1919 Backpacker Inn — opposite Yilan Station, the best-value sleep in town
Ever wonder if there's a budget hostel in Yilan City that doesn't sacrifice cleanliness or location? 1919 Backpacker Inn (1919背包客棧) answers with a resounding yes — set on the 3rd floor of a building directly across from Yilan Train Station, just 1 minute's walk from the ticket gates. Opened in 2021, it offers curtained dorm capsules, sensor-lock personal lockers, a stylish 4th-floor lounge with a balcony, and a score of 8.9 from 790+ reviews (Booking) and 9.2 from 1,800+ reviews (Agoda). Dorm beds start from NT$600/night — hard to argue with that.
Opened in 2021, 1919 Backpacker Inn (1919背包客棧) occupies the 3rd floor of a commercial building directly in front of Yilan Train Station. It's the highest-scored hostel in Yilan City proper, with a 9.2 rating from over 1,800 Agoda reviews — an unusually large pool for a new hostel that tells you travellers keep coming back and sharing the secret. Walk out of the train, cross the road, spot the building and you're there: roughly 230 metres, or about 60 seconds at a relaxed pace.
Guests describe it as "super clean, staff are incredibly helpful, and it's literally across the street from the station. The lounge with the balcony was a lovely bonus — the best NT$600 they spent on accommodation in Taiwan."
The dorm options cover most travel styles: 8-bed mixed dorm (city view), 8-bed twin-bunk dorm (city view), 12-bed mixed dorm, female-only dorm, and general mixed dorm. Every bed comes with a privacy curtain, a personal shelf, a power outlet, a USB port, and a reading light. The under-bed locker uses a touch-sensor system — no physical key to lose. Shared bathrooms are spotless, hot water is consistent, and complimentary shampoo, body wash, and a Japanese ionic hair dryer are provided.
The feature most guests rave about is the 4th-floor lounge and balcony — a genuinely stylish common space with sofas, work desks, free computer terminals, and a terrace looking out over Yilan City's low-rise rooftops. Each floor also has a hot/cold/warm water dispenser so you're never trekking downstairs for a cup of tea. Wi-Fi covers every floor with speeds solid enough for video streaming at off-peak hours.
The location makes Yilan County remarkably easy to explore. The TRA commuter rail links you to Jiaoxi (hot-spring town) in 25 minutes for NT$30, and to Luodong (famous night market) in 20 minutes for NT$22 — no taxi needed. Prefer to walk? Dongmen Night Market, Yilan City's own busy evening food scene, is just 5 minutes on foot: a local affair, not a tourist market, where prices are noticeably lower than Shilin.
Honest assessment: 12-bed dorms generate moderate ambient noise when guests come and go. The door hinges aren't silent and a neighbour's alarm at 5 a.m. will wake you. Most reviewers note this is manageable with earplugs or a white-noise app — and the hostel's noise level is genuinely controlled for its size. Air-conditioning is quiet and ceiling heights are generous, giving the dorms an airier feel than typical Taipei capsule hostels.
Pricing starts around NT$600 per bed on weekdays, rising to NT$800–1,200 on weekends and peak holidays. A refundable NT$300 cash deposit is collected at check-in and returned at checkout. Note that reception operates 08:00–22:00 only — if you're arriving later, notify staff in advance to arrange entry. Budget travellers using TRA from Taipei (approx. NT$120–150) can reach this hostel for under NT$800 total transport cost from the capital.
To summarise: 1919 Backpacker Inn is the best dorm-bed value in Yilan City measured by location, cleanliness, and score. It belongs to the cluster of travellers who want a clean, honest, well-run hostel with zero unnecessary frills — and a train station so close you can hear the departure announcements from the lounge balcony. For anything with a hot spring, a pool, or a private room, look to Jiaoxi; for the sharpest budget base in Yilan City itself, 1919 wins.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Directly opposite Yilan Train Station — 1 minute walk, unbeatable location
- ✓ Spotlessly clean dorms, sensor lockers, individual curtains for privacy
- ✓ Friendly staff who speak English well and give useful local tips
- ✓ 4th-floor lounge with balcony — relaxing and much nicer than the price suggests
- ! 12-bed dorms can have ambient noise from doors and other guests
- ! Reception closes at 22:00 — late arrivals must arrange entry in advance
- ! No breakfast; nearest options are a 3-minute walk (convenience stores, bakeries)
- ✓ Walk out of the train and you see the hostel — location is unmatched in Yilan City
- ✓ Very clean throughout: bathrooms, dorms, common areas consistently praised
- ✓ Beds wider and more comfortable than expected; curtains offer genuine privacy
- ✓ Great price for the quality — noticeably better value than comparable Taipei hostels
- ! AC fan can be audible on some nights in the dorms
- ! Power outlets per dorm are shared — bring a small power strip for multiple devices
- ! No parking — designed for train travellers; unsuitable if you're driving
- 💡If you're a very light sleeper — the 12-bed dorm does produce some ambient noise from doors and neighbours → choose the smaller 8-bed dorm or bring earplugs
- 💡If you arrive after 22:00 — reception is closed; you must message or call in advance to get an entry code, otherwise you can't get in
- 💡If you need parking — there is none; the hostel is purpose-built for train travellers arriving via TRA from Taipei or Jiaoxi