Taiwan Railways’ Sanxingqiao Station to Open at End of June – Stunning Design Mistaken for a Villa Hotel!

▲ The exterior of Sanxingqiao Station was mistaken for a villa by some locals. (Photo provided by Yu Wei-chieh, Director of Taiwan Railways' Transportation Department; same below)

Reported by Lai Wen-hsuan / Taipei

With an exterior resembling a cozy log cabin and diamond-shaped glass panels, the newly built Taiwan Railways Sanxingqiao Station boasts a striking design that has even led local residents to mistake it for a newly constructed villa hotel. Slated to open at the end of June this year, the station will bring great convenience to students from nearby schools and local residents, while also boosting prosperity and development in southern Hsinchu.

Located in Xiangshan District, Hsinchu City, Sanxingqiao Station is part of the Taiwan Railways’ Urbanization and Regional Railway Extension Project. Construction began on January 7, 2014, and the station is now largely completed, entering its final preparation phase. It is expected to open to the public at the end of June this year.

▲ The surroundings of Sanxingqiao Station.

The design of Sanxingqiao Station draws inspiration from the nearby Xiangshan Station, a municipal heritage site. Its entrance features a traditional Japanese irimoya-style roof, topped with a double-sloped gabled roof with wide overhangs. Large expanses of beige wood and diamond-shaped glass panels not only ensure ventilation and lighting but also blend historical aesthetics with green building functionality. The spacious and minimalist design gives travelers a unique sense of place upon entering the station area. Additionally, a roundabout in front of the station facilitates smooth traffic flow for pick-ups and drop-offs, with landscaping inside the roundabout. Some locals have even commented that they thought it was a villa hotel!

▲ The diamond-shaped glass panels used in the decoration of Sanxingqiao Station.

Sanxingqiao Station is located 4.8 kilometers from Hsinchu Station and 3.2 kilometers from Xiangshan Station. It sits at the intersection of Provincial Highway 1 and Yuanpei Street, in an area with a dense residential population and numerous communities. To its north lies the Xiangshan Industrial Park, and it is close to several schools, including Xiangshan High School, Yuanpei University of Science and Technology, Hsuan Chuang University, and China University of Science and Technology. Traffic during peak hours used to be heavily congested, but once Sanxingqiao Station opens, it will significantly improve the convenience of life for local residents and students, ease local traffic, and spur prosperity and development in southern Hsinchu.

▲ After opening, Sanxingqiao Station will help alleviate commuting pressures for local students and residents.

Additionally, the station square includes multiple car parking spaces, and the space beneath both sides of the platform has been fully utilized to provide 269 motorcycle parking spots, including designated accessible parking. This setup meets the parking needs of the public. Taiwan Railways states that these amenities will undoubtedly encourage more people to take the train and promote greater use of public transportation among residents and students.