Trains run along the Jiji Line in central Taiwan’s Nantou County. (Photo courtesy of Yen Tsan-cheng, Taiwan Railways Administration)

Taiwan’s extensive railroad network comprises conventional lines, the high-speed rail and urban metro systems, and is now connected to the nation’s busiest airport.

The opening of any rail link is worth celebrating, but the launch of Taiwan’s newest line Feb. 2 was especially significant. The Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Mass Rapid Transit System shuttles travelers from the nation’s largest airport to Taipei Main Station in the heart of the capital city in about 35 minutes. From there, passengers can transit to the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR), Taipei metro or conventional trains operated by the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

Those entering the country through Kaohsiung International Airport and Taipei Songshan Airport, Taiwan’s second and third busiest air transport hubs, respectively, have been able to seamlessly transfer to various rail services for years. The former is connected to the subway system serving the southern Taiwan city. The latter has a station on the Taipei metro’s Wenhu Line, more commonly known as the brown line.

Running along Taiwan’s west coast and linking Taipei and Kaohsiung, as well as major cities in between, the 348.5-kilometer THSR began operations in 2007. Its trains are state-of-the-art and run at speeds of up to 300 kph.

“The high-speed rail allows people to quickly get to their destinations and spend more time there having fun and seeing the sights,” said Wu Po-chin (吳柏青), author of several books about rail travel. “People are now more willing to journey to places they previously thought too remote for a short holiday.”

While the THSR enables speedy travel over great distances, for Wu, it is the much older TRA system operating at slower speeds—at most 130 kph—that provides the more pleasurable travel experience. Launched in 1887 during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) and expanded during Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945) and afterward by the Republic of China (Taiwan) government, the conventional rail system circumnavigates Taiwan proper, measuring a total of 1,064.5 km. It connects many of the nation’s cities and counties, taking passengers to a total of 228 stations.

The TRA plays a significant role in encouraging local and foreign tourists to explore the splendors of Taiwan, including the administration’s own historic assets. A notable effort in this regard was the 2011 project Discover Taiwan by Railway, which rewarded visitors to 100 selected stations with unique stamps designed for each location as well as travel-related coupons. The list of stations acted as a kind of guidebook for rail travel enthusiasts, with highlights including Hsinchu Station, a national historic site in northern Taiwan, and Jiuqutang Station in southern Taiwan, just a short walk from the now-defunct Kaoping Iron Railway Bridge, also a national historic site.

In addition, the TRA’s three branch lines are historically significant. The Pingxi Line in the northeast, Neiwan Line in the north and Jiji Line in central Taiwan were all originally built to carry natural resources or construction materials. Since then, they have been converted to serve commuters as well as tourists keen on exploring the small towns found along their routes. Passengers can also learn about the nation’s history by visiting places like the Taiwan Coal Mine Museum near the Pingxi Line’s Shifen Station. According to Chen Yu-mou (陳裕謀), chief of the Commercial Section in the TRA’s Transportation Department, the northeastern branch line is the TRA’s most popular with domestic as well as international tourists, many of whom stop at Pingxi Station to admire and take part in the releasing of sky lanterns, a popular local activity.

Administered by the Forestry Bureau under the Cabinet-level Council of Agriculture and operated by the TRA, the Alishan Forest Railway in southern Taiwan is also highly popular with international tourists. Built in 1912 to transport lumber, it is the highest narrow-gauge railway in Asia. The terminal stop on the line is Zhushan Station, located 2,451 meters above sea level. From there, it is a short walk to an area famous for its beautiful sunrises. Currently, several sections of the track are being repaired due to damage caused by typhoons. The railway is scheduled to be fully operational again in 2019.

While the branch lines and Alishan railway are the nation’s best-known rail attractions, some of the main TRA lines offer equally spectacular sights and experiences, according to rail travel expert Su Jhao-syu (蘇昭旭‬), who teaches in the Department of Airline and Transport Service Management of National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism. Su is particularly captivated by the South Link Line connecting Pingtung County in southern Taiwan to the southeastern county of Taitung.

“The southern line runs past one mountain and two seas,” he said, referring to its route through part of the Central Mountain Range and along both sides of Taiwan’s southernmost tip between the Taiwan Strait to the west and Pacific Ocean to the east. The unusually high number of tunnels—35 in total—on this section makes the train ride even more worthwhile for Su. “Travelers find themselves again and again entering darkness and anticipating the next moment when the bright blue ocean will appear.”

Su said an equally worthy rail journey is the one between Hualien and Taitung stations in eastern Taiwan. Running about 150 km along the East Rift Valley, this stretch of line takes passengers through a region endowed with rustic beauty and simple charm. “You can savor Taiwan’s most beautiful pastoral symphony on this ride,” he said. Wu recommends the East Rift Valley, flanked by the Central and Coastal mountain ranges, as the perfect place to explore the increasingly popular trend of combining rail and bicycle excursions.

For many, taking a train is the only way to reach parts of the area before setting out on a bike ride. Some sections of the highway from northeastern Taiwan to the East Rift Valley are either dangerous or exhausting for cyclists, according to the TRA’s Chen. “So those from northern Taiwan wishing to travel on their own bikes often choose to first take a train to Hualien before continuing the southward journey through the valley,” he said.

After 130 years of development, the administration’s main lines, complemented by the high-speed rail and various metros in urban areas, continue to play a major role in facilitating commutes and attracting tourists. “Compared with rail systems in the vast majority of Asian countries today, Taiwan’s stands out for its convenience and punctuality,” said Su, who has traveled much of the world by train. “Rail travel is definitely a good option for international tourists wishing to explore Taiwan.”

Traveling around Cities with Ease

The nation’s two largest urban rail networks are the Taipei and Kaohsiung mass rapid transit (MRT) systems operating in northern and southern Taiwan, respectively. The third, smaller Taoyuan metro in the northern cities of Taoyuan, Taipei and New Taipei opened its first line in February.

Inaugurated in 1996, the Taipei metro is the first and most mature MRT system in Taiwan, with the total length of its tracks measuring around 131 kilometers. Of its five main lines and several short branches, the Tamsui-Xinyi Line, or red line, is perhaps best qualified as a tourist route since it stops at many of the capital city’s most famous locations including National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Shilin Night Market and Taipei 101.

With three lines, including Taiwan’s first light rail, currently adding up to a total of 42.7 km, the Kaohsiung MRT brings passengers to scenic spots like Sizihwan and places of cultural interest such as the Ciaotou Sugar Industry Culture Park, which having been established more than 100 years ago is the country’s oldest sugar factory.

Some of the nation’s metro stations have also developed into tourist attractions in their own right. “There is a lot of public art at Taiwan’s MRT stations that is worth viewing,” train travel expert Wu Po-chin (吳柏青) said. Some lines do offer striking vistas, however, such as the partially operational circular light rail line in Kaohsiung. It runs above ground through the Asia’s New Bay Area, an emerging scenic neighborhood by the Port of Kaohsiung.

Each metro system can be accessed with an EasyCard or iPass, smart cards originally designed for use in Taipei and Kaohsiung, respectively. The cards, which facilitate payments at many businesses around Taiwan, can also be used at all conventional rail stations as of July 2016. EasyCard and iPass Co-branded Credit Cards can even be used in place of tickets for nonreserved seats on Taiwan’s high-speed rail.

—by Oscar Chung (in Taiwan Review July edition )