Shen Ao Railbike is a short bicycle ride on an old Railway line on the coast of Ruifang, New Taipei. Visitors are seated two people per bicycle car, which has a roof and great views of the ocean scenery nearby. Overall it is a fun adventure for the whole family.
Historical Background:
Originally the Shen’ao Railway was constructed during the Japanese era in 1936 for transport of coal and other mine exports. After World War II, Taiwan Metal Mining Co. took over but ceased operations in 1962 due to financial difficulties. TRA built a new Shen’ao Line that opened in 1965 for freight, extending passenger services in 1967.
Services ended again in 1989 due to the completion of the new oceanside highway and the closure of a coal power plant in the area, but the line was revived in 2014 to support the museum and related tourism activities. In 2019, a Railbike attraction was introduced between Badouzi and Shen’ao using the old railway tracks on a 1.3 KM long track.
In 2024, services between the National Marine Science Museum and Badouzi were suspended for slope improvement works, expected to be completed by 2025.
Hours:
Roughly 9 AM to 5 PM.
Price:
150 NT per one-way trip per person
300 NT per round trip per person
You can book tickets for a discount on KKday here.
Schedule:
Departure Times: Badouzi Station → Shen’ao Station
09:00
10:00
11:00
13:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
Departure Times: Shen’ao Station → Badouzi Station
09:30
10:30
11:30
13:30
14:30
15:30
16:30
For up-to-date times, please check the Shen’ao Railbike website here.
Rules:
- For the general public, online booking is available 30 days before the date of the ride
- For the online booking, please register as a member first and fill in the member information to continue booking.
- Children must be 3 years old or above or at least 90 cm in height to be eligible for a ride. Children under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
- Since the rail bike needs pedaling, for safety reasons, it is advised that people with disabilities may not be suitable for the ride, or they need to be accompanied by their relatives and friends.
- Passengers who complete online booking and reservation are recommended to check at the departure platform 30 minutes before the scheduled time.
- If you have already booked a rail bike ride, please complete your check-in 15 minutes before the departure. The departure time will not be postponed If you do not show up before the scheduled departure time.
- Ticket purchases are only available from online booking. No telephone booking service is available for the time being.
- There are no walk-in tickets available on-site. Walk-in passengers will be put on the waiting list, but there’s no guaranteed seat.
Where to stay:
We recommend Fullon Hotel which has locations in Tamsui and Fulong near the beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here).
We have stayed at and recommend Gold Mountain Ranch, which is a horse ranch and glamping destination in Jinshan. You can book a night at Gold Mountain Ranch on Klook here. You can also check out our full blog on the ranch here.
We have also stayed at and recommend Hai Xia Your Home which is right in front of Fulong Beach (book on Booking.com here, Tripadvisor here, Agoda here, or Hotels.com here).
Activities in Taipei:
At Shen’ao there are many activities available to enjoy such as kayaking, canoeing, snorkeling, SUP / paddle boarding, water biking, and more activities which you can book on Klook here or KKday here.
How to get there:
By Car/Scooter: Drive to Keelung, then from downtown take provincial Highway 2 east about 10 KM until you reach the Badouzi Station, and there is some free parking parking across the street.
If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here.
Looking for scooter rental in northern Taiwan? You can search on Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here.
By Train/Bus: Take the TRA to Badouzi (八斗子） station, then walk about 200 M east until you reach the rail bike station. Book tickets via the normal train (TRA) on Klook here. You can purchase a discount easy card to use on the MRT and buses from Klook here or KKday here. You can also book an MRT travel pass on Klook here.
By Bicycle:
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 use Taiwan’s many Youbike sharing stations, or search for rentals on KKday here, and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. You can also book a cycling tour on TripAdvisor here.
For more information, check out our Taiwan transportation guide here.
Map:
Please see below to see:
