Author/ Editor Levarcy Chen
Photos 葉吉雄、葉沁心、呂源清、陳渝惠、冠冠、Jessica Ho, AMN47, crazydean, Levarcy Chen
"The tickets are really limited—you fight for them and still might not get one," explains Jessica Ho. When the Sky Becomes a Canvas: Inside Taiwan's Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival
There’s a moment—right before hundreds of sky lanterns release simultaneously—when thousands fall silent. Then the sky erupts with glowing orbs floating upward like a river of light. The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival (February 27 in Pingxi, March 3 in Shifen) transforms an old survival signal into one of the world’s most breathtaking celebrations.
What Nobody Tells You About Attending
Here’s the reality: the festival is stunning, but getting there independently requires serious planning.
The Transportation Challenge
The Pingxi Line—a charming railway perfect for day trips—becomes overwhelmed during the festival. Wait times stretch to hours, trains arrive packed, and many people can’t board. One friend waited three hours at Shifen Station after the festival, watching train after train pass without space.
Jessica Ho, who attended last year’s festival, found the shuttle bus system surprisingly efficient despite the challenging terrain. “The shuttle bus flow was actually pretty good,” she recalls. “It really didn’t take long, we didn’t wait that much. Though the mountain roads are truly winding and bus seats are limited—about 30 minutes.” Still, she emphasizes the importance of planning ahead and being patient with the logistics.
Critical update: The Pingxi Line from Ruifang is under maintenance due to typhoon damage, with replacement buses until January 30, 2026. For the February 27 festival, verify if train service has resumed. March 3 should have normal operations, but always check before going.
2026.02 Update:
The Pingxi Line has now completed repairs following typhoon-related damage, and train services have resumed normal operations.However, due to Taiwan’s weather conditions and seismic activity, service adjustments may still occur at short notice. We strongly recommend checking the official Taiwan Railways (TRA) website 1–2 days before departure for the latest service updates.
Securing Your Lantern Release: Two Options
Want to release your own lantern? You have two ways to secure your spot:
Option 1: Online Pre-registration (NT$200)
Register through the official festival website and pay NT$200 to guarantee your participation. You’ll receive an activity number that you’ll exchange on festival day (between 14:00-17:00) for your lantern voucher plus a small gift. One voucher represents one lantern for four people to share, when you registered the amount, one order meaning one side of lantern—if your group has fewer than four, staff will pair you with other participants. Keep your activity number safe (no reissue if lost), and note that payments are non-refundable.
These online slots sell out quickly, so register as early as possible when registration opens.
Option 2: Free On-Site Tickets (Limited)
Free tickets are distributed at the festival service counter starting at 10:30 AM each day, first-come-first-served. One voucher covers one lantern for 2-4 people to share. These are extremely limited and run out fast—many people arrive well before 10:00 AM to queue. Miss this window, and you’ll watch from the sidelines rather than participate in the mass release.
“The tickets are really limited—you fight for them and still might not get one,” explains Jessica Ho. She arrived at 2 PM thinking she’d be early enough, only to find tickets long gone. “I still stayed and watched, and it was beautiful—but knowing I could’ve participated if I’d just arrived earlier… that hurt.”
This isn’t about showing up for the 5:00 PM event—it’s about securing your spot hours earlier. Without a ticket, you’re still welcome to attend and witness the spectacle, but there’s a profound difference between being in the ceremony versus observing from outside.
The Practical Realities
Tens of thousands of people in dense crowds. Long food lines. Limited restrooms with significant queues—a tourist center next to the venue has facilities, plus portable restrooms. Unpredictable March weather with temperatures around 15-20°C and possible drizzle. The festival runs rain or shine. Plan for a late return, potentially past midnight with public transportation delays.
Jessica suggests a strategic approach: “Arrange food before noon, eat and explore at Pingxi Old Street, then have the lantern release as the finale. As more people arrive later, I could slowly make my way over.” Her timing—leaving Taipei at 10 AM and returning around 9 PM—allowed her to experience everything without feeling rushed.
The Alternative: Organized Tours
For those wanting guaranteed participation without the 10 AM scramble, specialized tours include pre-secured lantern releases, transportation logistics, optimal timing to avoid chaos, and cultural context from guides. Small group tours (18-20 people) maintain intimacy while handling the complications that can otherwise overshadow the magic.
The Hidden Gem: Pinglin’s Tea Country
Here’s a local secret: about 30 minutes before you reach the main festival areas, Pinglin offers a completely different pace—Taiwan’s tea heartland, where the atmosphere is deliberately slow and refreshingly uncrowded.
The Pinglin Tea Museum sits elegantly beside the mountains, offering context about centuries of tea cultivation that shaped this region. Walk through Pinglin Old Street, where elderly shop owners sell locally produced oolong alongside homemade tea snacks. It’s the perfect alternative for those who want cultural richness without battling festival throngs—or an ideal stop if you’re arriving early and need somewhere peaceful before evening events.
The mountainous Pinglin area’s economy historically relied on tea farming and coal mining. When both declined, communities struggled. The sky lantern festival became part of the region’s reinvention, bringing tourism that supports local families while preserving traditions. Understanding this backstory—whether experienced in Pinglin’s quiet streets or Pingxi’s festival chaos—transforms the experience from a pretty spectacle into something with deeper resonance.
The Mass Release: Why People Travel Halfway Across the World
Around 5:00 PM as dusk settles, if you secured a ticket, you’ll receive your lantern—a surprisingly large paper balloon with a bamboo frame. Four sides, four chances to write your heart’s desires.
Watch the crowd for inspiration. Grandparents brush Chinese characters wishing health and longevity (健康, 長壽). Young couples declare love and dreams (愛, 幸福). Students plead for exam success. Parents pray for their children’s safety (平安, 快樂). Some write entire paragraphs, others simply names of departed loved ones. You’ll see wishes in English, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Spanish—the sky understands all languages.
What do people actually wish for? Jessica laughs when asked about her lantern message: “Get my Taiwan ID card, make a fortune! No, seriously, I wrote about achieving success first, then getting my Taiwan residence permit.” The mixture of practical hopes and grand dreams—that’s the beauty of these floating prayers.
Then comes the signal. Paper rustles as fuel packs ignite. Lanterns inflate rapidly, tugging against eager hands. Then—up they go. Hundreds of glowing orbs ascending together as a coordinated wave, their warm light reflecting in thousands of upturned faces.
“The moment of releasing the lanterns—it’s moving, a feeling of rebirth pounding in your chest,” Jessica describes, her voice still carrying wonder. “So many lanterns, it feels like watching the sunrise at Alishan.” When asked how the reality compared to photos and videos she’d seen online, she pauses thoughtfully: “No difference, really. But being there, feeling it—that’s something no screen can capture.”
This is why people cry. It’s not just the beauty—it’s realizing you’re part of something bigger. Your hopes and dreams merge with the elders from Japan, the backpackers from Germany, and the family from Singapore. For a few minutes, nationality, language, age—none of it matters. Everyone’s just human, hoping for better days.
The lanterns drift higher, spreading across the dark sky like stars being born. Some cluster together as companions. Others venture solo into darkness. All carry their secret messages skyward until they’re tiny flickering lights against the vastness above.
Why This Tradition Matters
The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival represents something Taiwan does exceptionally well—taking traditional practices that could have faded and reimagining them for contemporary relevance while respecting cultural roots. It’s a living culture that evolves while maintaining its soul, welcoming everyone regardless of origin or language.
When asked if she’d recommend the festival to friends, Jessica doesn’t hesitate: “Absolutely. But I’d tell them: come prepared, arrive early, don’t expect it to be easy—but expect it to be worth it. Every bit of the hassle, every hour of waiting, it all fades when those lanterns go up. You’ll understand why people keep coming back.”
Your lantern is waiting. Your wishes are ready—the mountains of Pingxi call.
Practical Information
2026 Festival Dates:
– February 27th: Pingxi District
– March 3rd: Shifen Square, Pingxi District
– Main releases: 5:00-8:00 PM both days
Getting There:
By Train (once service resumes):
– Taipei Main Station → Ruifang Station (30-40 min, ~NT$76)
– Transfer to Pingxi Line → Pingxi or Shifen Station (25-30 min, ~NT$15)
– Total journey: ~1.5-2 hours
⚠️ Important: Pingxi Line under maintenance until Jan 30, 2026. Check TRA for updates before Feb 27 festival.
By Bus:
– Line 795 from MRT Muzha Station to Shifen (~90 min, ~NT$45)
– Infrequent service (30-60 min intervals)
What to Bring:
– Warm layers (temperatures 15-20°C / 59-68°F)
– Rain gear (umbrella or raincoat)
– Comfortable walking shoes
– Snacks and water
– Fully charged phone/camera + portable charger
– Cash (many vendors don’t accept cards)
How to Secure Your Lantern Release:
Option 1: Online Pre-registration (NT$200, Recommended)
– Register and pay at official website
– Receive activity number (keep it safe—no reissue if lost)
– Exchange on festival day 14:00-17:00 for lantern voucher + gift
– One lantern shared by 4 people (staff will pair smaller groups)
– No refunds after payment
– Register early—these sell out quickly
Option 2: Free On-Site Tickets (Extremely Limited)
– Distributed at festival service counter from 10:30 AM
– One lantern for 2-4 people to share
– First-come-first-served, very limited quantity
– Arrive before 10:00 AM to queue
– Once gone, no second chances
Critical Success Tips:
– Register online early for guaranteed participation, or arrive before 10:00 AM for free on-site tickets
– Without a voucher, you can watch but not participate in releases
– If you have online registration: exchange between 14:00-17:00 (late exchanges forfeit your spot)
– Arrange food and exploration before noon, save lantern release as the finale
– Check weather forecast and transportation updates before going
– Be patient with crowds—they’re part of the experience
– Plan for late return (potentially past midnight with public transportation)
Festival Tours:
For guaranteed lantern releases and organized logistics, specialized tours handle transportation, timing, and cultural context while including stops at Pinglin Tea Museum and traditional old streets.
Learn more: 2026 Cultural Sky Lantern Festival Tour
Official Festival Information:
New Taipei City Government 2026 Pingxi Sky Lantern offical website: https://skylantern.ntpc.gov.tw/#/info?tab=4
Related Reading:
Write Your Wishes on the Wind: Why Pingxi’s Sky Lantern Is a Must-Do – Year-round sky lantern experiences and cultural background
