Famed for its innovative architectural design as well as its fantastic transport links, Hsinchu Railway Station is one of the most major railway stations in Taiwan. It is located in Hsinchu, in the north-east of the country, and connects through high-speed rail to the rest of Taiwan as well as offering links into the centre of the city and its most prominent landmarks. The unique and elevated design combines a traditional Hakka building with modern style, revealing the similarly combined old and new elements of Hsinchu City and was designed by the native architect, Kris Yao.
The station also provides a range of services, and the first two floors of the building are full of facilities like shops, food outlets, information centres, transfer areas and the ticket office lobby, where visitors can buy tickets and find travel news. On the third floor are the platforms, which provide links to various cities like Kaohsiung, Zouying ad Taichung. Not far away, visitors can find local landmarks including National Taiwan University, the Ecological Park and Zhubei Activity Par and next door is a Taiwan High-Speed Rail exhibition, revealing the history of the transport system and displaying a simulation station.
Hsinchu Railway Station acts as both a main commuter station and high-speed rail centre. Visitors can find local trains to Northern Taiwan or take connections to cities throughout the country. There are direct links into downtown Hsinchu by either local train or shuttle bus services.
Construction of Hsinchu Railway Station began in July 2002 and took four years to be completed in October 2006, covering an area of 20,360 square meters. The architecture of Hsinchu Railway Station won an award for its unique design in 2006, receiving the Award of Taiwan Architecture of the year. In addition to its creative aesthetic, the station was designed with a streamlined roof to handle the strong winds and rough climate of Hsinchu.