《TAIPEI TIMES》Scenic Jiji Line resumes full services after 4 years

A man poses with a train on the Jiji Line in Nantou County yesterday. Photo: CNA

Staff Writer, with CNA Taiwan Railway Corp （TRC） yesterday fully reopened its Jiji Line （集集支線） after more than four years of disruptions caused by severe storm damage.

The Jiji Line, a popular scenic railway with more than a century of history, runs from Changhua County’s Ershuei Station （二水） through Yuanquan （源泉）, Jhuoshuei （濁水）, Longquan （龍泉）, Jiji and Shueili （水里） stations, to Checheng （車埕） Station in Nantou County.

Services between Jiji and Checheng had been suspended since August 2021, after a massive landslide near the 11.5km mark of Provincial Highway No. 16 buried and compressed a railway tunnel that was parallel to the road.

Following the disaster, authorities launched extensive repair and reconstruction work, including tunnel rehabilitation and infrastructure upgrades. The first phase of the line’s reopening was completed in January, when train services resumed as far as Jiji Station.

The full reopening was celebrated yesterday at Checheng Station.

President William Lai （賴清德）, Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai （陳世凱）, TRC chairman Cheng Kuang-yuan （鄭光遠）, Nantou County officials, and lawmakers from the Democratic Progressive Party and the Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） attended the ceremony.

The Jiji Line Infrastructure Improvement Project strengthened roadbeds, slopes, drainage systems and tunnels, Lai said, adding that although the 2021 storms caused severe damage, the new infrastructure is now more resilient.

The project, which runs until next year, has a budget of NT$3.589 billion （US$112.74 million）.

Chen, who traveled on the line from Ershuei to Checheng, praised the smooth ride and scenic views.

The suspension reportedly led to an 80 percent decline in Jiji Township’s tourism, he said, and expressed hope that the full restoration of services would help revive tourism in Jiji, Shuili and Checheng.

The TRC’s Tianjhong Line （田中支線）, which is scheduled to be completed in 2029, would enable passengers arriving at Changhua High-Speed Rail Station to travel directly into Nantou County’s mountain region by rail, he added.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES