Why Visit?
Shifen feels different from a typical Taiwanese old street.
The railway is part of the town rather than something hidden behind it. Shops open towards the tracks, people gather to watch approaching trains and the narrow street becomes a viewing point whenever a train comes through. The area is also closely associated with sky lanterns, giving visitors two very different experiences within a short walk.
For a One Hour Tourist, it is an easy place to experience a lot in a small area.
The Railway Runs Through the Street
The most memorable sight in Shifen is the railway itself.
The Pingxi Branch Line passes directly beside the shops, creating the famous scene of trains travelling through the old street. The line was originally built to transport coal from the mountains. The Shifen station area became part of a railway network serving the coal industry before the line was eventually transformed into a tourism route.
Shifen Station is also the largest station on the Pingxi Line.
The line has seven stations between Sandiaoling and Jingtong and takes around 40 minutes to travel from one end to the other.
From Coal to Tourism
Shifen’s story begins with coal.
The railway was built during the area’s mining era, when coal was transported out through the mountain valleys. The original line opened in 1921, and the decline of coal production from the 1970s onwards brought difficult years for the surrounding communities.
The railway was eventually at risk of closure. Local efforts helped preserve it, and in 1992 the Pingxi Branch Line was converted into a tourist railway. Today, the same railway that once carried coal brings visitors into Shifen.
That history gives the old street much of its character.
Wait for the Train
You do not need a special viewing platform to see the railway.
Simply walk along the old street and wait.
The shops and railway sit remarkably close together, so the arrival of a train suddenly changes the atmosphere. Conversations stop, cameras come out and people move aside as the train passes through the town.
The official New Taipei tourism guide specifically warns visitors to follow the signs and avoid walking onto the railway tracks. The tracks remain active.
The Sky Lantern Tradition
Shifen is equally famous for its sky lanterns.
Visitors can buy a lantern, write wishes or messages on its sides and release it into the sky. Today, the lantern represents blessings, peace and good fortune.
The tradition has an older connection to life in the remote mountain communities of Pingxi.
According to Taiwan’s Tourism Administration, villagers once used lanterns as signals to tell families that they were safe after people working or farming in the mountains faced the threat of bandits. The lanterns later became associated with prayers and good fortune.
The custom has since become one of the defining images of Shifen and the wider Pingxi area.
The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival
The lantern tradition becomes a much larger spectacle during the annual Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival.
The festival was first held in 1999 and has since become an internationally recognised event. The 2026 festival was scheduled for 27 February and 3 March, with events centred around Pingxi and Shifen.
Hundreds of lanterns can rise into the night sky during festival events, creating a very different atmosphere from the quieter daytime experience in the old street.
For a first visit, however, you can experience the tradition without attending the festival.
Shifen Station
Shifen Station sits right beside the old street and is part of the experience rather than simply a transport stop.
The station has its own railway history, including the traditional railway procedure once used for controlling trains on the branch line. The station’s position also makes it easy to combine a train ride with a walk through the shops.
For railway enthusiasts, travelling into Shifen by train makes the experience feel complete.
Food and Small Shops
Between the railway and the surrounding hills, Shifen Old Street is lined with small food stalls, restaurants, souvenir shops and sky lantern businesses.
It is worth leaving some time to browse rather than treating the street purely as a photo stop. Local snacks and simple meals are part of the atmosphere, while the shops sell lanterns and other souvenirs.
The old street is compact enough that you can see the main sights without rushing.
A Short Walk Beyond the Street
Shifen is also a useful base for seeing the surrounding scenery.
Shifen Waterfall is nearby and is one of the area’s major attractions. Jing’an Suspension Bridge also connects the villages of Shifen and Nanshan, spanning 128 metres across the valley. The surrounding landscape follows the Keelung River and its tributaries, creating the steep green scenery that surrounds the railway town.
If you have only an hour, stay around the old street and station.
With a little longer, add the waterfall.
The Best Time to Visit
Early morning gives Shifen a quieter atmosphere, while later in the day brings a livelier tourist scene.
If your main goal is photography, check the train timetable before arriving so you can spend less time waiting beside the tracks.
For sky lanterns, late afternoon into evening creates a different mood as the lanterns become more visible against the darker sky.
The biggest crowds arrive around popular travel periods and festival events.
How to Experience Shifen in One Hour
0–15 minutes
Walk from Shifen Station into the old street and browse the shops beside the railway.
15–30 minutes
Find a safe spot along the street and wait for a train to pass.
30–45 minutes
Choose a sky lantern, write your wishes and watch it rise.
45–60 minutes
Grab a local snack, explore the remaining shops and take a final walk around the station.
If you have additional time, continue towards Shifen Waterfall.
Practical Information
Location: Shifen Street, Pingxi District, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
Nearest station: Shifen Station on the Pingxi Line.
Cost: Walking around the old street is free. Sky lanterns and food are paid experiences.
Time needed: Around one hour for the old street, railway and lantern experience.
Best for: Railway enthusiasts, photographers, families, first-time visitors to Taiwan and anyone interested in unusual local traditions.
Safety: The railway remains active. Follow signs and stay off the tracks.
One Hour Tourist Verdict
Shifen Old Street packs a remarkable amount into a small space.
You get a historic railway, a former coal-mining town, traditional shops, passing trains and one of Taiwan’s best-known cultural traditions, all within a short walk of each other.
The railway is the star attraction, but the history behind it makes the experience more interesting.
