"Rails Across Borders｜From Alishan to The World's Railways with Stories" Permanent Exhibition to Open at Zhaoping Station on July 1, 2026

The Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office (AFRCHO), Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, celebrated the signing of its 11th sister railway agreement with Switzerland's Rhätische Bahn (RhB) this June. To deepen international tourism and cultural cooperation, the permanent exhibition “Rails Across Borders: From Alishan to The World's Railways with Stories” officially opens today, July 1, on the second floor of Zhaoping Station.

The exhibition invites visitors to trace the Alishan Forest Railway's global reach, showcasing the profound friendships established across 11 sister railways in six countries. It highlights the shared legacy of mountain railway engineering, cultural heritage preservation, and the enduring impact of international exchange.

From Alishan to the World: A Journey of Railway Friendship

Since the inaugural sister railway agreement with Japan's Oigawa Railway in 1986, the Alishan Forest Railway (AFR) has actively pursued international exchange and collaboration.

The permanent exhibition, “Rails Across Borders: From Alishan to The World's Railways with Stories,” presents AFR's partnerships with sister railways across Japan, Switzerland, India, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, and Australia. Despite their diverse origins in forestry operations, hydraulic engineering, regional industrial development, and high-mountain rail transport, spanning Asia, Europe, and Oceania, these railways share a common legacy: the ingenuity and courage required to navigate challenging terrain and live in harmony with nature.

From the tea plantations and seasonal landscapes of Japan's Oigawa Railway and the dramatic gorges of the Kurobe Gorge Railway, to the mountain tea estates of the Indian Mountain Railways; from the glaciers, alpine villages, and World Heritage landscapes connected by Switzerland's Gornergrat Bahn, Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn, and Rhaetian Railway, to the engineering feats of the UK's Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway, Slovakia's Čierny Hron Forest Railway, and Australia's Zig Zag Railway as they traverse some of the world's most challenging terrain.

Each sister railway presents its own distinctive landscape and story. More than scenic routes, they embody a shared spirit of innovation, resilience, and heritage stewardship, qualities that form a natural bond with the Alishan Forest Railway.

Across Mountains, Across Borders: Safeguarding Railway Heritage Together

Director Wang Jau-Pao of the AFRCHO emphasized that sister railway partnerships are long-term commitments to heritage conservation, technical exchange, tourism promotion, and enduring friendship. Through this exhibition, visitors are invited to discover how the Alishan Forest Railway has built these international relationships, from first understanding each partner's unique character to appreciating the similarities and differences in engineering, landscapes, and railway operations that have laid the foundation for meaningful international collaboration.

These friendships continue to grow through tangible exchanges. Ticket Exchange programs with Japanese sister railways allow travelers to experience the friendship between Taiwan and Japan firsthand. The AFR's iconic DL-34 diesel locomotive has traveled to Wales, where it now runs through the countryside as a red ambassador representing Taiwan's railway heritage. Collaboration with Australia's Zig Zag Railway has also enabled the sharing of steam locomotive operation and maintenance expertise, strengthening the AFR's ongoing efforts to preserve its historic Shay steam locomotives in operation. Together, these initiatives are more than memorable stories for railway enthusiasts, they demonstrate Taiwan's commitment to safeguarding railway heritage while building lasting partnerships across the world.

Echoes in the Mist: Where Global Railway Stories Meet Travelers in Alishan

By launching this permanent exhibition at Zhaoping Station, the AFR invites international visitors to experience Alishan and its surrounding forest recreation area as a gateway into its railway heritage. The exhibition traces the history of exchange between the Alishan Forest Railway and its sister railways, highlighting how rail systems around the world have evolved in response to distinct geographies, industries, and cultural contexts. It offers visitors a deeper understanding of how the century-old Alishan Forest Railway has journeyed from Taiwan's mountain forests to build enduring partnerships, moving forward in step with heritage and tourist railways around the world.

The AFRCHO will also establish a “Sister Railway Photo Wall” at Beimen Station to welcome international travelers. This installation is designed to help visitors from partner countries feel a sense of familiarity and connection during their time in Taiwan. By sharing stories of international railway friendship and the resonance between global railways and Taiwan's mountain landscapes, the initiative reflects the Alishan Forest Railway's continued commitment to moving forward together with the international community.

“Rails Across Borders: From Alishan to The World's Railways with Stories“ Permanent Exhibition
Location｜2F, Zhaoping Station, Alishan Forest Railway
Opening Date and Hours｜Open daily during Zhaoping Station operating hours from July 1, 2026