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Lunar New Year train tickets go on sale

Passengers line up to buy tickets at Taitung Railway Station on Aug. 17 last year, ahead of the Mid-Autumn festival holiday. PHOTO: WANG HSIU-TING, TAIPEI TIMES

As many as 460,000 passengers a day are expected to travel by railway during the Lunar New Year holiday, a 40 percent increase in passenger numbers compared to an ordinary day, the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) said on Wednesday.

To cope with the peak travel period, when many people travel to be reunited with their families over the holiday, the railway administration is planning to provide an additional 678 services, mainly express trains, TRA Deputy Managing Director Chang Ying-hui (張應輝) told reporters.

"The TRA is ready to provide passengers with the best service possible during the New Year period," Chang said.

He said the TRA would be utilizing all available engines and compartments for the holiday services.

Tomorrow the administration will begin taking bookings from passengers planning to travel by train from Feb. 1 to Feb. 12 via the Internet and telephone, Chang said.

He said passengers wishing to travel on the Eastern Line can make reservations online or by telephone from 6am tomorrow morning.

Those wishing to travel on the Western Line can book tickets in the same way starting at 6am on Sunday morning.

The Eastern Line connects Taipei with the eastern counties, including Ilan, Hualien and Taitung, while the Western Line operates between Taipei and Kaohsiung, passing through Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, Chiayi and Tainan.

Chang suggested that those who successfully book tickets via the telephone or over the Internet pay for them within three days. The tickets can be collected from post offices or TRA stations at any time up to 30 minutes before departure.
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