Pingxi Line and Shifen from Taipei: Pass, Trains, Lanterns

How the trip works

The Pingxi Line is a Taiwan Railway (TR) branch from Ruifang through Shifen and Pingxi to Jingtong. In the timetables checked for this guide, branch trains started at Ruifang, Badu or Badouzi, not Taipei, so plan two legs: a main-line train from Taipei to Ruifang, then a branch train.

TR's line operating status page showed the whole Pingxi Line in normal service on 12 October 2026. That page is where TR posts landslide and typhoon disruptions, so look at it on the morning you go.

The one-day pass: price and what it covers

TR's Pingxi/Shen'ao one-day pass page lists two versions (detail pages checked 12 October 2026):

The pass gives unlimited hop-on, hop-off rides on that section on the day it is sold, and it is invalid without a date stamp. It does not cover Taipei–Ruifang. TR sells it at Banqiao, Taipei, Songshan, Keelung, Badu, Ruifang, Houtong, Yilan, Luodong, Pingxi, Jingtong and Shifen stations, and the prices took effect on 23 June 2025.

On refunds the two TR pages differ: the pass detail says no refund once sold, the buying guide says no refund once used. Treat it as non-refundable.

Pass or single tickets? Work it out by stops

TR's timetable and fare search gave these adult local-train fares on 12 October 2026:

Two typical plans, per adult, for the branch line only:

• Shifen and Jingtong: Ruifang → Shifen → Jingtong → Ruifang = NT$29 + NT$22 + NT$44 = NT$95. Single tickets win by NT$25.
• Shifen, Pingxi and Jingtong: NT$29 + NT$22 + NT$22 + NT$44 = NT$117. Almost the pass price; the pass wins only if you add a fifth ride or ride out to Badouzi.

For two adults from Taipei doing the first plan, the day costs NT$482: NT$292 for the Taipei–Ruifang return and NT$190 on the branch. With passes it would be NT$532.

Train times: plan around the gaps

On the dates checked (Wednesday 14 and Saturday 17 October 2026), 17 trains a day ran from Ruifang towards Shifen, from 05:07 to 22:20, taking 27 to 33 minutes. Most leave once an hour, but two gaps matter:

• No departure between 07:55 and 09:04.
• No departure between 16:54 and 18:33.

Going back, the last trains towards Ruifang left Jingtong at 20:30 and Shifen at 20:57, reaching Ruifang at 21:23. Local trains from Ruifang to Taipei still ran at 21:36, 22:10 (a faster local), 22:29 and 23:29.

From Taipei, morning local trains to Ruifang took 46 to 57 minutes and the faster locals 37 to 48 minutes in the timetables checked. Board one that arrives 10 to 15 minutes before your Pingxi Line departure, because the two trains are separate services and a late arrival can cost you an hour.

Shifen Waterfall: hours and closures

New Taipei City's Shifen Waterfall page (updated 17 August 2026) gives:

• October–May: 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:30
• June–September: 9:00–18:00, last entry 17:30
• Closed: Lunar New Year's Eve only

The page lists no admission fee. It describes the approach from the Shifen Visitor Center across the Siguangtan Bridge. With last entry at 16:30 in the cooler months, do the waterfall first if you arrive after lunch, then the old street.

The city's closure list, updated 8 October 2026, does not include Shifen Waterfall. It does close several Pingxi District trails after heavy rain and repair work: the Jingtong Old Trail branch to Shulangjian, the Dongshige ridge trail, paths around Guanyinyan, and the Xiaozi Shan trailhead on Jing'an Road Section 2 (use the trailhead car park instead). If you planned a hike there, read Taiwan Hiking Permits for which trails need permission, and check the closure list again before you go.

Sky lanterns and the railway track

If you release a lantern in Shifen, keep off the railway track. Taiwan's Railway Act (amended 14 January 2026) bans pedestrians from entering railway lines not open to the public. Under Article 70 the fine is NT$10,000 to NT$50,000, and NT$50,000 to NT$100,000 where it seriously affects train safety. Since the amendment, a railway operator may open parts of non-electrified lines for tourism, but only after the transport ministry approves and the operator publishes the area.

We found no such published area for the Pingxi Line on TR's pages on 12 October 2026. Until TR publishes one, treat the rails as off limits, including for photos.

No New Taipei City page we checked sets lantern prices or opening hours for the shops, so bring cash and ask the price before you write on one. Cash or Card in Taipei covers where you still need cash.

A sample day from Taipei

If you would rather spend a half day closer to the city, the Maokong Gondola is reachable by metro.