New Taipei Day Trips: Jiufen, Shifen, Pingxi & Yehliu

Some of the most photogenic corners of northern Taiwan sit just an hour or two outside the capital, strung along the old mining hills and rugged coastline of New Taipei City. A Jiufen day trip — often combined with Shifen, the Pingxi railway and the wind-sculpted rocks of Yehliu — is the classic escape that nearly every first-time visitor builds into their plans. This guide walks through what to see in each spot, how they fit together, and the practical ways to string them into one rewarding day out of Taipei.

The good news is that these destinations cluster into two natural routes: the mountain-and-railway loop (Jiufen, Shifen, Pingxi) to the east, and the coastal geopark (Yehliu) to the north. You can tackle them by a mix of train, bus and the occasional taxi, and with a little planning you can even combine highlights from both in a single long day. Throughout, having a working data connection makes the difference between a smooth outing and a lot of standing around guessing at schedules.

Jiufen Old Street and the famous tea houses

Perched on a steep hillside overlooking the sea, Jiufen (九份) is a former gold-mining town that reinvented itself as one of Taiwan's most atmospheric villages. Its narrow, lantern-lit alleys, sloping stone staircases and layered rooftops have a timeless quality that draws crowds year-round — many visitors associate the mood with classic animated films, though the often-repeated link to Spirited Away is more travel legend than confirmed fact.

What to do in Jiufen

Jiufen Old Street (Jishan Street): A covered warren of food stalls and souvenir shops. Graze your way through taro balls, savory fish-ball soup, peanut ice-cream rolls and other local snacks.
Shuqi Road steps: The iconic staircase flanked by red lanterns and traditional tea houses — the postcard view of Jiufen, especially at dusk when the lanterns glow.
Tea houses: Settling into a hillside tea house for a pot of high-mountain oolong, with the coastline spread out below, is the quintessential Jiufen experience. Expect to pay a premium for the view, but it's worth lingering over.

Jiufen is busiest on weekends and public holidays, and the alleys can get shoulder-to-shoulder by midday. Arriving earlier in the day, or staying until the late-afternoon light, gives you a calmer experience. The town is genuinely magical after dark when the lanterns come on, but be mindful that the last buses back toward Taipei don't run especially late.

Shifen waterfall and releasing a sky lantern

A short hop inland brings you to Shifen (十分), a small town on the old Pingxi railway line famous for two things: a broad, powerful waterfall and the tradition of releasing painted sky lanterns from the train tracks that run straight through the village center.

Shifen Waterfall

Often described as Taiwan's "Little Niagara," Shifen Waterfall is a wide curtain of water set in lush forest, reached by an easy walking trail and a series of suspension bridges from the station. The walk takes roughly 20-30 minutes each way and is flat and family-friendly. There's a viewing platform that gets you close enough to feel the spray on humid days. Entry to the falls area is typically free, though this can change, so it's worth a quick check before you go.

Sky lanterns at Shifen Old Street

The other draw is Shifen Old Street, where shops sell paper sky lanterns in different colors — each color carries a different wish, such as health, wealth or love. You write your hopes on the lantern with a brush, then release it from the active railway tracks (the staff help you time it safely around passing trains). It's touristy, undeniably, but watching your lantern drift up the valley is a genuinely lovely moment. If the environmental side gives you pause, plenty of travelers simply enjoy watching others release theirs.

The Pingxi railway line

Shifen sits on the historic Pingxi Line (平溪線), a single-track branch railway that winds through forested mountains and a string of old coal-mining towns. Riding it is a destination in itself — a slow, scenic trundle past green hills and over river gorges. A one-day Pingxi Line pass lets you hop on and off at the various stops.

Stops worth knowing

Shifen: The waterfall and the busiest sky-lantern scene.
Pingxi: The line's namesake town, with a charming old street and a much-photographed level crossing.
Jingtong: The end of the line, a sleepy former mining village with a wooden heritage station and "bamboo wish" displays.
Houtong: Technically just before the branch line proper — the "cat village," beloved by feline fans, where dozens of cats laze around a hillside settlement.

The catch with the Pingxi Line is frequency: trains run only every hour or so, sometimes less. That makes timing the linchpin of your day. I'd strongly suggest checking the current timetable on your phone before each leg rather than relying on a printed schedule that may be out of date. Live train info is one of those things that turns a stressful day of missed connections into a relaxed one — a reliable Taiwan eSIM plan means you can pull up the timetable from the platform and adjust on the fly.

Yehliu Geopark's surreal rock formations

On the north coast, in a completely different landscape, lies Yehliu Geopark (野柳地質公園). This narrow cape juts into the sea and is covered in bizarre, wind- and wave-eroded rock formations that look almost extraterrestrial.

What to look for

Queen's Head: The park's signature formation, a mushroom-shaped rock that resembles a regal profile. It's heavily photographed, so expect a queue for the best angle — and note that erosion is slowly thinning its "neck."
Mushroom and honeycomb rocks: Whole fields of these otherworldly shapes line the walking paths.
Fairy's Shoe and other named rocks: Half the fun is spotting the formations that match their poetic names.

The cape is exposed, so it can be hot and shadeless in summer and windy in winter — bring sun protection or a windbreaker accordingly. Stick to the marked paths and heed the red warning lines near the water; rogue waves are a real hazard here. A visit takes one to two hours at a relaxed pace.

Because Yehliu is on the coast north of Taipei rather than in the mining hills to the east, it doesn't slot neatly onto the Pingxi route. Many travelers pair it with Jiufen instead, since a dedicated tourist shuttle connects the coast with the mountain towns (more on that below).

How to do it: trains, buses or tours

There's no single "right" way to combine these spots — it depends on how many you want to hit and how much you value flexibility. Here are the main approaches.

By public transport (the independent route)

To Jiufen: Take a TRA train from Taipei Main Station to Ruifang, then a short bus or taxi up the hill to Jiufen. Alternatively, direct buses run from near Taipei (such as from the Zhongxiao Fuxing area) straight to Jiufen.
To Shifen and the Pingxi Line: From Ruifang, transfer to the Pingxi Line train. A day pass lets you explore Shifen, Pingxi and Jingtong at your own pace.
To Yehliu: Buses run from Taipei toward the north coast and Keelung, stopping near the geopark; coming from Jiufen, the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle coastal routes link the area.

This route is the cheapest and most flexible, and tapping through gates is easy with an EasyCard. The tradeoff is the planning: you're juggling multiple transfers and the sparse Pingxi timetable. To get the logistics right end to end, it's worth reading up on how the rail and bus network fits together in our guide to getting around Taiwan by HSR, train and EasyCard before you set off.

By organized day tour

If you'd rather not worry about connections, plenty of operators run combined day tours that bundle Yehliu, Jiufen and Shifen (sometimes with a sky-lantern release included) into one comfortable loop with a van and driver. This is the most efficient way to see all the headline sights in a single day, especially if your time in Taiwan is tight. You trade some flexibility and budget for convenience.

Which combination makes sense?

Relaxed half-day: Just Jiufen, savored slowly with a tea-house stop.
Mountain-and-railway day: Jiufen plus the Pingxi Line (Shifen waterfall and a lantern release). The most natural self-guided pairing.
The full sampler: Yehliu, Jiufen and Shifen together — realistic in one long day, but smoother with a tour or an early start.

However you slice it, these day trips reward a little flexibility. Weather on the coast and in the hills can differ from central Taipei, crowds ebb and flow, and that hourly Pingxi train waits for no one. If you're slotting this into a wider trip, it dovetails neatly with a few days in the capital — see our Taipei travel guide for the city side of things, and our 7-day Taiwan itinerary for how a New Taipei day fits into a full week on the island.

Practical tips for a smooth day out

Start early. Beat the crowds at Jiufen and give yourself buffer for the infrequent Pingxi trains.
Carry cash. Many old-street stalls and small tea houses are cash-only, even though your EasyCard handles transport.
Wear comfortable shoes. Jiufen's steps, the walk to Shifen Waterfall and Yehliu's paths all involve a fair bit of walking, sometimes on uneven ground.
Check the weather. The northeast coast and hills catch more rain than Taipei; a compact umbrella is a smart pack year-round.
Keep your phone charged and connected. Every part of this day — checking train times, mapping bus stops, calling a taxi from Ruifang — leans on having data.

From the lantern-lit lanes of Jiufen to the spray of Shifen Waterfall and the alien rocks of Yehliu, New Taipei's day trips pack an enormous amount of variety into a short ride from the capital. With a route in mind, a charged phone, and a steady Taiwan eSIM connection to pull up live train times and maps as you go, you'll spend less time deciphering timetables and more time soaking in some of the most memorable scenery in northern Taiwan.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get to Jiufen from Taipei?

The most common route is a TRA train from Taipei Main Station to Ruifang, then a short bus or taxi up the hill to Jiufen. Direct buses also run from the Zhongxiao Fuxing area in Taipei straight to Jiufen. The trip takes roughly an hour to 90 minutes depending on connections and traffic.

Can I visit Jiufen, Shifen and Yehliu in one day?

Yes, but it's a full day. Jiufen and Shifen (on the Pingxi Line) pair naturally since they're both in the eastern mining hills, while Yehliu sits on the north coast. Combining all three independently means tight timing around the hourly Pingxi trains, so many travelers use the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle or join an organized day tour to link the coast with the mountain towns.

How often do Pingxi Line trains run?

The Pingxi Line is a single-track branch railway with limited service — trains typically run only about once an hour, sometimes less. Because of this, checking the current timetable on your phone before each leg is essential to avoid long waits or missed connections. A one-day Pingxi Line pass lets you hop on and off at Shifen, Pingxi and Jingtong.

Is releasing a sky lantern at Shifen worth it?

For many visitors, yes — writing your wishes on a paper lantern and watching it drift up the valley from the railway tracks is a memorable, distinctly Taiwanese experience, and shop staff help you do it safely around passing trains. Different lantern colors represent different wishes. If the environmental impact concerns you, you can simply enjoy watching others release theirs.

What is there to see at Yehliu Geopark?

Yehliu is a coastal cape covered in surreal wind- and wave-eroded rock formations. The star attraction is the mushroom-shaped Queen's Head rock, alongside fields of honeycomb and mushroom rocks and quirky named formations like the Fairy's Shoe. Stick to marked paths, heed the red safety lines near the water, and allow one to two hours for a relaxed visit.