Hsinchu Train Station | 新竹火車站

Hsinchu's main train station is absolutely gorgeous. The first time I saw it, I just kept staring at the architecture in awe. Turns out it is the oldest train station in all of Taiwan and has been designated as a historic monument

The railroad tracks of Hsinchu Train Station was built in 1893, when a train line opened to connect Taiwan's north coast from Keelung to Hsinchu. When the Japanese came over, they continued to built on the railroads which was when Hsinchu Train Station officially opened in 1913. The station was built with baroque and gothic style architecture. 

I've heard that Former Taichung Train Station 舊台中火車站 is quite pretty as well, though I haven't had the chance to visit yet.

The Japanese built an extensive railway networks in Taiwan when the colonized it from 1895 to 1945, for a period of 50 years. This was mainly because railroads were used to transport sugar, fruits and other things that were eventually exported to Japan.

The station interior has recently been renovated, but let's take a look at how looked when I took this photo in August 2020. Notice the windows and the triangle-shaped structure? This is where the ticket gate used to be when the Japanese were still in Taiwan. 

The station itself is an open station, which makes it great for photos. It's a bustling station, with a lot of people coming and going on a daily basis.

I would highly recommend visiting this pretty piece of architecture at least once. You can easily catch the Tze-chiang limited express train or local train and get off at Hsinchu Main Station to explore for yourself. 

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