visitors. On the 17th, Tainan’s acting mayor, Li Meng-yen, inspected the Yanshui section and was pleasantly surprised to find that the old Taiwan Sugar Yanshui Station, though aged, had a unique charm that could make it a new photo spot.

Since the merger of counties and cities, the Tainan City Government has actively planned a bike path along the sugar railway connecting the three districts of Houpi, Xinying, and Yanshui. Centered around Xinying, it extends westward to Yanshui’s Yuejin Port and the old Taiwan Sugar Yanshui Station, and northward to Houpi Station and the Jingliao area, spanning a total length of 18 kilometers. With an investment of NT$134.9 million, the project is currently 90% complete and is expected to be fully finished by May this year.

Among them, the approximately 2-kilometer-long Yanshui Green Corridor is expected to be completed before the Lunar New Year. Acting Mayor Li Meng-yen also visited the site on the 17th to check the progress. As he strolled along the bike path, he was drawn to the old Taiwan Sugar Yanshui Station and the sugar railway warehouses. He felt that although both were old buildings, they had a unique charm. Once the bike path opens, it is sure to become a new popular spot for photos.

In recent years, cycling has become increasingly popular. Once the Xinying-Yanshui Bicycle Green Corridor is completed, it will not only connect the leisure lives of the two areas and expand the living sphere but also integrate local tourist attractions such as the Salt Unloading Platform Garden, Prince Bus Stop, and Yuejin Port Water Park. This will allow visitors to explore Xinying by bike, enjoy local cuisine, and experience a richer and more diverse travel itinerary.

Transforming old sugar railways into bike green corridors not only aims to preserve the historical memory of the sugar railways but also gives the railways a new vitality. Li Meng-yen stated that the city government will subsequently improve surrounding attractions to enhance the overall aesthetic environment. Sections such as the Xinying Swan Lake to Houpi District and the Taiwan Route 19A to Zhongxiao Intersection are expected to be completed successively between May and June this year, boosting local prosperity.