Exterior of Taiyuan Train
Station.

You can rest at the cafe if you
get tired and experience the
thrill of having a train rush by
beneath your feet.

Popular puppets sold in the
Taiwan Railways Shop.

The Animal Protection
Association's Life Education
Center.

Chasing the train on your bicycle:
A half-day tour from Taiyuan Train Station

Words and photos by Taichung City Government
Translated by Naomi Lai

About five minutes north of the Taichung Railway Station by train, you will arrive at a tall steel, steeple-topped structure--the Taiyuan Train Station on DongGuang Road. From this starting point, bicyclists can follow the DongGuang Parkway and experience riding alongside the train tracks. In addition, with the opening of the Taichung Flea Market on the intersection of DongGuang and TaiYuan roads, and this area's becoming a gateway of sorts to the city's famed DaKeng Scenic Area, this small rail station is getting increasingly active.

Using deserted space to create business opportunities
Taiyuan Train Station was built between the Taichung and Tanzu train stations and opened on November 22, 2002. It is a regional station, mainly used by commuters, and is managed by the Taichung Railway Station. One of its most recognizable features is its exterior, which stands out among Taiwan train stations with its Post-Modern steel structure of green beams and steepled roof. This unique structure has on its second floor a Taiwan Railways Shop selling over a hundred different Taiwan Railways-related products. Also located in the building is a Life Education Center administered by animal rights organizations, making it a popular train stop for the Animal Protection Association.

Taichung Train Stationmaster Lin Jing-shan says that Taiyuan Train Station has a monthly passenger flow of over 100,000 people, but notes that the second-floor exhibition area was empty for a decade. Finding a use for this 90-ping free space became his focus when he became stationmaster in August, 1999. His hopes of creating a recreational space that combined charity with products relating to Taiwan Railways was realized in June of this year with the remodeling of the station's second floor.

The Taiwan Railways Shop is aimed at students and commuters, providing various Taiwan Railways products as diverse as puppets, models, postcards, coasters, decorations, playing cards, key chains and notebooks. These items have proven popular among the 15-to-30-year age group and are also is attractive to collectors.

Helping find lost animals and respecting life
The Life Education Center also set up by the Animal Protection Association on the second floor provides professional animal medical consultations and information about missing pets for free. According to Lin Jing-shan, helping lost animals find new homes has been an important service provided by Taiwan Railways, and one that has been very successful.

Because most passengers passing through Taiyuan Train Station are students, the Animal Protection Association wishes to use this target audience to reach a younger generation and promote a respect for life and love for animals. Besides various promotional activities, they have set up a 42-inch TV that displays information about animal adoptions and missing pets, making Taiyuan Train Station the first in the country to provide such a service. It is hoped that such efforts will get this important message across to all passengers using this station.

Diversified management of railway tourism
Also worth mentioning is the recreational atmosphere at the station. A simple second-floor cafe provides NT$40 cups of coffee, allowing you to savor a drink while enjoying the sensation of a train rushing by beneath your feet, visible through the glass floor. This relaxing ambiance is rare in Taiwan train stations, transforming this place into a unique afternoon hangout.

Modern train stations cannot exclusively focus on being transportation hubs, but must also diversify services and utilize station spaces for maximum efficiency. Through diversified management, combined with distinct local characteristics and flavors, stations like Taiyuan can become fresh attractions for the public.

Left: You can watch trains entering the station from the second floor of the Taiyuan Train Station.
Right: Taichung Flea Market at the intersection of DongGuang and TaiYuan roads.