New Taipei City Travel

As the train enters Yilan Line from Ruifang, we will arrive at Houtong and enter Pingxi Line from Sandiaoling. This railway line stretches amidst the verdant and lush mountainous area of Northern Taiwan, was built due to past prosperous coal mining industry, and is still operating. Besides transporting passengers, this is a popular route for railway trips in which it starts from Houtong. The magnificent achievements of the mining industry can be seen throughout the place in which they brought about railways and the prosperous development of towns along the way. Coming to Shifen, the origin of Sky Lantern and the largest station along the Pingxi Line, this is a major train intersection station. Looking back at the mining history of Pingxi, Shifen is the earliest and largest settlement developed. Its greatest feature is that the old street stands side-to-side with the railway track and presents the unique railway scenery of “the train passes through your front door”. Although the coal mining industry is a thing of the past, countless coal mining relics still remain along the Pingxi Line. It is rich with scenery and culture, in which visitors can seek tranquility at small unmanned stations, or enjoy traditional gourmet foods, visit grocery stores and hardware stores dating back to your grandparents’ days at bustling old streets. You can also get a Happiness Stamp at the station or fly a Sky Lantern written with your wishes for this year. You can enjoy a spectacular day and this is the branch line you cannot dare to miss.

Jingtong Station, an 80-year-old wooden station building, is decayed but has retained its elegant and ancient charm, attracting many tourists to take pictures. At the small quaint pavilion next to the station, visitors can buy bamboo tubes in the railway story hall next to them, write their wishes on the bamboo tubes and hang them in the pavilion.At the Jingtong Railway Story Hall next to the station, you could buy a wooden postcard, write blessings or memories on it, and drop it in the red retro mailbox to be sent to your home, a nice reminder of a wonderful trip. Jingtong Old Street, next to Jingtong Station, is only 100 meters away from the railway. The slate and floor tiles tell the history of the mining industry. There is a nostalgic miners’ canteen, railway souvenir shop, Yang Family’s best-selling chicken rolls, which make it an interesting area for visitors.