Alishan Forest Railway

The Alishan Forest Railway delivers the world's most dramatic narrow-gauge ascent, climbing from 30 to 2,451 meters in elevation and traversing three distinct climate zones. This century-old engineering marvel zigzags through tropical bamboo groves, temperate cypress forests, and alpine meadows over 72 kilometers of track, featuring seven spiral loops and 50 tunnels, including a famous Z-shaped switchback that gains 200 meters of altitude in just 1 kilometer. The journey takes approximately 3.5 hours, which is 30% longer than the average scenic railway ride in Taiwan, yet the stunning sunrise views from Zhushan Station at 2,451 meters reward every minute.