Taiwan Food Atlas

Shanjia Railway Station, Shulin

A Japanese colonial-era wooden station still in service, its century-old platform awaiting trains
📍 New Taipei · Shanjia🎨 Cultural district🔖 Historic building

Shanjia Station was built in 1901 and is one of the most intact Japanese colonial-era wooden railway stations on the TRA Western Trunk Line. It was registered as a historic building in 2005. The wooden station building retains its Japanese-style roof and timber frame, while the platform remains fully operational — trains still stop here every day. A living historic building: that is what sets Shanjia Station apart from a typical exhibition-only heritage site.

What to see at Shanjia Station

Shanjia Station was built in Meiji 34 of the Japanese colonial period (1901). Over more than a century it has undergone several partial renovations; the main structure of the wooden station building is essentially preserved, and the roof form and timber frame are typical of Japanese railway architecture. The station is small — a local stop — with a plain and orderly facade standing among the surrounding ordinary buildings, presenting a typical image of an early Western Trunk Line local station.

What makes Shanjia Station most distinctive is the coexistence of its historic building status and its active operating state. Trains stop here daily and passengers can genuinely buy tickets and board a train, waiting on a platform with more than a century of history. Ticketing still takes place inside, and the platform tiles and waiting area retain the historic layout. When visiting, basic courtesy toward other waiting passengers is essential — do not disturb them.

How to make the most of your visit

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Ride a train to experience the historic platformTake a local train from Taipei or Banqiao to Shanjia Station and experience firsthand what it feels like to wait for a train on a century-old wooden platform. Confirm which train services stop here when buying your ticket.
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Observing the wooden station building's architectureThe timber frame and eave details on the station front are characteristic of Japanese railway architecture. The full front elevation can be photographed from outside the station; it retains a relatively complete historic appearance.
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Railway photography anglesBoth ends of the platform offer views of trains pulling in. Early morning or late afternoon light angles are better; keep an eye on the train timetable to time your shots.
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Strolling the nearby old streetsSome old buildings survive near Shanjia Station. Walk to explore the streetscape around the station area and get a feel for local life in Shulin's Shanjia neighborhood.

Practical information

Getting there and timing

  • Take the TRA Western Trunk Line directly to Shanjia Station — about 30 to 40 minutes from Taipei Main Station. Check the timetable to confirm which services stop here.
  • The station is open all day according to train operations, with no special admission fee or reservation required.

Nearby connections

  • Take the train one stop south to Yingge Old Street to explore ceramics culture; continue south to Sanxia Old Street.
  • Shulin District has some old building streetscapes. Walk to explore near Shanjia Station, then transfer onward.

Source: Taiwan Railways Administration, Shanjia Station information; Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture, historic building registration data. Photos pending replacement with Dio's own shots.

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