Alishan Forest Railway runs healing train on 18 October
Published on 10/11/2026 at 00:40 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSKey points in brief
- Alishan Forest Railway will run a two-day healing-themed train in Chiayi and Alishan from 18 to 19 October 2026.
- The programme includes travel from Chiayi to Fenqihu, a sunrise journey from Zhaoping to Zhushan and a walk on Shuishan Healing Trail.
- Alishan Forest Railway began operations in 1912 and is recognised as Taiwan's first national-level cultural landscape.
Alishan Forest Railway will run its Healing-themed train in Chiayi and the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area from 18 to 19 October 2026. The programme links the railway with mountain scenery, a sunrise journey and a walk on Shuishan Healing Trail.
The railway's official event listing gives the dates as 18 and 19 October 2026 and identifies the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area as the venue. The event is a preview for travellers planning an autumn visit to Taiwan.
Alishan Forest Railway schedules a two-day healing train
The first day begins at Chiayi Railway Station, where passengers are scheduled to board the Alishan train for Fenqihu. The listed programme then continues towards Zhaoping Station, with an evening in the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area.
The second day starts with travel from Zhaoping Station to Zhushan Station for sunrise. The itinerary continues to Tea Field 35, the Alishan Botanical Garden greenhouse and Shuishan Healing Trail before the return train from Alishan Station to Chiayi Station. The event itinerary lists the stations and programme sequence.
How the October programme uses a century-old railway
The railway began operating in 1912, when its first section connected Chiayi with Erwanping. It was extended to Zhaoping by 1914, and the line originally served the forestry industry before becoming a tourist railway.
The route is 71.34 km (44.3 miles) long and crosses Chiayi City, Chiayi County and Nantou County. Its climbs, curves and changing vegetation are part of the setting for the October programme: the train journey carries visitors from the lowland station at Chiayi towards the forest recreation area, while the second day's walk follows a former railway landscape. The heritage profile records the railway's history and route.
Chiayi departures connect with Alishan mountain trails
The October itinerary shows how the railway functions as more than a link to a scenic destination. It combines the Chiayi departure, the historic Fenqihu section, the high mountain stations at Zhaoping and Zhushan, and a walking route associated with a former branch line.
That combination reflects the railway's heritage status. Taiwan's Ministry of Culture designated it a significant cultural landscape in 2019, making the October train a contemporary programme built around a protected industrial and mountain railway rather than a separate city event.
Visiting Alishan Forest Railway: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Healing-themed train runs from 18 to 19 October 2026. The official venue is the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area, with the first departure listed from Chiayi Railway Station.
- Ticket bookings are scheduled from 2 October at 10am until 15 October 2026 at midnight. The event page lists the train sections, walks and programme locations, but it does not state regular railway opening hours.
- The itinerary includes Chiayi, Fenqihu, Zhaoping, Zhushan and Alishan stations. Chiayi Station is connected with Taiwan Railway, while the programme uses the Alishan railway for the mountain sections.
- Some activities involve walking on gentle slopes, and the organiser notes that parts of the programme take place above 2,000 m (6,562 ft). Travellers should account for mountain terrain and altitude.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Alishan Forest Railway on social platforms
These links open searches for Alishan Forest Railway on each platform.
Frequently asked questions about Alishan Forest Railway
When does the Healing-themed train take place at Alishan Forest Railway?
The two-day programme takes place from 18 to 19 October 2026, beginning with a departure from Chiayi Railway Station.
Where is Alishan Forest Railway and how do you get there?
The railway begins in Chiayi and travels into the Alishan mountain area. The October programme uses Chiayi Railway Station, Fenqihu, Alishan Station and the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area.
What is Alishan Forest Railway?
It is a historic mountain railway that began operating in 1912 and was later transformed from a forestry line into a tourist railway. Its route crosses Chiayi City, Chiayi County and Nantou County.
