The Jiji Line is one of Taiwan's best-preserved branch railways, winding from Ershui into the Nantou interior to link the forest towns of Checheng, Jiji and Shuili. There are no big-attraction crowds here — just old timber warehouses, a green tree tunnel and the slow rhythm of century-old stations. To cover the whole line in a day without being tied to train timetables, a Checheng Jiji Nantou private charter is the easiest way: the driver handles pickups, your luggage stays in the car, and you simply hop off to walk and photograph.
## The Jiji branch line and its stations
The Jiji Line runs about 30 km, and each small station has its own character. The beauty of a private charter is that you can mix train and car: buy a ticket for one scenic segment, and let the driver bridge the rest so you never have to double back for your vehicle.
- Ershui: the junction with the main west-coast line and the gateway in and out.
- Jiji: its rebuilt cypress-wood station house is the line's most popular stop.
- Shuili: the hub toward Xinyi, Dongpu hot springs and Yushan.
- Checheng: the terminus, a timber town hidden in a valley.
## Checheng: a timber town in a valley
Checheng was once a stronghold of the Zhenchang timber industry. The old mill is now the Checheng Wood Museum, keeping its raw-wood structure and sawmilling machinery, while the neighbouring log pond mirrors the surrounding hills — the town's most photogenic corner. The short old street is made for slow walking: a wooden-tub lunch box, a coffee, and a train resting quietly at the end-of-line platform. Checheng is compact and steep, and parking is awkward, which is why many travellers charter here.
## Jiji Station and the Green Tunnel
Jiji is the line's showpiece, its cypress-wood station house simple and timeless, with bike rentals out front. The Green Tunnel from Mingjian to Jiji, arched with camphor trees, is the classic stretch for cycling and photos. Nearby Mingtan (the lower pond of Sun Moon Lake) sits calm and glassy — an easy stop for a dam view. With a relaxed pace, the Jiji segment can fill most of a day.
## Shuili: snake kiln and mountain-town life
Shuili is the supply stop before the high mountains and home to the Shuili Snake Kiln, one of Taiwan's oldest surviving wood-fired kilns, built along a slope and named for its long, snake-like shape; the park shows throwing, firing and ceramic displays. A Shuili charter usually places the kiln in the afternoon to dodge the midday sun, then continues along Highway 21 toward Sun Moon Lake or Xinyi. The pace is slow — don't over-pack the day; leave time for a bowl of ba-wan and shaved ice.
## Linking Sun Moon Lake: one route, two landscapes
Checheng, Shuili and Sun Moon Lake all sit along Highway 21, each within about half an hour's drive, making it natural to pair the railway towns with the lake in a single day. Spend the morning on the railway and timber towns, then turn to Sun Moon Lake in the afternoon for the lakeshore, a boat or the cable car — capturing both "forest train" and "alpine lake" versions of Taiwan in one day. To go deeper on the lake, read the Sun Moon Lake day-tour guide and Sun Moon Lake charter from Taichung.
## Suggested one-day timeline
A common one-day plan, adjustable to your pickup point and energy:
- 08:30 Depart Taichung / HSR station, south on Freeway 3
- 10:00 Arrive Checheng; Wood Museum and log pond
- 11:30 Wooden-tub lunch box in Checheng
- 13:00 Jiji Station and Green Tunnel cycling and photos
- 14:30 Ceramic experience at Shuili Snake Kiln
- 16:00 On to Sun Moon Lake for sunset (or head home)
- 18:00 Return to origin
To add Cingjing and Hehuanshan over two days, see the Cingjing & Hehuanshan day tour; for heritage streets, there is the Lukang Old Town day tour.
## Costs and how to get a quote
Distances between Nantou's inland towns are short, but the slopes and one-way lanes are many, so a charter's real value is sparing you the parking and connections. Full-day charters like this (driver, fuel and tolls included) are typically priced by vehicle type, distance and hours; you can find public reference bands on KKday, Klook and VELTRA. RaywayGO does not post a fixed public price — we quote by party size and route, with a fast enquiry through the website answered within two hours. Larger groups, specific stops, or a Chinese/English/Japanese-speaking driver — just message us and we'll put the plan and quote together at once.