YouTubers fined NT$10,000 for releasing sky lantern from train tracks
YouTubers fined NT$10,000 for releasing sky lantern from train tracks
2025-08-18
The sky lantern experience on Pingxi Old Street in New Taipei is a tourist must-do that’s said to make your wishes come true. You’ve probably also seen pictures of tourists cheerfully make their wishes upon a sky lantern from the train tracks. But turns out that’s actually illegal, and there are signs along the tracks warning visitors against the practice. A husband-and-wife travel content creator ended up getting fined NT$10,000 after someone saw their video and reported them. They’ve since made another video to urge others to take caution.
They take pictures next to the railway tracks, as sky lanterns are set to the skies. Tourists flock to Pingxi for the experience. But they have to be careful to not break the law.
The creators of caitaitai945, a travel YouTube channel, took the whole family of four to release a sky lantern on Pingxi Old Street in New Taipei and even made a video. However, the cherished memory ended up costing them NT$10,000. Turns out someone who saw the video reported them for releasing a sky lantern on the railway tracks, which is prohibited.
caitaitai945
YouTuber
The government keeps promoting the sky lantern experience as a tourist must-do, and how this place is very special and suitable for all visitors, domestic and international alike. Even CNN did a report on it. People aren’t aware that releasing a sky lantern from the train tracks is illegal.
The husband and wife said they were shocked when they received the hefty fine. Soon after that, they made a follow-up video to caution others from making the same mistake.
A quick look of Pingxi Old Street shows many visitors releasing sky lanterns while standing on the railway tracks, despite “No Entry” signs. The Chinese also says that according to the Railway Act, trespassers could be fined between NT$10,000 to NT$50,000.
Member of public
Safety is more important, so we’re not against the ban.
Member of public
I think it’s more traditional and feels more authentic and quaint to do it on the tracks. But if it might cause traffic accidents, then I also think visitors should decide for themselves.
Local business
Sky lantern seller
If there’s an accident on the tracks, it has nothing at all to do with sky lanterns. What we do is we tell customers to wait until the train has passed, and then we’ll go down to the tracks.
The seller insists that no accidents have ever happened because they had customers release sky lanterns from the tracks. But now that they’re made aware that the practice is illegal, they could only comply with regulations.
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YTR闖鐵軌放天燈挨罰1萬 遊客盼"安全規則更明確"
2025-08-18
新北平溪"放天燈"，已經成為不少國內外旅客必定造訪的景點!但最近知名YouTuber把在鐵軌放天燈的影片po網，被警方開了1萬元罰單。事後也致歉，提醒大家要小心。
鐵軌旁遊客開心拍照，望著天燈飛上天空，在平溪放天燈，再平常不過的景象，卻引發了關注。
知名旅遊YouTuber"菜苔苔與菜生生"，日前上傳一家四口在新北市平溪老街，開心放天燈的影片，因為站在鐵軌上放天燈，被人檢舉，全家福的溫馨回憶，變成1萬元的罰單。
[[YouTuber 菜苔苔與菜生生]]
“因為政府一直大力的宣導說，大家要來放天燈、要促進觀光，外國人跟本國人都可以來這邊遊憩，這是一個非常特別的地方，甚至國外CNN什麼都有來報導。往往人家都不知道，你站在鐵路上面放天燈其實是違法的，”
第一時間無法接受，但事後他們也重回現場，再拍「道歉」影片，提醒大家要小心。
其實，放眼所見，在平溪老街上，還真的不少人會站在軌道上，放天燈，而依照鐵路法規定，行人跟車輛不得侵入鐵路路線，違者將處1萬到5萬元罰鍰。
[[民眾]]
“安全比較重要，所以我們不會反對。”
[[民眾]]
“我覺得傳統是在鐵軌上比較有味道，一樣也有比較有那種氣氛，可是如果說有交通意外的話，我覺得還是自己要衡量一下。”
[[天燈業者]]
“這條路線出事故的話，跟放天燈完全沒有關係。我們的做法就是會先告知客人，等火車過了之後我們再下去。”
業者很無奈，多年來這麼放，從沒發生過意外。但既然法律有規定，一切也只能配
合辦理，以免到時遊客收罰單，也間接影響到他們的生意。
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