Pingsi Line (平溪线) is the most popular branch line of Taiwan railway and this is the 3rd time that we are travelling to this line. Having been to 十分(Shifen) the previous 2 time, we decided to skip here this time round due to time constraint.
Mr Love was disappointed but I promised him a better place than the farm in Shifen falls and he complied. Haha.
After placing our luggage with the hotel, we went in search for breakie and settled it at the 7-11 right outside our hotel. Reason being, I wanted to exchange for the Rilakumar cutleries which is sold everywhere in Taichung yesterday. Mr Love couldn't talk me out of the craze and hence left me to it and sometimes even went along with me when I requested him to drink a cup of coffee so as to be able to purchase the pens that comes with sale of 2 coffee. My hubsband dotes on me, I know. Hehe
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| Exchange for 3 at 1 go |
We reached Taipei Main station at around 11am and we brought tickets for the next express train at 11:40am. Though there is another local train departing to Ruifang at 11:24 but it will reached at 12:16 while the connecting train to Jingtong will leave at 12:13. We will have to end up waiting for 1 more hour if we were to take the local train.
The point here is you gotta check the schedules before buying the tickets especially if there is a connecting train in between. Sometimes, the next departing train may not necessary be the fastest to get to your destination depending on the model of the train. I downloaded a useful app in my phone that enables me to check the timing of trains and high speed train in Taiwan.
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| New express train-Puyuma express |
The train we are taking this time round is an upgraded version of 自强号(Tze Chiang) called 普悠玛 (Puyuma). It's speed is even faster than Tze Chiang train and would take 26min to reach Ruifang compared to 38min on Tze-chiang trains.
Tried buying our tickets on the automated machines instead of over the counter and I must say it wasn't as easy as buying over the counter. I mean it's automated but then whne it comes to choosing of seats, it doesn't give you much choices to sit side by side even though the train seems to be empty. If you are travelling in a big group, you might want to consider buying over the counter where the ticketing staff can choose the seats for you.
We end up buying seats in different cabins but of running sequence. I didn't even noticed it until we board the train and found someone sitting there. Only realised it after comparing the tickets and the guy was kind enough to take our ticket in another cabin. Thank you to whoever you are:)
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| Tickets |
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| Inside the new cabin |
The interior of Puyuma looks pretty high class reminds us a bit like that of a plane cabin. Even the lights look like it. The back of the seats are design like that of the high speed trains too. If I did not remember wrongly, the pricing is the same of Tze Chiang trains. So if you are lucky enough to catch this train at the timings, this would certainly be more worth the monies as it is faster, newer and of course cleaner.
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| Lightings like plane |
The lunch bento came on sale 10mins before our destination and I was deliberating whether to buy or not. As usual, my stomach rules over my head and I brought 1 to share. We finished the bento in record time (5min) as we are due to disembark at the next station - Ruifang. Haha. It helps that I have a army trained hubby who can gobble down food with swallowing or so I presumed.
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| Our bento |
Lucky for us, there was no delay in the trains and we reached Ruifang at exactly 12:06 where we realised the ticketing system had changed. Previously, we were able to purchase the 1 day Pingsi line ticket at a counter on the platform but now we were told to go to the exit and purchase the tickets. With 7min remaining we ran down the stairs and up again to the exit.
There was a long queue at the counter and I was panicky. I realised that Pingsi line now accepts Easy card too. So we exit the station and re-enter by tapping in again. All we have to do is to tap out the station that we are exiting. God sent application.
Ran up to the platform again and managed to board the train in time and also snag 2 seats. Started to apply the insect repellent that Mr Love found in his backpack. Haha His army stuff. I was treating it like a sun block. Applying everywhere except for the face. The 2 angmos sitting across me was amused but I couldn't careless. By now my legs are full of the mossie bites and I am not a bit happy by it.
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| How many of us can do this? |
We pulled into Jingtong at 13:02 and skies were black. Didn't know where to go as I reckon we can just follow the crowd or to see the signages since this is a tourist attractions.
This is quite a disappointing town since the streets were pretty quiet. Shifen on the other hand are more lively in comparision. We walked along the main streets and came to a food store. The greedy cat in me woke up the the sight of food.
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| Jingtong old street |
Its a seafood store selling the deep fried finger food we had in Lukang. Decided to order a portion of "Monkey prawns" (directly translated) to share. There was no pricing and we were charged NT150, not sure whether was ripped off or not.
There was a Singaporean middle age couple beside us who couldn't read the Chinese words, end up translating for them. Mr Love always find me to be a bit Kaypoh when I offered to help others though I am a tourist here myself. Haha
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| Monkey prawns |
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| Mini crabs |
We walked towards the right hand side of the street from the shop to check out what the other side have to offer. There isn't much, only some small shops offering souvenirs which we have no intention to buy.
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| Old school road signs |
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| Our newly brought finger food |
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| Chicken rolls |
Found a small provision stall selling chicken rolls at the corner turn and brought a small portion to share again. The aunty at the counter wasn't exactly the most friendly vendor and in fact I was pretty pissed with her attitude.
There was benches across the shop and we sat there to enjoy our food. The monkey prawns was as great the one we had in Lukang and I couldn't taste any chicken in the chicken rolls. There was a stronger taste of yam and it puts me off big time.
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| Small portion |
Due to the rain we decided not to venture any further from here and turn back to the train station. Along the way, I was drawn to a shop selling ice cream and brought a tofu flavour. It's pretty bland and nothing to rave about. Seems like all the food we brought here today was quite disappointing.
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| Tofu taste ice cream |
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| Colourful signs |
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| Fan shaped depot model |
We got quite bored walking aimlessly along the street and ducked into one of the shops that sells all kinds of trains related stuff. Came across a paper model of the Fan shaped depot that we visited in Changhua last year. Wanted to buy it but have no where to display back home.
We spend quite a while in this shop oohing and ahhing over the displays but brought nothing. Hurhur.
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| Caution signs |
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| With Train master mascot |
There was a coal museum to the left of the train station and we went in for a look. Nothing much again except for some pictures and tools of the coal miners. The tour was done in 10mins and we were left with nothing to do again as there was a sudden downpour.
Dismayed, we decided to end our tour here and move on to the next destination. Was still thinking whether to get down at Shifen along the way but decided otherwise since it was raining heavily and it will be difficult to trek to the waterfalls not to mention it will be impossible to light a sky lattern in this weather.
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| Selfie on the platform |
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| Bye bye Jing Tong |
And so we bid goodbye to Jingtong under the heavy rain and took the 14:28 train to Houtong （侯硐） which is expected to reach our destination at 15:09. It was a short trip to Jingtong lasting only 1hr plus and we didn't venture far from the train station since the weather was not good and it was pretty quiet around the town.
Don't think we will be returning here any time soon in future trips unless there are new attractions featured.
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