Along the tracks in Shifen, lanterns go up on ordinary days too
Related guide: Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival 2027
The Pingxi Line is a TRA branch line that leaves the main line at Ruifang. Shifen and Pingxi are both small stations that open straight onto the old streets, where the main lane is pedestrian-only and the track runs right past the shopfronts, so people step aside when a train comes in. The lantern shops along the street sell lanterns and lend brushes for writing on the four white cotton-paper panels.
In the tourist season the shops open all day, so a lantern can be released on any ordinary day; prices depend on size and colour. A fuel block is tied to the base, and once lit, hot air fills the paper and lifts it, which is why lanterns must not be released under power lines or eaves.
The mass releases around Lantern Festival night are organised by the New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department; in 2026 there was one session in Pingxi and one in Shifen. Singers and light projections filled the gaps between waves, with Fang Chi-wei, Yu Kuan-hua and AcQUA among the performers.
2026 was a Year of the Horse, and the Pingxi session sent up three 20-foot horse-shaped main lanterns: gold for wealth, red for good fortune and orange for good luck. On Lantern Festival night in Shifen, the main lanterns were two 20-foot "dragon horses".
The full guide to this festival
Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival 2027: mass releases est. around Lantern Festival night, 20 February
Full guide: dates, getting there and what you can book →
Tickets and transport you can book
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From Taipei
New Taipei private charter: Jiufen, Shifen, Pingxi, Yehliu
Roads close and crowds build on festival night, so a charter is worth considering for groups. Cars for 1–8 people, hotel or airport pick-up, drivers who speak Chinese, English, Japanese or Korean.
See plansShifen, Pingxi
Sky lantern release on Shifen Old Street
Release your own lantern in Shifen on any day, not only the festival night.
See pricesNew Taipei
Yehliu, Jiufen, Shifen & Golden Waterfall day tour
Meet at Taipei Main Station (East Gate 3). About 7–10 hours with a Chinese- or English-speaking guide, covering Yehliu, Jiufen, Shifen and the Golden Waterfall.
See prices
