Xiao Qingyang’s Kids’ Play Festival Painted Train – Ride the Afu Train for Discounts and Fun

By / MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Network Editorial Team
 

The Yilan Kids’ Play Festival officially kicks off on July 4. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, this year’s festival has collaborated with Taiwan Railways to launch its first-ever painted train, the “Kids’ Play Flyer.” Designed by internationally acclaimed designer Xiao Qingyang, the train incorporates this year’s main visual theme of “flying,” blending computer symbols with vibrant geometric patterns. It also features scenes of the Lanyang Plain, Taiwanese opera, international performance troupes at the festival, and water play activities—creating a colorful, cartoon-like painted train. Not only does it aim to provide visitors with a smooth journey to the festival, but it also serves as a fantastic promotion for Yilan.

The annual Kids’ Play Festival is a major summer tourism event in Yilan, attracting nearly 600,000 visitors each year. This year, the Yilan County Government specially invited Xiao Qingyang to transform the EMU700 electric multiple unit, nicknamed the Afu Train, into the cartoonish “Kids’ Play Flyer.” By combining familiar Yilan elements and Kids’ Play Festival imagery with Xiao Qingyang’s signature vibrant geometric designs, eight uniquely themed painted train cars have been created, making the journey to the festival as fun as the destination itself.

During weekends of the Kids’ Play Festival, Taiwan Railways will also operate four additional daily round-trip trains between Taipei and Yilan, with the Kids’ Play Flyer handling the commuter service between Shulin and Luodong. Outbound trains to Yilan and Luodong depart from Taipei Station on Saturdays and Sundays at08:35and14:08; return trips to Taipei from Luodong depart at10:39and17:05. Ticket prices are the same as Taiwan Railways’ regular regional trains for a one-way trip at153NTD, with round-trip discounts available at276NTD. On weekdays when no additional trains are added, the Kids’ Play Flyer may also run between Miaoli and Su’ao according to scheduling, giving residents across northern Taiwan a chance to see this colorful painted train.-Between Su’ao, passengers from northern Taiwan have the chance to see this colorful painted train.Passengers who take Taiwan Railways to the Kids’ Play Festival can also enjoy an exclusive discount: bring your train ticket stub and get one person free with every three paying customers on weekdays, or one free with every four paying customers on weekends..