North Gate Station (Beimen Station) in Chiayi City is the historic first stop on the Alishan Forest Railway after Chiayi Station. Its small wooden station house, built in Japanese style from Taiwan cypress, is one of the best-loved railway buildings in Taiwan, and the area around it is packed with forestry heritage, including Hinoki Village and the old railway garage.
Note: this is the Chiayi station on the Alishan line, not Taipei’s North Gate (Beimen) or the MRT station of the same name.
Plan your visit to North Gate Station (Beimen Station)
- Viewing the station: free
- Main-line trains leave Chiayi in the morning
- Time needed: 30 minutes
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History of North Gate Station (Beimen Station)
Beimen Station opened on 1 October 1912 with the Alishan Forest Railway, which was built under Japanese rule to bring cypress timber down from the mountains. The station area became the hub of Chiayi’s timber industry, with sawmills, timber ponds and staff housing nearby. A fire in 1998 damaged part of the building, which was then restored using red cypress. Today it is a listed heritage building, and trains on the main line still stop here.
Attractions at North Gate Station (Beimen Station)
- The station house: a small wooden building with a gabled roof, preserved in its early 20th-century form.
- Forest railway tracks: watch the narrow-gauge trains pass on their way to and from Alishan.
- Chiayi railway garage park: old steam and diesel locomotives on display a short walk away.
- Hinoki Village: restored Japanese-era forestry dormitories just to the south.
Things to Do at North Gate Station (Beimen Station)
- Photograph the station and the passing trains.
- Walk the forestry heritage area: Beimen, Hinoki Village and the railway garage are all close together.
- Board the train to Alishan: main-line trains stop here on the way up the mountain.
- Browse cypress crafts in nearby shops.
North Gate Station (Beimen Station) – Entry Eligibility and Open Timings
Viewing the station from outside is free. Train tickets are needed to ride the Alishan Forest Railway; main-line trains currently leave Chiayi in the morning, and tickets sell out quickly at weekends, so book ahead.
Train tickets
- Alishan Forest Railway main line (with park admission): on Klook
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How Long to Spend at North Gate Station (Beimen Station)
About 30 minutes for the station alone, or a half day combined with Hinoki Village and the railway garage.
How to Get There
- On foot: about 20 to 25 minutes from Chiayi railway station.
- By forest railway: one stop from Chiayi Station on the Alishan line.
- By taxi: a short ride from central Chiayi.
- To Chiayi: high-speed trains from Taipei take about 1.5 hours to Chiayi HSR station, then take a shuttle bus or taxi into the city.
Arriving at Taoyuan Airport? Book a fixed-price airport transfer to your Taipei hotel, then take the high-speed train to Chiayi.
Eateries Nearby North Gate Station (Beimen Station)
Cafés and snack shops are found in Hinoki Village next door. Central Chiayi is a short walk away, known for turkey rice (huoji fan) and the evening Wenhua Road Night Market.
Other Attractions Nearby North Gate Station (Beimen Station)
- Hinoki Village: restored cypress houses next to the station.
- Alishan National Scenic Area: the forests at the top of the line.
- Chiayi railway garage park: historic locomotives nearby.
- Chiayi Old Prison: a Japanese-era prison with guided visits.
Before your trip
- Find hotels in Chiayi: stay close to the city centre for an early train to Alishan.
- Get a Taiwan eSIM on Klook before you land (unlimited data, Chunghwa Telecom network).
North Gate Station (Beimen Station) is a charming wooden station from 1912 on the Alishan Forest Railway, at the heart of Chiayi’s forestry heritage area.
Combine it with Hinoki Village, then ride the train up to Alishan.