The Shanlan Express (山嵐號), or “Mountain Mist Express,” is scheduled to launch on April 19 as part of the centennial celebration of the inauguration of the Taitung Line.
The tourism express train was renovated from the Taiwan Railway Corp’s EMU500 commuter trains. It has four carriages and a seating capacity of 60 passengers. Lion Travel is arranging railway tours for the express service.
Several news outlets were invited to experience the pilot tour on the new express train service, which is to operate between Hualien Railway Station and Chihshang (池上) Railway Station in Taitung County.
Photo: Tsai Yun-rong, Taipei Times
It would also be the first tourism service train operating specifically between Hualien and Taitung counties, Lion Travel said.
Passengers would disembark at a few stops along the way, including Shoufong (壽豐), Yuli (玉里), Dongli (東里) and Fonglin (鳳林) townships.
From the platform of the Shoufong Railway Station, passengers can see the Coastal Mountain Range in the distance. They can also take a picture with the train and mountain range from a bridge near the station.
Photo: CNA
A guided tour would be offered in Yuli, where travelers can learn about the town’s history as the former terminal station of the Hualien-Taitung light rail, make soap and try local dishes. Dongli is reputed to be the most beautiful station on the mountain railway line, where travelers can see paddy fields.
One of Taiwan’s six certified “slow cities” by Cittaslow International, Fonglin has a rich immigration history dating back to the Japanese colonial era and is an important city to explore Hakka culture.
The design of the Shanlan Express was inspired by the scenery during the four seasons along the East Rift Valley, with yellow and green as the primary colors, the travel agency said.
The lunch that was served on board was prepared by award-winning chef Yeh Chi-lung (葉志隆), a Hualien County native. Yeh used ingredients produced by residents in Hualien and Taitung counties, and by indigenous peoples, such as the dumplings made using foxtail millet, rice produced in Taitung County’s Chihshang Township (池上), ducks raised in Hualien County’s Fuli Township (富里) and pork produced in Hualien.
For desserts, travelers can try wagashi, a Japanese-style pastry, made by Town Studio, a coffee shop in Hualien County’s Yuli.
The train’s interior design features green velvet seats, floor-to-ceiling windows and an onboard lighting system that changes when the train passes through tunnels.
The train cabins are scented with Indian sandalwood and green cardamom fragrances. An aromatherapy room was installed in the fourth carriage, which features the scent of Taiwania.
Travelers can book tickets for the tourism express train only or purchase tour packages that include accommodation. A one-way ticket costs NT$3,900, which includes lunch, certificates, gifts and insurance.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
RSS