Alishan Railway wins sound award on 24 September

Alishan Railway in Chiayi won the Winner award in the landscape and environmental sound category of the International Sound Awards 2026 on 24 September 2026. The recognition covers a soundscape project built around the railway, its surrounding communities and the work carried out along the route.

The result gives travellers a new way to understand Taiwan’s mountain railway before or after a journey from the city into the forest.

Alishan Railway soundscape wins an international award

The project was commissioned by the Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office and carried out by Hefu Creative, with sound artist Wu Can-cheng collecting material over one year. The official notice records the award as the top Winner prize in the landscape and environmental sound category of the International Sound Awards 2026.

The recording work followed eight stations: Beimen, Zhuqi, Zhangnaoliao, Dulishan, Shueisheliao, Fenqihu, Shizilu and Zhushan. It used 45 collection points and covered natural sounds, settlement life, railway workers and human history. The official award notice places the announcement on 24 September 2026, while a contemporaneous report on the soundscape project identifies its organisers and creative team.

Alishan Railway links Chiayi with historic mountain stations

The line begins at Chiayi Station, where it meets Taiwan Railway. The operator describes Chiayi as the railway’s starting point at an altitude of 30 metres, with the forest railway using a narrower track than the national railway.

Along the route, Beimen Station is a red-cypress building established in the early 1910s. Fenqihu stands at 1,403 metres and is associated with its old street, waterfall and railway history. Zhaoping Station, the former terminal, opened in 1914 and now provides space for railway culture and exhibitions.

The award’s subject therefore extends beyond a train journey. Its collection points connect working railway infrastructure with forest environments, station buildings and communities that developed along the route. The operator’s station guide documents these places and the railway’s route into the mountains.

Visiting Alishan Railway: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The award was announced on 24 September 2026 and concerns the railway’s soundscape project rather than a scheduled performance or exhibition.
• The award announcement does not introduce a special entrance or closure. The operator’s current service page lists the main line and branch lines as operating normally.
• Chiayi Station is the practical starting point and connects with Taiwan Railway. The route continues through Beimen, Zhuqi, Fenqihu, Zhaoping and Alishan stations.
• The journey enters steep mountain terrain. The railway includes climbing sections, tunnels, curves and stations at markedly different elevations, including Zhushan at 2,451 metres.
• Taiwan’s official language is Mandarin Chinese, and the national currency is the New Taiwan dollar.
• 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 Railway on social platforms

These links open searches for Alishan Railway on each platform.

Frequently asked questions about Alishan Railway

When was the Alishan Railway award announced?

The International Sound Awards 2026 recognition was announced on 24 September 2026.

What does the Alishan Railway soundscape include?

It includes natural sounds, settlement life, railway work and human history recorded at 45 collection points across eight stations.

Where is Alishan Railway and how do you get there?

The railway begins at Chiayi Station in Taiwan, where it connects with Taiwan Railway, and continues into the Alishan mountains.