courtesy Lai Guo-hua
Visiting Alishan: Built more than 100 years ago, the Alishan Forest Railway is perhaps the best way to explore Alishan, one of Taiwan's most important mountain ranges. Lai Guo-hua, an aerial photographer who lives next to the railway, spent a few years documenting it.
Courtesy Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office
New forest trains: Alishan Forest Railway is freshening up its historic fleet by adding six sleek new rail cars. The launch date has yet to be confirmed, but test drives have already begun.
Courtesy Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office
The new Formosensis: The new carriages, collectively named Formosensis, are lined with two types of cypresses native to the island -- Taiwan Red Cypress (or Chamaecyparis Formosensis -- which inspired the name) and Taiwan Cypress (Chamaecyparis Taiwanensis).
Courtesy Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office
More comfort: The new trains will be fitted with soft leather seats, bigger windows and warmer lights.
courtesy Liao Yuan-chiao
Logging-turned-tourist train: Since 1963, the Alishan Railway has primarily operated as a tourist train. It was once the only means of public transportation for those wanting to visit Alishan.
courtesy Lai Guo-hua
Most beautiful station: Situated on a cliff edge, Erwanping Station is known for its sunsets and cloud views.
courtesy Liao Yuan-chiao
How to ride the Alishan Railway: Only one train departs from Chiayi station at 9 a.m on weekdays and two more during the weekends.
courtesy Lai Guo-hua
Loop line and spiral route: This picture shows the spiral loop track at the Dulishan Railway Station. "I took a photo as the train passed through each of the levels and combined the photos of all four levels into one," says Lai.
courtesy Liao Yuan-chiao
Alishan National Scenic Area: Once you've arrived at Alishan Station, you're inside the Alishan National Scenic Area. From here, the railway runs three shorter lines to Shenmu, Zhaoping and Chushan.
courtesy Lai Guo-hua
Bento Kingdom: Fenqihu was once the main rest stop before arriving at Alishan, making it a popular destination for hungry workers and train travelers.
Maggie Wong/CNN
100-year-old street: Fenqihu is now one of the biggest towns along Alishan Railway and has a few historical attractions like the 100-year-old food street.
Maggie Wong/CNN
What to eat on Alishan: Aiyu, a natural jelly formed from a fruit called Aiyu, is an Alishan specialty. Discovered first in Chiayi, Aiyu is mostly harvested by indigenous farmers in Taiwan.
courtesy Liao Yuan-chiao
Going back in time: Due to its humid climate, electrical systems don't work well. Thus many railway operations are still carried out manually, such as track direction switches.
Maggie Wong/CNN
Cypress-wood car: "It feels more human, unlike the cold and automated modern machines," says Liao Yuan-chiao. A train enthusiast, Liao left his job as a lecturer to work as a train assistant on the railway in 2012. He's now a train captain. This is a special cypress-wood car modeled after the original.
courtesy Alishan Railway/Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office
Walking trails: There are many walking trails around Alishan that will guide visitors to attractions like Jiemei Lake.
Maggie Wong/CNN
Steam train: The Alishan Railway runs a special vintage steam train once a week during cherry blossom season from March to May, and on Alishan Railway's birthday (December 25) each year.
Maggie Wong/CNN
Retro stations: Some of the stations along the Alishan Railway are worth a visit, including Jhuchi Station. It's been rebuilt in wood according to its original Japanese architectural style.
Maggie Wong/CNN
Hinoki Village: Dating back to 1914, Hinoki Village (next to Beimen Station) hosted dormitories for Japanese officials stationed there during the occupation. Some 28 wooden houses inside the village have been renovated and are now used as shops and restaurants.

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CNN  — 

Snaking through the dense forests of Alishan, one of the tallest mountain ranges in Taiwan, the 111-year-old Alishan Forest Railway has long been a popular attraction for train fans.

And now, the train’s operators are freshening up its historic fleet by adding six sleek new rail cars.

Collectively named Formosensis, the new carriages are the product of two years and nine months of planning and construction. Test drives kicked off in March, with the company hoping to wrap things up by June.

Both the livery and interiors of the six new cars are lined with two types of cypresses native to the island – Taiwan red cypress (or Chamaecyparis formosensis – which inspired the name) and Taiwan cypress (Chamaecyparis Taiwanensis).

“Taiwan red cypress and Taiwan cypress are fine and uniform wood materials,” say Alishan Forest Railway officials in a statement. “They’re durable, resistant to erosion and insects. The essential oils it contains exudes a unique phytoncide scent (the scent of the forest), which is both energizing and cleansing. Passengers could enjoy a refreshing forest bathing experience.”

Courtesy Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office
Taiwan's historic Alishan Forest Railway will soon welcome new, more comfortable train carriages.

Formosensis will elevate the experience for travelers in several ways. For one, the current cypress-themed train doesn’t have air-conditioning or soft seating.

Each new car will be fitted with 18 leather seats, including two four-seat booths and two two-seat booths. They will also feature bigger windows and warmer lights compared to older models, all to enhance the viewing experience.

But travelers will have to wait a bit longer before they can climb aboard. Details of the routes and launch date have yet to be confirmed, according to the train office’s spokesperson.

Asia’s highest narrow-gauge mountain railway

The existing Alishan Railway Route runs from Chiayi city station to the Loco Shed Park, a garage-turned-park where visitors can see preserved old train engines and trains that served the Alishan Forest Railway.

Completed in 1912 under the Japanese occupation, the railway was once used to transport now-endangered Taiwan cypress trees from Alishan. After logging was banned, it became the only passenger train to ride up the mountains.

It’s believed to be the highest narrow-gauge mountain railway in Asia, climbing from 30 meters to 2,216 meters above sea level – some 16 meters higher than the famed Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, which ascends from 100 meters to 2,200 meters.

Courtesy Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office
The new cars will be fitted with leather seats, bigger windows and warmer lights.

The Formosensis carriages will be the latest addition to Alishan Forest Railway’s historic fleet, which includes restored steam locomotives.

Train lovers can experience some of the 71.6-kilometer railway’s original features – including the many spiral and horseshoe bends along the tracks. (You can see the aerial photos of some of the tracks in the above photo gallery.)

The journey also offers a glimpse into Taiwan’s diverse natural beauty, as the train goes through a tropical forest, then a subtropical forest and finally a temperate forest during its ascent to the top of Alishan.

In addition to developing more modern trains for the route, Alishan Forest Railway has also been restoring some of its older trains, as well as historical attractions along the line.

In 2021, the Alishan Forestry Railway and Cultural Heritage Office completed restorations of the century-old Shay 21 steam locomotive. It’s Alishan’s first 28-ton steam train, imported from the United States in 1912, and is powered by its original coal-burning engine.

Meanwhile, a Shay 31 locomotive makes occasional appearances during the flower blossoming season, from March to May.

Getting to Alishan

The Alishan Forest Railway isn’t a continuous line – one section of track between Shizilu Station and Alishan Station was damaged in a typhoon.

Travelers can take the main line from Chiayi Station to Fenqihu Station (2 hours, 20 minutes) and continue the journey by bus from Fenqihu Station to Alishan Station.

Only one train departs daily from Chiayi, at 9 a.m on weekdays. Two more trains (at 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.) are added at weekends. (Find the schedule on this website).

From Alishan Station, there are a few branch lines that ferry passengers to the attractions around the Alishan Scenic Area.