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Voykit pocket guide · Taiwan
Pingxi
平溪
Do Pingxi as a day trip from Taipei: 4–6 h total, train ride 1 h each way, focus on Shifen Old Street, lantern release and waterfalls.
Pingxi is a small New Taipei district famous for its historic railway, sky‑lantern festival and waterfalls. It is reachable by TRA in about an hour from Taipei, making it ideal for a half‑day or full‑day visit. Most attractions are clustered near the stations, so a single day covers the highlights.
- Country
- Taiwan
- Local name
- 平溪
- Best months
- Oct–Apr (cooler, lantern festival in Feb–Mar)
- Avoid
- Jul–Sep (hot, occasional typhoon rain)
- Stay
- 0 (day trip) or 1 if staying in Shifen guesthouse nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- TWD
- Money
- Night markets, breakfast shops and many small restaurants take cash only; carry NT$1,000–2,000 in small notes.
- Daily spend
- Budget NT$800–1,200 (hostel, street food, train) · Mid NT$1,200–2,000 (guesthouse, meals, entry fees) · High NT$2,000+ (private room, lantern kits, taxi) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile and FarEasTone sell tourist SIMs and eSIMs at TPE and KHH arrivals; a passport plus a second photo ID is required (check).
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119 · Tourism helpline 0800-011-765
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 110 V · 60 Hz · US and Japanese plugs fit; European, UK and Australian plugs need an adapter, and 220 V-only appliances need a converter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; a 10% service charge appears in many sit-down places and hotels.; Taxis: No tip; round up if you like.; Hotel porter: Not expected; NT$100 in luxury hotels if you want.; Private guide or driver: Not required; NT$200–500 a day or a meal is a thank-you.
- Water
- Treated at source, but locals boil or filter it. Filtered hot-and-cold dispensers are in stations, hotels and many public buildings; bottles cost NT$20–30.
- Toilets
- Free, clean toilets in every MRT station, convenience stores and department stores; paper goes in the toilet in most new buildings — follow the sign.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Street snack (fried taro ball) | NT$30–50 |
| Bottle of water (500 ml) | NT$30–45 |
| Rail ticket Taipei–Shifen (one way) | NT$150–200 |
| Entrance to Taiwan Coal Mine Museum | NT$100 |
| Taxi (5 km (3.1 mi))Taxi (3.1 mi (5 km)) | NT$300–400 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TPE · Taoyuan International Airport
- Take MRT to Taipei, then TRA to Pingxi
Typical fares
- Taipei Main Station → Shifen (TRA)
- about NT$150 one‑way, 1 h (check)
- Shifen → Lingjiao (TRA)
- about NT$70, 10 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Use TRA Pingxi Line; stations (Ruifang → Jingtong → Shifen → Pingxi). Walks from stations to attractions are 5–15 min. No local bus service; taxis are scarce.
See and do
Known for
- Shifen Old Street and sky‑lantern releases
- Pingxi Old Street
- Shifen Waterfall
- Lingjiao Waterfall
- Jingtong Coal Memorial Park
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Shifen Old Street & Lantern release | TRA Pingxi Line, Shifen station (≈1 h from Taipei Main Station) | ≈2 h total (round‑trip train + walk) |
| Shifen Waterfall | From Shifen station, walk 10 min north | ≈2 h 30 min total |
| Lingjiao Waterfall | TRA to Lingjiao station, then 5‑min walk | ≈3 h total |
Sleep
- Shifen Guesthouse area
- Small inns and B&Bs near Shifen station; good for early lantern release.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | 對不起duì bu qǐ |
| Thank you | 謝謝xiè xiè |
| How much is this? | 這個多少錢？zhè ge duō shǎo qián? |
| Where is the restroom? | 洗手間在哪裡？xǐ shǒu jiān zài nǎ lǐ? |
| Can I have a lantern? | 可以買天燈嗎？kě yǐ mǎi tiān dēng ma? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A nod or light handshake; 'nǐ hǎo'; avoid: Hugs with new acquaintances
- Handing things: Two hands for cards, gifts and money; avoid: Tossing money on the counter
- Gifts: Fruit or a boxed sweet for hosts; refuse once before accepting; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, pears and anything in fours — they sound like death or parting
- MRT: Queue at the markings, give up priority seats; avoid: Eating, drinking or chewing gum past the gates
- Temples: Enter right, exit left; one or three sticks of incense; avoid: Stepping on thresholds; pointing at deities
- Home visit: Shoes off; slippers provided; avoid: Writing names in red ink
- Sensitive topics: Follow your host's lead; many people hold a range of views on identity and cross-strait ties; avoid: Assuming everyone thinks the same about China or the ROC's status
Scams and watch-outs
- Last train from Shifen back to Taipei departs around 20:30; plan return early.
- Lantern release sites can be crowded during festival; keep lanterns small and follow safety rules.
- Waterfall paths can be slippery after rain; wear sturdy shoes.
Pingxi is safe for tourists; main risks are train schedule changes and wet trails. Keep valuables on you in stations.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Pingxi yet. Suggested stay: 0 (day trip) or 1 if staying in Shifen guesthouse nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Shifen Old Street and sky‑lantern releases
- Pingxi Old Street
- Shifen Waterfall
- Lingjiao Waterfall
- Jingtong Coal Memorial Park
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Pingxi district official site: www.pingxi.ntpc.gov.tw/
- Wikivoyage: Pingxi, revision 5269253 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5269253
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Pingxi平溪
請帶我到這裡
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police110
- Fire and ambulance119
- Tourism helpline0800-011-765
US consulate in Taipei (check address); other embassies in Taipei.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/pingxi). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.