1. When do tickets go on sale?
This is where most people get stuck. The rule is 1 to 14 days before your travel date — with a weekend exception.
| Day you book | Furthest date available |
|---|---|
| Mon – Thu | 14 days ahead |
| Friday | The Sunday after next (16 days) |
| Saturday | The Sunday after next (15 days) |
Online booking runs 06:00–24:00. The system is closed between midnight and 6 am — so for a popular date, tickets open at 6 am that morning, not at midnight.
Two staged-release rules
- From 14 days out: Chiayi / Beimen → Alishan is released first
- From 3 days out: Chiayi → Fenqihu opens, if seats remain
Zhushan Line (sunrise trains): next-day tickets must be booked before 12:00 noon the day before.
2. The recreation area package — the easiest thing to get wrong
If your destination is inside the recreation area (Alishan, Erwanping), the system forces you to buy an Alishan National Forest Recreation Area admission ticket together with the train ticket.
The key rule: for each ticket category, the number of train tickets must equal the number of admission tickets. If they do not match, the form will not submit. This is the single most common reason bookings fail.
Admission ticket types
| Type | Price | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Full | NT$150 | Arriving by public transport (keep your ticket stub) |
| Half | NT$100 | Military, police, students, Chiayi county/city residents, ages 7–12 |
| Concession | NT$10 | Ages 3–6, aged 65+, licensed tour guides |
| Exempt | NT$0 | Ages 0–2, disabled visitors plus one companion, volunteers, local residents |
Most visitors take the NT$150 full ticket — if you arrived by public transport with a ticket stub, you qualify.
Other package restrictions
- The package cannot be split — refunds and changes apply to the whole set
- If the train ticket is exempt, no seat is assigned
- If both train ticket and admission are exempt, no seat and no ticket is issued
3. Train ticket categories
| Category | Who qualifies |
|---|---|
| Adult | General adult |
| Child | Aged 6–11 on the travel date, or 115–150 cm tall |
| Senior | Aged 65+ (ROC nationals) |
| Disabled | Holders of a disability certificate (plus one companion if endorsed) |
| Free | Under 6 or under 115 cm, not occupying a seat, accompanied by an adult (max 2 per passenger); licensed guides not occupying a seat |
Bring original documents matching your ticket type. If you cannot show them during inspection, you are treated as travelling without a ticket and must pay the fare again.
Each ID or passport number may book up to 6 tickets per line, per travel date; up to 6 each way for return trips.
4. Payment and ticket collection
- Online card payment — pay immediately after confirming your train
- 7-Eleven — pay and collect at a store kiosk with your booking number, 24 hours, NT$10 service fee per ticket
- Railway stations — check each station's opening hours
Unpaid bookings are cancelled automatically. Three late payments within one month results in a 6-month suspension.
5. Common questions
It says the trains are sold out. What now?
Try one day earlier or later first — popular dates are often available just a day apart. If your travel date is within 3 days, also try Chiayi → Fenqihu, which opens later and usually has more seats. Reducing the number of tickets can also help.
Why can I not select the date I want?
It is outside the release window. Check the table in section 1, or use the extension's calendar — unavailable dates are greyed out and it tells you exactly when each one opens.
Can I open several tabs to book faster?
No. The site detects multiple windows and warns you. Use one tab.
Can I choose my seat?
No. Seats are assigned automatically, with consecutive seats given priority when available.
6. What the extension does
Every rule above is built into the extension. Open the booking page and it will:
- Fill in your search criteria — line, date, stations and ticket counts in one go
- Handle the package matrix — pick an admission type per ticket; counts always match
- Show only bookable dates — and tell you when the others open
- Enlarge the captcha — the original is only 80×30 pixels; 3× is far easier to read
- Detect the official countdown — everything is pre-filled, then your cursor lands in the captcha box
- Offer shortcuts when sold out — change day, route or ticket count in one click
- Scan for seats — check day by day and read how many seats remain per train
It does not and cannot solve captchas. You always type them yourself — that is the operator's safeguard against bulk automated booking, and we do not work around it. The extension makes the repetitive form-filling fast so you can focus on those four characters.
7. Planning the rest of your trip
The links below are partner links. If you book through them this site may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. You are equally welcome to search these platforms directly.
Alishan Shermuh HotelAbout 400 m from Alishan Station
Ho Fong Villa HotelAlso inside the Alishan area — check rooms and rates
Alishan day toursSunrise, sacred trees, hiking trails