The Taiwan Railways Administration’s (TRA) two new EMU900 regional trains are to begin operations on Sunday to transport travelers during the Tomb Sweeping Day long weekend.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) were among the government officials yesterday afternoon presiding over the train’s inauguration ceremony at Keelung Railway Station, the starting point of the nation’s trunk line.
The two regional trains are part of the operator’s acquisition plan from 2015 to 2024, the TRA said, adding that the plan also includes the purchase of EMU3000 intercity trains.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
The addition of the regional and intercity trains to its fleet would greatly increase the agency’s capacity, and enhance the service quality for commuters and long-distance travelers, Tsai said.
“We hope that the TRA will offer quality and safe service, and demonstrate professionalism in the operation, maintenance and deployment of the trains, as well as in customer service,” she said.
New railway systems bring new development opportunities and create new communities, Su said.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
The Forward-Looking Infrastructure Development Program has earmarked NT$190 billion (US$6.66 billion) for railway projects, as they are key infrastructure for the country’s development in the next three decades, he said.
Lin said that the new trains are only the beginning, and that the TRA must ensure thorough maintenance of trains and regular trainings for its staff.
The TRA should also enhance reliability and safety, as this would constitute quality service, he said.
The EMU900’s passenger seats are light blue and priority seats are light pink.
The first and 10th cars are equipped with 12 bicycle racks.
The sixth car features priority spaces for wheelchairs that can also be used for baby strollers.
Pregnant women can request a remote control from train staff, which would allow them operate light and sound signals next to priority seats to remind other passengers to yield the seats.
Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Chi Wen-chung (祁文中), who also serves as acting TRA director, said that the nation’s regional trains are mostly operated with eight railcars.
However, an EMU900 would have 10 cars, increasing the capacity by 40 percent, he said.
EMU900s are manufactured by South Korea-based Hyundai Rotem.
The remaining 500 EMU900s ordered by the operator are to be delivered in three batches: 100 this year, 120 next year and 280 in 2023, the agency said.
The orders totaled NT$25.3 billion, it said.
The operator has also purchased 600 new railcars for intercity trains from Japan’s Toshiba.
“We will retire old regional trains and intercity trains based on the delivery schedules for new trains,” Chi said.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or