Jiji Branch Railway

The Jiji line was built in the 1920s to carry materials for a hydroelectric scheme and now runs a slow passenger service thirty kilometres from Ershui to Checheng through banana groves, rice fields and river country. Jiji station is a wooden building rebuilt after the 1999 earthquake, Checheng at the end keeps a timber yard and log pond from the logging days, and one stretch of road beside the line runs under a continuous arch of trees.

What you actually see

• Jiji station - a wooden station building rebuilt after the 1999 earthquake.
• Checheng - the terminus with its preserved timber yard and log pond.
• The green tunnel - a road beside the line running under an arch of trees.
• The farmland - banana, betel and rice along the whole route.

When to go

Year round; trains run to a limited timetable so checking it matters. Weekends are busy with cyclists and day trippers. Summer afternoons bring heavy rain.

Honest expectations

Trains are infrequent and missing one means a long wait. The line is slow and the scenery is pleasant rather than spectacular. Stations are crowded at weekends.

Nearby

Sun Moon Lake is north, and Ershui is on the main line west.