Hey I am looking to go to Alishan in a month or so but finding information about it pretty difficult to obtain.
I’m looking for some information on accomodation, Are there any cheap hostels/homestays up there or is it only $2000 nt a night hotels?
Also I hear the railways reopened is there a English timetable or website for that?
Finally I read on another thread that it is better to stay in Fengqihu opinions on this please?
[quote=“lostfool”]Hey I am looking to go to Alishan in a month or so but finding information about it pretty difficult to obtain.
I’m looking for some information on accomodation, Are there any cheap hostels/homestays up there or is it only $2000 nt a night hotels?
Also I hear the railways reopened is there a English timetable or website for that?
Finally I read on another thread that it is better to stay in Fengqihu opinions on this please?[/quote]
never been to a homestay at Alishan, so I can only provide what I found online…
most homestays have rooms around $2800 on a weekday.
This one has pretty cheap rooms, some are only $1500:
doris.echiayi.tw/?ptype=hotel
These two have $2800 rooms
star.mmweb.tw/?ptype=hotel
wanguo.emmm.tw/?ptype=info
[quote=“lostfool”]Hey I am looking to go to Alishan in a month or so but finding information about it pretty difficult to obtain.
I’m looking for some information on accomodation, Are there any cheap hostels/homestays up there or is it only $2000 nt a night hotels?
Also I hear the railways reopened is there a English timetable or website for that?
Finally I read on another thread that it is better to stay in Fengqihu opinions on this please?[/quote]
Been there twice, quite beautiful, never stayed the night however. A lot of the locals go and try to catch the sunrise, supposedly quite beautiful. The train is more like an amusement park ride than a real train ride. I have ridden an old narrow gauge in the US. Believe is runs around every 30 minutes and stops running around 5-6 P (do not recall exactly). It is a real narrow gauge train but it last only about 5-10 minutes each way at about 5 mph (do not expect too much). You go down the hill, get off and walk around, then ride it back up. Once went on a weekend (super crowed) and once went there on a weekday, pretty empty.
So the train is basically no longer running from Chiayi to Alishan? Many moons ago I took it from Chiayi to Alishan and back down. It was something like 4 hours each way FAIK ? And it was pretty fun.
They not doing that anymore? Shut for good?
[quote=“tommy525”]So the train is basically no longer running from Jiayi to Alishan? Many moons ago I took it from Jiayi to Alishan and back down. It was something like 4 hours each way FAIK ? And it was pretty fun.
They not doing that anymore? Shut for good?[/quote]
Sorry, I was not aware it reopened and apologize for not taking the time to look before posting (now I know what you are talking about). Could not find a real schedule just something below. Sounds like you cannot get to Allison until latter this year (Oct).
Jan 13, 2014. The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) said yesterday that part of the Alishan Forest Railway is scheduled to resume operation on Monday after about four years of restoration work. The railway system is one of the few logging railways from the Japanese colonial era still in use. It was severely damaged in the aftermath of Typhoon Morakot in 2009.
The reconstruction work on the section between Fengchi Lake and Alishan stations is scheduled to be completed by October, the agency said, adding that the entire railway could be opened to the public next year.
As of 2014, there is a daily departure from Chiayi at 9 AM, returning from Fenchihu at 2 PM. On Saturdays there is an additional departure from Chiayi at 2 PM, and on Sundays a departure from Fenchihu at 12.30 PM. Note that trains can be sold out for days in advance, if so you might be better off trying your luck coming downhill (get the bus up to Fenchihu). During peak periods like summer and the cherry blossom season trains can get very crowded, so book ahead by calling operator Hungtu Alishan at (05)225-1978, preferably in Chinese, and show up at least 30 min before departure to collect your tickets
If the train goes up to Fenqihu, it is well worth taking. One of the great train rides in the world. Fenqihu is better and cheaper than staying in Alishan. Try staying at the Catholic church’s hostel. Fenqihu is still pretty touristy but far better than Alishan. You might checking out Laiji for a more interesting experience.