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MOTC touts plan on train tickets

"The technical part of the integration can be easily dealt with, but the different agencies will have to work out a deal to settle the accounts, which could be challenging and take a long time."

Kuo Yao-chi, minister of transportation and communications

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) announced a plan yesterday that would allow passengers to purchase in one place tickets for regular Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) trains and the future high-speed rail line.

Automatic ticket machines for both the TRA and the high-speed rail will be installed at every regular and high speed rail station. Counters selling TRA and high speed rail tickets will also be available to those who request assigned seats in advance.

MOTC minister Kuo Yao-chi (郭瑤琪) said the plan is part of the administration's effort to integrate the services of the two train systems before the formal launch of the high-speed rail line in October.

The integration will first be implemented at major stations nationwide, and eventually at minor stations too, she added.

She noted that the ministry's long-term goal was to consolidate the services of TRA, the High Speed Rail and the Taipei Rapid Transit System, through the implementation of an integrated circuit (IC) card that could be used with all three services. But she added that the ministry has not set a timetable for achieving that.

"The technical part of the integration can be easily dealt with," Kuo said, "but the different agencies will have to work out a deal to settle the accounts, which could be challenging and take a long time."

Kuo said the ministry has suggested to the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp that they provide ticketing services at post offices.

Kuo's comments came after the administration announced its plan last week to streamline train services, including ticketing systems.
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