Checheng Railway Station and Old Street 車程車站及老街

Background:

Checheng Railway Station, located in Shuili Township, Nantou County, is the terminal station of the Jiji Line and is named after the Taiwanese word “埕,” meaning “yard,” referring to the many sugar carts once parked there when the Puli Sugar Factory began transporting sugar in 1916. Established in 1922 as “Outer Checheng Station” and renamed in 1955, it has experienced several changes, including damage from the 1999 earthquake and rebuilding in 2001. Managed by the Shuili Township Office, it remains one of the few stations still selling old-style card tickets. Although service has been suspended since 2021 due to tunnel damage and landslides, reopening in December 2025, Checheng Station continues to attract visitors for its railway heritage, preserved locomotives, and historic cars, while future plans include a possible cable car link to Sun Moon Lake.

Price:

Free

Hours:

24/7

Cherry Blossom Season:

Cherry Blossoms can be seen in the park from February to late March. Check out our full guide to Cherry Blossom Season in Taiwan here. 

How to get around Nantou:

As always, we recommend renting a scooter as the best way to see Taiwan. However, you can also a great deal of Nantou by taking the train to Taichung and then switching to an inter-city bus, or local bus. Getting around in a car is also a convenient option as there is plenty of parking pretty much everywhere in this less crowded county. 
Scooter Rental: Looking for scooter rental in Nantou? Search Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. 
Car Rental: If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. 
By Bus: You can book tickets to travel to Nantou via inter-city bus on Klook here. 
By Train: You can book tickets to Taichung via high speed rail (HSR)  on Klook here or KKDay here, or book tickets via the normal train (TRA)  on Klook here, then switch to a bus to Nantou. 
Bicycle Rental: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan’s landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. 

Tours: 

​There are many tours and activities available in Nantou such as river Tracing, paragliding, Shanlinxi Forest Recreation Area 杉林溪, Cona’s Chocolate Castle, Shuiyuan Suspension Bridge, JOJOZOO Park, and Aowanda Forest Recreation Area.
You can find more tours of Nantou on Klook here or KKday here. 

Where to Stay:

We have stayed at and recommend Jenq Yang Hotspring Hotel (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, Trip.com here, or Klook here), a hot spring hotel near the mystical Lushan hot spring, and Maple Leaf Holiday Villa (you can book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, Trip.com here, or Klook here), a lodge with a great view and within walking distance of Cingjing Farm. I also have stayed at and recommend Kirin Villa (you can book on Agoda here), a mountain resort in Puli near Sun Moon Lake. 
Looking for a hotel? Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here. We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality accommodation on the islands.

Map:

Check out the map above.

Drone Footage:

Play

Or check out our 360 degree panorama above.

Our Journey:

I have been to Chencheng Station and Old Street twice. Besides Jiji, it has the biggest shopping area along the Jiji Railway Line. I was sad to hear that the railway has been closed between 2021 and 2025, but it should open within a few months after this blog is published. It is definitley a touristy and vibrant old street and town that is worth visiting, with lots of historical sites.

When we visited, the railway was closed for maintenence, so we drove a car there. There are a few parking lots near the old street.

Map of Checheng. The main old street and shopping area is in the middle, and there is an older hillside town behind it, and a beautiful pond to the east.

Checheng Station 車程車站

Checheng Station.

The railway tracks pass right next to the parking lot here.

View of the entrance to the main old street area.

Bathrooms.

Old steam train in front of a dessert shop.

Historical railway exhibit.

Refrigerator Car No. 10R104
Manufactured in Japan in 1928, this refrigerator car was specially built to keep fish, fruit, and vegetables cool during short-range transport in the pre-air-conditioned age. During World War II (1941–1945), it was used for shipping military supplies.
After the war, it became a vital asset for transporting perishable foods, serving as a “moving icebox” before modern refrigeration was common.
The car’s body is made of wood and steadily among the fading freight cars, it was retired on June 30, 1984.
In 2012, it was restored by the Kaohsiung Workshop of the Administration’s Railway Stock Department to preserve it for all to see.

3D map of the town.

Another view of the map.

Japanese era map of the Jiji Railway.

Another view of the map.

Explanation of different parts of a railroad.

Old railway car.

There is a lot of room here to walk or ride a bicycle.

Plum alcohol store.

Another view of the main road in front of the old street.

Old water tower for steam engines.

Tracks that Witnessed History
The Checheng railway tracks have witnessed a century of development along the Jiji Branch Railway. During the Japanese colonial period, these tracks carried trains that provided transportation for the logging industry and the local community. Trains delivering coal, camphor, and timber would stop at the Checheng Station, their engines refueled and water tanks refilled before continuing their journey.
The sight of steam engines whistling into Checheng, releasing white clouds of steam and smoke, filled the air with energy and life. Workers busily loaded and unloaded goods, fulfilling the daily needs of the people.
In later years, as the logging industry declined, Checheng transformed from a bustling timber town into a peaceful village. Yet the railway tracks remain, silently witnessing the changing times and preserving the memories of generations who lived and worked here.
Today, these tracks remind us of the past vitality of the region and continue to symbolize the enduring spirit of the railway culture in Taiwan.

Beautiful mountain scenery in front of the old street.

Table and grassy area in front of the old station.

Market area in front of the old station.

Left Sign: Ballast Car No. 10-13 Ballast
Ballast cars were designed to carry and distribute ballast — the gravel or crushed stone used to form the track bed supporting railway ties and tracks.
This car was mainly used to maintain the stability of railway tracks and ensure smooth train operations.
During the active years of Taiwan’s railway construction, ballast cars were indispensable to the work of maintaining and expanding the network.

Right sign: Covered Car No. 25C10056
Manufactured in Japan in the 1940s, this covered freight car was primarily intended for carrying cargo that needed protection from rain or sun, such as grain, food, and other goods.
After the war, it continued to serve as an important part of Taiwan’s freight system, transporting various goods across the island.
By the 1980s, with the decline in railway freight operations, most covered cars were gradually retired from service.
This particular car was restored by the Kaohsiung Workshop of the Administration’s Railway Stock Department to preserve it as a piece of Taiwan’s railway heritage.

Kiddie train ride.

Souvenir store.

View inside the souvenir store.

There is also a second floor here.

Old logging cargo display.

Another 3D Map of Checheng.

Another view of the log cargo loading area.

Bamboo Charcoal Story House 竹炭故事舘

Bamboo charcoal exhibit.

Wooden craft area.

View inside the bamboo charcoal exhibit.

False cypress postcards.

More wooden crafts and wares.

People walking up to the second floor.

Checheng Logging Exhibit 車程木業展示館

Checheng logging exhibit.

Exit out of the logging exhibit area.

View from the logging exhibit from the outside.

Another shop with bathrooms.

The railway may have extended over this bridge to help with loading and offloading logs.

Ningmu Pond 貯木池

Ningmu Pond 貯木池 to the east of the old street.

Top-down view of the pond via drone.

Koi fish in the pond.

Restored Japanese building on top of the pond.

View from the other side of the pond with ducks in the foreground.

View looking back at the logging exhibit as we walk back.

Now we see the actual old street itself, which is a bunch of houses on the hillside here.

Another view of the pond.

The old railway was raised here, perhaps for the convenience of loading or offloading logs.

More shops, including the Cardboard Box King shop “紙箱王”

Checheng plum shop. Plums seem to be the popular snack here.

Police station on a giant hill here.

In the background, you can see the checheng plum wine factory, and a rice, noodle, and stinky tofu shop.

All of a sudden, a tour bus full of people showed up.

Another kiddie train ride in front of the Cardboard Box King shop “紙箱王”

Cardboard box land, inside the Cardboard Box King shop “紙箱王”

Rainbow steps.

Another beautifully restored Japanese building.

Finally, we make our way to Checheng Old Street.

Checheng Old Street 車程老街

Colorful lanterns cover the entrance of the old street. Many of the shops were not open; perhpas it was becuase we visited on a weekend.

Hostel / coffee house.

A very old house.

The old street continues to wind up the hill.

Beautiful view of Checheng Old Street.

Row after row of brick houses.

More colorful lanterns.

Another view of the colorful lanterns.

Down this alleyway is another hostel.

Lots of stuff on someone’s front porch.

Someone else’s front porch.

Another row of old houses.

View from the top of the old street.

Sanyuan Temple 三元宮

At the top of the hill, you will find Sanyuan Temple which has nice views from the top.

View of Checheng from the top of the temple.

View looking toward the Mingtan Dam.

Main shrine of Sanyuan Temple.

View inside the second floor.

Main stage on the second floor of the temple.

Another hotel I noticed walking back down the old street.

Another scene as I walked back down the old street.

Fancy wastewater cap.

And we made it back to Checheng Station.

Wide view of the station.

7-11 and Cardboard King store, with the train running!

Cardboard King train going around the tracks.

Professional photographer pose.

Live musical performance.

The main square with lots of people.

Main entrance to Checheng.

Last view of the trains here.

Mingtan Reservoir 明潭水庫

View of Mingtan Dam.
Mingtan Reservoir, also called the Shuili Dam or Mingtan Lower Pool Dam, is located in Checheng Village, Shuili Township, Nantou County, near Provincial Highway 131 and the terminal of the Jiji Railway Line. Built by Taipower between 1987 and 1995 at a cost of NT$50.8 billion, it serves as the lower reservoir for the Mingtan Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Plant—one of Taiwan’s 14 major construction projects. Constructed as a 61.5-meter-high concrete gravity dam on the Shuili River, the reservoir has a total capacity of 14.4 million cubic meters and works together with Sun Moon Lake, which serves as the upper reservoir. During off-peak hours, surplus power from nuclear and thermal plants pumps water from Mingtan Reservoir up to Sun Moon Lake; during peak hours, the stored water is released downward through six reversible Francis turbines and generators, each producing 267 MW, for a total capacity of 1,602 MW and an annual output of about 2.4 billion kWh—making it Taiwan’s largest hydroelectric facility. Much of the plant’s structure, including its massive underground power cavern, lies deep inside the mountain, and the 380-meter elevation difference between the two lakes creates efficient energy cycling, with Mingtan’s water level fluctuating up to 28 meters daily, giving the reservoir a unique “tidal” appearance.

Aerial view of Mingtan Reservoir.

View of the south side of the reservior.

View of the Dam and overflow.

Aerial view from Checheng Station.

Aerial view looking back toward Shuili.

If the main parking lot gets full here, there is another two parking lots farther down the road.

There is a lot more to explore here. We saw lots of abandoned stuff on the side of the road like this. Go out there and check out Checheng for yourself.

Check out our full guide to Nantou County here.
Check out our guide to Taiwan here.