Alishan sunrise and Forest Railway: visible year-round, reached by the pre-dawn Zhushan Line train

The first Zhushan Line train is timed to each day's sunrise and posted at 16:30 the day before on the railway's booking site, at Alishan Station, at the park entrance and at the visitor centre.

Once you have the time, work back to when you need to get up and walk to the station.

The sunrise train runs from Alishan Station to Zhushan Station, and you walk from there to the Zhushan viewing platform.

If you skip the train, the walk from Alishan Station to the platform takes about 40 to 60 minutes. The trail is dark before dawn, so bring a headlamp.

The Alishan Forest Railway opened in 1912. It was built in the Japanese era to bring cypress down the mountain and did not carry passengers at first.

After logging stopped, the line stayed and now carries visitors. The Zhushan Line opened in 1986. The Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office runs the trains and publishes timetables and ticket rules.

You leave before dawn and stand at the viewpoint until the sun is up, and early mornings on the mountain are cold. With older relatives or children, factor in the early start and the cold, and pack an extra layer.

Online booking opens 14 days before travel and closes at noon the day before, and the system is open 06:00–24:00. On a Monday you can book up to the Monday two weeks later, and on a Friday up to the Friday, Saturday and Sunday two weeks later. Each ID can book up to 6 tickets per travel day, or 12 when booking outbound and return together.

Station counters sell tickets up to 12 days ahead, counting the travel day, and Alishan Station 2F sells from 08:30 to 16:30. Same-day tickets go on sale at Alishan Station 1F 30 minutes before departure, with a per-person cap on long weekends and busy days. Catching the sunrise means staying on the mountain the night before, and rooms are limited in peak season.

Mountain mornings are very cold. A thick coat, a woollen hat and gloves all help, and standing still while you wait makes it feel colder.

It is usually still dark when you reach the viewpoint. Keep your voice down, don't shine strong torches at people, and avoid blocking those behind you when taking photos.

After coming down you can carry on to the nearby giant-tree groves and boardwalk, and in spring there is cherry blossom. If you are not in a hurry, give half a day to the trails in this area.

Branch lines don't issue e-tickets. After paying online, collect paper tickets at a forest railway station or a 7-ELEVEN ibon kiosk, with the original ID used to book and your booking number.

Before collection you can change the date, train or ticket type online or at a station. The first change is free and later changes cost 10% of the fare. Refunds close 30 minutes before the day's last train, with a 10% fee per ticket.