Taiwan Railways’ Shen’ao Branch Line Resumes Service with Colorful Trains Making a Comeback

By MOOK Travel Life Network, Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported

 

After launching the trial operation of its themed exhibition halls under the theme “Marine Science Launching, Sustainable Oceans” on December 30, 2013, the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology today, together with the Taiwan Railways Administration under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, held an official inauguration ceremony for the Shen’ao Line’s HSMST Station platform at Ruifang Station and HSMST Station. This marks the resumption of the previously discontinued Shen’ao Branch Line from Ruifang Railway Station to HSMST Station. This train stop, planned in conjunction with the opening of the marine science museum, is the only platform located within a museum area nationwide, allowing the public to travel directly from Ruifang Railway Station to the HSMST. In the future, the Shen’ao Branch Line may also be merged with the Pingxi Line, which would enable visitors to travel all the way from Jingtong to the HSMST.

The Shen’ao Branch Line was once a vital route for transporting coal to the Shen’ao Power Plant. However, after passenger services were discontinued in 1989, it served only freight functions before ceasing operations entirely in 2007 and fading into history. Today, it has been revived thanks to the opening of the HSMST.

 

The Shen’ao Branch Line runs between Ruifang Station and the HSMST Station, covering a total distance of about 4.2 kilometers with a journey time of approximately 10 minutes. There are 20 services daily, one per hour, with a one-way fare of NT$15 and a round-trip ticket for NT$28. A series of colorful train carriages on the Shen’ao Branch Line have been jointly designed by the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology and Asia Pacific Institute of Creativity. These include themed trains such as the Children’s Adventure, Ocean Future, Deep Sea Reflections, and the fantastical Ocean Exploration, symbolizing the vitality and technological development of Keelung. Additionally, passengers can download an interactive APP mini-game during the train ride, adding an educational and entertaining element to the journey.

 

In addition, Taiwan Railways’ Ruifang Station has started selling commemorative tickets for the Shen’ao Line starting today. Limited to 3,000 sets, each set includes one platform ticket for the morning and one for the afternoon, one namecard-style round-trip ticket from Ruifang to HSMST, and an on-site commemorative stamp for keepsake purposes. Each set is priced at NT$88, with a limit of six sets per person.

 

 

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