Ride the Pingxi Railway

This 12km single-track branch line was originally constructed to transport coal, but the line has been repurposed to showcase the mountain cliffs, streams, and waterfalls of the scenic Pingxi District. The railway ticket allows travellers to hop on and off the train at leisure to experience the rustic lifestyle of country villages and small mining towns which were established along the line. There are a total of 12 villages and towns with train stations on the Pingxi Line and each has its own unique character or easy access to pleasant walks and hiking trails: Houtong is known as the ‘cat village’ for its large number of cat cafes and resident cats and is perhaps the strangest stop on the line; picturesque waterfalls are just a short walk from Shifen and Lingjiao stations; while Pingxi, as well as Shifen, is famous for its atmospheric old street and the permitted release of sky lanterns, including the annual Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival.

Riding the Pingxi Line can be done as a day trip from Taipei which would give you enough time to hop off at three or four of the stops. Visiting every stop along the line or enjoying some of the longer distance walks would require an overnight stay in either Shifen or Pingxi.