Pingxi, Shifen & Houtong Self-Drive Day Trip: Shifen Waterfall, Sky Lanterns, Pingxi Old Street, Jingtong Station and Houtong Cat Village – Drive Times from Taipei and Keelung

Pingxi, Shifen & Houtong Self-Drive Day Trip: Shifen Waterfall, Sky Lanterns, Pingxi Old Street, Jingtong Station and Houtong Cat Village – Drive Times from Taipei and Keelung

The Pingxi Line valley is one of the most charming day trips from Taipei. At Shifen Old Street a little train rolls right past the shopfronts while sky lanterns drift up over the hills; Shifen Waterfall thunders a short walk away; Jingtong still has its wooden station building; and just to the north, cats doze in front of the old coal-mining buildings of Houtong. The catch is that Pingxi Line trains run roughly once an hour and the sights need several transfers, so trying to see Shifen, Pingxi, Jingtong and Houtong in one day by train usually means a lot of waiting on platforms. This guide looks at the trip from behind the wheel: which Goodcars pickup station to start from, how long each drive takes, where to park, how to release a sky lantern legally and safely, and three day routes you can follow as they are.

Shifen Waterfall (Unsplash; the photographer tagged the location as Shifen Waterfall, Gankeng, Pingxi District, New Taipei City; for illustration only)

Which pickup station? Drive times from Taipei, Songshan, Nangang, Wenshan and Keelung

Pingxi District sits in the hills east of Taipei. From central Taipei you take National Freeway 1 and then Provincial Highway 2C (the Keelung–Fulong road), or the winding County Road 106 through Shenkeng. From Keelung you simply follow Highway 2C south. Goodcars has several pickup points in Taipei and Keelung close to Pingxi. The times below are Google Maps estimates for a Saturday 9 a.m. departure; real times depend on traffic, and weekend traffic into the valley around midday can make them longer.

Taipei Main Station Store and Songshan Store are staffed stores. If you need to pick up or return outside opening hours, please call the store in advance and they will arrange it for you. Nangang Station, Wenshan Store and Keelung Railway Station are self-service car park stations; the pickup steps are explained in our self-service pickup and return guide.

Shifen: the old street, sky lanterns and Shifen Waterfall

Shifen Old Street: a train through the shopfronts

The signature image of Shifen is the Pingxi Line train edging slowly between two rows of shops, with lantern stalls lined up along both sides of the track. When a train is due, staff and shopkeepers call everyone off the line – stay in the safe area beside the tracks for photos and never step onto the rails for a better angle. There are public and private paid car parks around the old street; they fill up fastest around midday at weekends, so arriving before 10 a.m. makes parking much easier.

A sky lantern at Shifen (Unsplash; the photographer tagged the location as Shifen Street, Pingxi District, New Taipei City; for illustration only)

Shifen Waterfall: one of Taiwan's widest curtain waterfalls

Shifen Waterfall lies east of the old street. You can walk there along a footpath from Shifen, or drive and park at the paid car park in front of the Shifen Tourist Service Center, then walk into the park. The fall is wide and powerful, and even more impressive after rain. Entry is currently free; opening hours vary by season – roughly from 9 a.m. until late afternoon – so check the New Taipei City tourism website or the notice on site. The path has some ups and downs, so allow extra time with children or older travellers. Along County Road 106 nearby is the small Eyeglass Cave Waterfall, worth a quick photo stop.

How to release a sky lantern legally and safely

• Not on the railway tracks: the line through Shifen Old Street is an operating railway. Releasing lanterns on the tracks breaks the Railway Act and can be fined; visitors have been penalised after being reported.
• Go with a shop to a designated spot: the lantern shops on the old street will take you to a legal release area and help with writing your wishes, photos and lighting. Prices for single-colour and multi-colour lanterns vary by shop, so ask before you buy.
• Watch the wind and weather: strong wind or rain makes it unsafe. A lantern carries an open flame, so keep away from power lines, trees and parked cars.
• Lantern debris can be recycled: New Taipei City runs lantern paper and frame recycling, and some locals collect fallen lanterns too. If you see one on the ground, take it to a collection point.
• Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival: held around the Lantern Festival (the 15th day of the first lunar month) each year. Venues and dates are announced by New Taipei City Government; during the festival there are traffic controls and shuttle buses around Pingxi, so check the closures before you drive.

Pingxi Old Street and Jingtong along County Road 106

The railway at Pingxi Station (Unsplash; the photographer described it as Pingxi Station, New Taipei; for illustration only)

From Shifen Old Street, County Road 106 heads west and reaches Pingxi Old Street in about 10 minutes (around 6 km). It is quieter than Shifen: the lanes climb the slopes of the Keelung River valley, with snack stalls, lantern shops and a railway bridge crossing overhead. Half an hour to an hour is enough for a stroll.

About 5 minutes further west (around 2 km) is Jingtong, the end of the Pingxi Line. Jingtong Station is a preserved wooden station building, and around it hang thousands of bamboo wishing tubes left by visitors. The short old street has buildings and little shops from the mining era. Space is tight and parking is limited, so at weekends use one of the paid car parks nearby and walk in.

From Jingtong, County Road 106 continues towards Shenkeng – about 25 minutes (traffic permitting) – where Shenkeng Old Street is famous for tofu dishes, before you head back into Taipei. This stretch is a narrow, winding mountain road; slow down if fog rolls in towards evening.

Houtong: Cat Village and the Coal Mine Ecological Park

A cat at Houtong Cat Village (Unsplash; the photographer described it as Houtong Cat Village, New Taipei; for illustration only)

Houtong, in Ruifang District, was once one of Taiwan's key coal-mining towns and is now known as the "Cat Village". From Houtong Station a footbridge leads up to the hillside village, where cats nap on steps and walls. Beside the station, the Houtong Coal Mine Ecological Park preserves the old coal-washing plant and tells the story of the mining era. It is about 35–45 minutes by car from Shifen Old Street and about 25–40 minutes from Keelung Railway Station (traffic permitting).

Houtong is close to Jiufen, about 12–16 minutes by car (traffic permitting). To add Jiufen and Jinguashi to the same day, see our Jiufen and Jinguashi self-drive guide.

Three Pingxi self-drive day routes

Route A: Shifen → Pingxi → Jingtong → Shenkeng (from Taipei, the classic)

Pick up at Taipei Main Station Store, Songshan Store or Nangang Station → National Freeway 1 to Highway 2C → Shifen Waterfall (park at the service center car park) → Shifen Old Street for lanterns and lunch → 10 minutes on County Road 106 to Pingxi Old Street → 5 minutes to Jingtong Station to hang a wishing tube → about 25 minutes on County Road 106 to Shenkeng for dinner, then back to Taipei to return the car. Total driving time is about 2 hours (traffic permitting), leaving most of the day for sightseeing.

Route B: Shifen → Houtong → Jiufen (the best of northern Taiwan in a day)

Pick up at Keelung Railway Station or Taipei Main Station Store → Shifen first thing in the morning (waterfall and old street) → Highway 2C towards Ruifang, about 35–45 minutes to Houtong for the cats and the mining park → about 15 minutes up to Jiufen Old Street for sunset and red lanterns → back to Keelung or Taipei. The mountain road to Jiufen gets very busy on weekend evenings, so consider having dinner after you come down.

Route C: from Wenshan over the mountain – Jingtong → Pingxi → Shifen (avoid the crowds)

Pick up at Wenshan Store → via Shenkeng on County Road 106, about 35 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes to Jingtong → Pingxi Old Street → Shifen in the afternoon for lanterns and the waterfall → Highway 2C and National Freeway 1 back to Taipei. Most visitors rush to Shifen in the morning, so doing the valley in reverse helps you avoid the midday crowds there.

You can also combine Pingxi with the coast: see our Northeast Coast day trip and North Coast day trip. For Keelung city sights, read our Keelung travel guide, and for more northern Taiwan ideas, see 5 road trips from Taipei.

Driving tips: County Road 106, parking, weekend crowds and weather

• County Road 106 is a mountain road: the sections from Shenkeng to Jingtong and from Pingxi to Shifen are narrow with many bends, and some spots need care when passing oncoming cars. Pull over to let tour coaches through.
• Parking: at Shifen Waterfall use the paid car park in front of the service center; around Shifen Old Street, Pingxi and Jingtong there are public and private paid car parks. Don't park on red or yellow kerb lines or in front of homes. More parking tips: parking in Taiwan guide.
• Weekend crowds: Shifen Old Street is busiest around midday at weekends. Arrive at Shifen by 9–10 a.m., or follow Route C in reverse.
• Weather: the Pingxi hills get frequent rain and fog. Keep a safe distance on wet roads, and after typhoons or heavy rain check whether roads and trails are open.
• Lantern Festival traffic controls: around the Lantern Festival, roads near Pingxi and Shifen are controlled. Follow the marshals on site or use the shuttle buses.
• Fuel: petrol stations are few in the Pingxi hills, so check the gauge before leaving the city. Goodcars cars come with a fuel card, so you don't pay for fuel yourself.

For Taiwan's road rules (drive on the right, give way to pedestrians, lots of scooters), see our guide to driving rules in Taiwan.

Rental costs and booking notes

• How pricing works: Goodcars car rentals are charged as rental fee + Fuel charge. The Fuel charge is based on the actual kilometres you drive and already includes fuel. Every car comes with a fuel card, so you don't pay for fuel yourself, there is no need to top up the tank when you return the car, and there is no cap on distance. If you forget the fuel card and pay at the pump, keep the receipt and the full amount will be deducted from your Fuel charge. Show the fuel card when a station attendant fills up for you (self-service pumps may not accept it).
• Rental fee: economy cars (New Vios, New Yaris, Yaris Cross, New Colt Plus) start from NT$1,199 on weekdays and NT$1,399 at weekends. Actual prices vary by pickup station and date – please check the quote on our website. The more days you rent, the lower the average daily cost.
• ETC tolls: every car has an ETC tag. Rental cars are charged a flat NT$1.2 per kilometre on tolled freeways, settled when you return the car; staff can provide the breakdown if you need it.
• GO Worry-Free Protection Plan: add the GO Worry-Free Protection Plan when booking to reduce the amount you would be responsible for if the car is damaged; see the website for details.
• Car models: for two or three people, the 5-seaters New Vios, New Yaris, Yaris Cross and New Colt Plus; for families, the 7–9-seaters Wish, M7 Turbo ECO Hyper, Staria, Starex and Touran. On winding roads, pick whatever you feel comfortable driving. Availability at each station on the day is shown on the booking page.
• Booking and payment: depending on the station, online bookings must be made 12–24 hours before pickup. For last-minute rentals, call the store or message us on WhatsApp. Foreign visitors pay with a credit card in the name of the person who booked.
• One-way rentals: you can pick up in Taipei and return in Keelung (or the other way round). The fee is shown in the online quote and differs by station; see 10 one-way rental routes.

For how the Fuel charge works, see the Fuel charge page and our Fuel charge explainer. To estimate your total budget, read how much a rental car costs per day in Taiwan.

FAQ

Q1. Can I drive to Pingxi with my own country's licence?

Holders of a valid Hong Kong driving licence (Macau: a valid Macau licence) can rent with Goodcars; Hong Kong visitors are advised to bring their International Driving Permit as well. Visitors from other countries: if your country has a reciprocal agreement with Taiwan, bring a valid International Driving Permit, your original national licence and your passport – you can drive for 30 days from entry, and beyond 30 days you need a licence visa from a highway motor vehicle office. Reciprocity is confirmed by the Highway Bureau's list of countries with reciprocal licence arrangements. Japanese visitors use a Japanese licence plus an official Chinese translation. Details: complete car rental guide for foreign visitors.

Q2. Can I see Pingxi, Shifen, Jingtong and Houtong in one day?

Yes, by car. Shifen, Pingxi and Jingtong are only 5–10 minutes apart, and Houtong is about 35–45 minutes from Shifen (traffic permitting). Route B above – Shifen in the morning, Houtong at midday and Jiufen at sunset – makes a full but very doable day.

Q3. Which pickup station in Taipei is closest?

To Shifen: Nangang Station takes about 30–50 minutes, and Taipei Main Station Store and Songshan Store about 35–55 minutes. To Jingtong: Taipei Main Station Store takes about 40–55 minutes (all traffic permitting). If you want to see Houtong and Jiufen first, Keelung Railway Station is the closest.

Q4. Can I release a sky lantern on the tracks at Shifen Old Street?

No. Releasing lanterns on an operating railway breaks the Railway Act and can be fined. Go with a lantern shop to a designated legal area, and watch the wind and nearby power lines.

Q5. Is there an entry fee for Shifen Waterfall, and where do I park?

Entry is currently free; opening hours vary by season, so check the New Taipei City tourism website or the notice on site. Park at the paid car park in front of the Shifen Tourist Service Center and walk in.

Q6. Can I pick up in Taipei and return in Keelung?

Yes. Choose different pickup and return stations on the website to book a one-way rental. The fee is shown in the online quote and differs by station (trucks cannot be rented one-way).

Q7. Do I pay for fuel myself? Do I need to top up the tank before returning the car?

No. Every Goodcars car comes with a fuel card – show it when the attendant fills up. Fuel is included in the Fuel charge, and there is no need to top up the tank when you return the car.