Pingxi Line One Day Pass
Since covering the Pingxi Railway in an earlier article. on popular destinations like Jiufen and Shifen old towns, some readers have asked more about the Pingxi Line 1 day pass.
(related article on the Pingxi Railway Line here...)
As you see from the video, a lot of action happens at the railway stations especially for shifen old town, including writing in your wishes and blessings and offering this up by lighting a sky lantern.
While many tourists tend to book a taxi over from Taipei and take a scenic drive down to these areas, taking the train is one of the most interesting experiences for tourists.
The 1 day pass for the Pingxi line can be purchased at any Pingxi line station, which is operated by TRA. Purchasing this day pass is pretty simple, and can be done at the counter. Most travelers usually purchase the day pass at the Taipei Main Station together with the ticket from Taipei to Ruifang. Do note the 1 day pass does not include the journey to Ruifang.
Pingxi Line Stations:
Banqiao, Taipei, Songshan, Keeling, Badu, Ruifang*, Houtong, Yilan, Luodong, Pingxi, Jingtong, and Shifen.
*Transfer at Ruifang is required for commuters coming from Taipei (or any of the stations in the same direction).
More information about the 1 Day Pass on the Pingxi Railway Line is found on the TRA website here.
Advise: Do reserve a full day for this tour as the trains can be infrequent. Obtain the timetable at the station and plan out your time to stopover at each station. I have listed more articles from the internet below so you may get more information on what's happening (and where) so you can budget more time.
Useful Information on Train Tickets and 5 Day Joint Pass
Visiting by train is very popular with tourists, so be prepared for a crowded train ride! Online booking of train tickets can usually be done here and after which, you may collect the train tickets at the station. This is for per trip bookings. The day passes have to be purchased at the station. It is rather difficult to navigate through the train booking website but if you do know of a better way, do let me know!
Obtaining a 5 Day THSR (high speed rail) and TRA (railway) ticket could be a better option for travelers who wish to visit other places, and that's usually the case! This comes in a standard ticket and an express ticket which gives access to the Tarako Express and Puyuma Express (subject to seat availability). You may purchase this at the THSR website here. Such passes are also available at overseas tour agents depending on which country you are from.
Online bookings of such passes can also be done through some of these operators like kkday.com and klook.com. Comparatively (to the TRA Pingxi line day pass), this may be an easier option to purchase in advance and not go through the hassle and worry of not knowing where to get the tickets or getting lost and missing the train before your Ruifang-Jiufen-Shifen visit!
Reminders for the Joint Pass Voucher Exchange
Please be mindful that upon purchase of the 5 Day THSR Joint Pass (standard or express), you receive a voucher, which is to be exchanged for the actual ticket. Do note especially, the train operator's terms and conditions, I have highlighted some below:
1. Present your passport! Do not leave it at the hotel when exchanging the voucher for the pass.
2. Upon exchange of the voucher for a pass, you would be required to fix a firm 5 day period for the pass to be valid.
3. Remember what you purchased is a voucher and not the actual ticket. So don't use the voucher to board the train.
The finer details are found here in the THSR "Pass Rules" which applies to all the other types of passes offered.
Other articles about the Pingxi Line Stops
There are also blogs and articles online about the Pingxi Line and I've found these worth reading.
1. Our Pingxi Railway article (naturally) which is a related article on the Pingxi Railway Line here. This is a short post with pictures and a video on the Sky Lantern festival (in February).
2. Travel Snap Stories - a series of articles covering each station for more details of the experience. Detailed and also gives a glimpse of where most of the action is i.e. Jiufen and Shifen. I linked to the Shifen post and you may browse further from there on.
3. Always Travelicious has this Pingxi Line summarized and covered in a single page format which is easy for browsing. Pictures fill the article giving readers a good chance to understand more about the things to do in Jiufen and Shifen area.
4. This Little Mummy has a short post and advises a word of caution, plan out your time and allocate a longer day for this ride, or simply take a taxi!
Lastly, Tripadvisor has ranking of the places to visit around the Xinbei area and plenty of pictures too! So plan ahead before you purchase your Pingxi Line 1 Day Pass or decide to go for the single/return ticket or the 5 day joint pass.
Enjoy your holiday and safe travels!
Related post:
As a start for most tourists planning to go Taiwan, booking train tickets, hotel/accommodation and air tickets is perhaps fundamental. In order to simplify (hopefully) this process, I've written about how to purchase the Taiwan High Speed Rail Train tickets as well. Check out my related post here.