The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) and Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) are to stop selling meals on trains starting today as part of efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
THSRC yesterday said it would stop offering meals, beverages and other food items on its trains, including from vending machines.
The TRA also said it would stop selling meals, beverages and other food items.
Passengers who have booked and paid for their tickets and meals on TRA trains departing today or later are eligible for a refund for the meal, it said.
Additionally, THSRC said that it would not provide its in-train magazine, T-Life, to minimize passenger contact with items that might be touched by many people.
However, it said a single snack pack and bottle of water would still be available in business class, which passengers would take with them when they leave the train.
The TRA and THSRC said the new measures are part of their “no mask, no ride” rules.
In addition, the operators said they would urge passengers to follow social distancing rules which ask people to stay 1m apart outdoors and 1.5m indoors.
Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said that passengers would be asked not to eat on rail services, but as train journeys can be long, some passengers would be permitted to eat for health reasons.
As long as people who must eat on trains complete their meals as quickly as possible, flexibility would be permitted, Lin said.
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