2026/02/02
The Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office (the AFRCHO), under the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, was invited to Germany from January 28 to January 31, 2026, to attend the full line opening ceremony of the Hermann-Hesse-Bahn (Hermann Hesse Railway). During the visit, the delegation engaged in multiple exchanges with German local governments, railway professionals, and civil railway organizations, sharing experiences in mountain railway restoration and governance practices.
The opportunity for this exchange originated in 2025, when recipients of the Life Contribution Award, invited by the Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation, visited Taiwan and conducted on-site visits to the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area and the AFRCHO. During the visit, Dr. Clemens Götz (former Mayor of Althengstett, Germany) and Mr. Ryyan Alshebl (Mayor of Ostelsheim, Germany) were deeply impressed by the Alishan Forest Railway's integration with its nature and the environment. Through the English edition of “
Echoes along the 2421 m ascent: travelogue of the Alishan Forest Railway” they further gained insight into the engineering challenges, ecological considerations, and decision-making processes behind the restoration of Tunnel No. 42.
After returning to Germany, the award recipients shared their observations with professionals of the Hermann-Hesse-Bahn. Those professionals found that both the Alishan Forest Railway and the Hermann-Hesse-Bahn achieved full line operation through critical tunnel projects, and both faced similar challenges in addressing ecological conservation and environmental coexistence during planning and construction. Based on this shared professional understanding and resonance, the German side extended a special invitation to AFRCHO as an international guest to attend the opening ceremony, marking a reciprocal exchange of railway expertise.
Director Wang Jau-Pao personally led a delegation to Germany. In addition to attending the full-line opening ceremony of the Hermann-Hesse-Bahn, the delegation was formally received by Mr. Florian Kling, Mayor of Calw, and engaged in bilateral briefings on professional and institutional cooperation.
During the exchange, Mayor Kling underlined the significance of the railway's inauguration in strengthening connections between Calw and the greater Stuttgart region, highlighting its role in facilitating daily mobility, supporting local economic activity, enhancing opportunities for students to remain connected with their hometown, and attracting visitors to explore the cultural and natural landscapes of Calw and the Black Forest. He also introduced the city's concrete efforts in creating a welcoming railway environment, including improvements around the central ZOB station and the development of the new Calw-Heumaden station, as part of Calw's broader vision of sustainable urban development.
The cultural exchange programme and site visits were made possible through the thoughtful planning and coordination of Ms. Isabel Götz, Head of the Department for Education, Culture and Tourism of the City of Calw. Thanks to her arrangements, the Alishan Forest Railway delegation was able to gain in-depth insight into how the City of Calw integrates railway development with the literary landscape of Nobel Prize laureate Hermann Hesse, together with artistic curation and educational outreach, and translates these elements into concrete and sustainable practices of urban cultural governance.
The opening ceremony of the Hermann-Hesse-Bahn was officially hosted by Mr. Helmut Riegger, District Administrator of Calw, and attended by Mr. Winfried Hermann, Minister of Transport of the State of Baden-Württemberg, together with Mr. Frank von Meissner, Managing Director of the Zweckverband Hermann-Hesse-Bahn, as well as representatives from local governments, railway organisations, and partner institutions. This event demonstrated the strong commitment of both state-level and local governments in Germany to the revival of regional railways and the promotion of sustainable transport policies, and also laid a solid foundation for this Taiwan–Germany railway exchange.
During the exchange program, both sides conducted site visits and technical discussions on the Tunnel-in-Tunnel engineering approach, sharing experiences on balancing operational safety with ecological conservation, cultural preservation, and public communication. These experiences offer valuable reference for forest railways facing frequent natural disasters and stringent regulatory environments.
In addition, the AFRCHO team held discussions with the Friends of the Württemberg Black Forest Railway, introducing the recent restoration and transformation of the Alishan Forest Railway. Through “
Echoes along the 2421 m ascent” and related audiovisual materials, the team shared the process of building trust with local communities throughout the railway restoration. During the visit, the Chiasong Ensemble performed “
Alishan Forest Railway Musical Journey” at the Ostelsheim City Hall, using music and art to engage local residents and present the contemporary cultural, natural, and railway landscape of Alishan and its stations.
Director Wang Jau-Pao remarked, “Whether in Alishan or in Germany, tunnel engineering is a true test of determination and resilience. Completing these projects is not merely about structural restoration, but about rebuilding public trust in the railway as something worthy of long-term commitment.” He noted that the exchange demonstrated how forest railways in different countries, despite facing distinct natural conditions and regulatory systems, share common challenges and values in engineering decisions, cultural responsibility, and social communication.
The AFRCHO stated that it will continue to maintain contact with German counterparts on tunnel engineering, railway governance models, and cultural exchange, with the aim of gradually expanding long-term and substantive international cooperation based on professional dialogue.