Alishan railway hosts Maple Steam Train Tours from 1 December

Alishan railway will run five Maple Steam Train Tours in Taiwan from 1 December 2026, taking passengers through the Alishan Forest Recreation Area near Chiayi. The programme features Steam Locomotive No. 31, historic stations and autumn foliage.

The operator’s programme identifies the railway as the venue for the special tours and sets the first booking date at 17 November 2026.

Alishan railway sets five December steam tours

The five departures are scheduled for 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 December 2026. The official programme describes a route beginning at Alishan Station and travelling to Duigaoyue, Zhushan and Erwanping before returning to the mountain station.

The official tour programme says each departure is limited to 100 passengers. It also states that bookings for the first tour open online at 10am on 17 November 2026, with later booking windows opening before their respective travel dates.

The programme combines travel in Steam Locomotive No. 31 with demonstrations at Duigaoyue and Zhushan stations. At Erwanping, the itinerary includes a wye-track manoeuvre, a railway arrangement used to change the locomotive’s direction.

Stations and forest scenery shape the programme

The tour is based inside the Alishan Forest Recreation Area, where the railway is part of a wider mountain landscape of forests, sacred trees, sunrise viewpoints and cloud formations. Its itinerary therefore places railway heritage beside the natural setting that surrounds the stations.

The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency describes the area as covering 1,388.37 hectares, with elevations from 2,000 to 2,700 metres. It lists Alishan Township in Chiayi County as the administrative district and identifies the railway route from Chiayi towards Fenqihu as part of access to the recreation area.

This makes the December programme more than a foliage viewing journey: the demonstrations at three named stations show how the railway operates within the forest terrain. The route also includes walking sections near Zhushan, the Alishan Botanical Garden and the Ogasawara viewing platform.

What Steam Locomotive No. 31 adds to the route

The operator says the locomotive will pull carriages made from Taiwan cypress. The itinerary includes a reversing manoeuvre at Erwanping and a section described as a zigzag railway experience, giving the special service a direct connection with the line’s engineering features.

Passengers should distinguish this programme from an ordinary journey on the railway. The special tour uses online reservations, includes organised demonstrations and follows a fixed route through the recreation area. The official page also notes that mountain conditions can require changes to the programme.

Visiting Alishan railway: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Maple Steam Train Tours take place on 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 December 2026, starting from Alishan Station inside the recreation area.
• Event places are booked online rather than at station counters; booking for the 1 December departure opens on 17 November 2026 at 10am.
• Access to the wider area is possible from Chiayi by the mountain railway or by road via Provincial Highway No. 18, according to the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency.
• The route includes walking sections and uphill stretches near Zhushan, the botanical garden and the Ogasawara viewing platform.
• Taiwan’s official language is Mandarin Chinese, and its currency is the New Taiwan dollar.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

The December schedule gives the mountain railway a defined seasonal programme while retaining its regular landscape and station setting.

Searching for Alishan railway on social platforms

These links open searches for Alishan railway on each platform.

Frequently asked questions about Alishan railway

When do the Maple Steam Train Tours take place at Alishan railway?

The five tours take place on 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 December 2026.

Where is Alishan railway and how do you get there?

The railway programme is based at Alishan Station in Chiayi County, Taiwan. The recreation area can be reached from Chiayi by railway or via Provincial Highway No. 18.

What is Alishan railway?

It is a mountain railway serving the Alishan Forest Recreation Area, with the December programme using Steam Locomotive No. 31 and named stations along the route.