What visitors recommend
Traveler tips from forum threads, not official advice.
Sunrise train to Zhushan
Buy tickets the afternoon before at Alishan Station; departure time is posted around 16:30 because it follows sunrise.
Discussion on r/taiwan Not yet verified
Stay inside the recreation area
The same commenter says you can't make the sunrise train if you sleep in Chiayi.
Discussion on r/taiwan Not yet verified
Sister Ponds and the giant tree trails
Suggested for afternoons, when summer mountain storms are common.
Discussion on r/taiwan Not yet verified
Bring a warm layer and a headlamp
Dawn can be around 12–15°C even in summer, and the walk to the quieter deck is unlit.
Discussion on r/taiwan Not yet verified
Lesser-known spots
Fenqihu
An old railway village partway up the mountain; some Alishan Route A and B shuttle buses go via Fenqihu, and the forest railway stops there.
Source: Taiwan Tourist Shuttle: Alishan Route A (7329, from THSR Chiayi)
Quieter sunrise decks near Zhushan Not yet verified
Duigaoyue and Xiaoliyuanshan are short walks from Zhushan Station.
Source: Alishan Forest Railway
Getting there
From Taipei: THSR to THSR Chiayi, then Alishan Route A (7329), NT$283 one way; or TRA to Chiayi, then Route B (7322), NT$254. Both take cash or EasyCard, and seats can be reserved up to 31 days ahead. Or ride the Alishan Forest Railway from Chiayi (reserved seats; book online up to 15 days ahead).
Taiwan Tourist Shuttle
Taiwan Tourist Shuttle is a network of tourist bus routes, a bit like a hop-on hop-off bus, except most routes charge per ride.
Check timetables on the official site first. Schedules and fares change.
Good to know: Entry NT$300 full fare; NT$150 if you show a bus or shuttle ticket. Sunrise train tickets are sold the day before, 13:00–16:00, cash or card. Forest railway services can be suspended in bad weather; check before you go.
Before you go
- Get a SIM or eSIM that comes with a Taiwan phone number, so text-message codes from local services reach you.
- THSR's website and T Express app take Visa, Mastercard, and JCB; American Express works online only if issued in Taiwan.
- A regular EasyCard won't open THSR gates, so buy a THSR ticket.
- You can book TRA tickets online with a foreign card and pick them up with your passport.
- Top up your EasyCard with cash at convenience stores or MRT stations.
- You can't top up a regular EasyCard with a foreign credit card, so keep some NT$ cash for it.
- Night markets and small food stalls usually take cash only, so carry small NT$ bills and coins.
Best time
Sunrise at Zhushan varies by season, from about 05:20 in June to about 07:05 in January; the official sunrise table is posted online. Spring blossom season ran 10 March–10 April in 2026.
Source: Alishan Forest Railway
Sources and verified date
Checked 2026-10-20
- Checked Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency: Alishan
- Checked Taiwan Tourist Shuttle: Alishan Route A (7329, from THSR Chiayi)
- Checked Alishan Forest Railway
- Checked Taiwan Tourist Shuttle: Alishan Route B (7322C/D, from TRA Chiayi)
- Checked Taiwan Tourist Shuttle: Sun Moon Lake–Alishan Route (6739, reservation)
- Checked Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency
Not yet verified
- Reddit comments read via search-index snapshot, not opened directly.
- Duigaoyue/Xiaoliyuanshan walking times are from a Reddit comment and a travel blog, not an official page.
- Through-train times on the main line not confirmed on the official timetable page.