Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. (THSRC) plans to ease strained capacity during peak hours by introducing new fare rules restricting passengers traveling without reserved seats in 2026, company Chairman Shih Che (史哲) said Wednesday.
THSRC needs to tackle its capacity issue because there have been several occasions where passengers holding tickets with reserved seats did not make it onto their train in stations packed with individuals traveling without a reserved seat, Shih told reporters in a joint interview in Taipei.
Photo courtesy of TSHRC
Non-reserved seats allow travelers maximum flexibility, but it has led to issues relating to quality of service and safety concerns, especially during peak traveling times, Shih said.
While the general rule stipulates that passengers traveling without a reserved seat are only allowed to stay in three or four designated carriages of a 12-carriage bullet train, THSRC staff have addressed overcrowding by allowing standing passengers to take up space in more carriages, according to Shih.
On average, such exceptions have been made on 8 percent of all services for passengers traveling with no seat and slightly discounted fares, but during peak travel hours the exception has been recorded on 20 percent of services, Shih said.
For a bullet train trip between Taipei and Zuoying in Kaohsiung, passengers can buy a non-reserved seat ticket with a 3 percent discount, or just swipe their electronic payment card, such as EasyCard or iPass, at the gate to take any trains in the designated carriages.
Shih said that starting next year, passengers with non- reserved seat tickets will not be able to take any services they want during peak travel hours, to ensure the safety of all passengers.
Meanwhile, Shih said the company is trialing a 50 percent discount, steeper than the current 35 percent discount, when train tickets for three consecutive holiday weekends go on sale on Aug. 29.
The three holidays that each form a long weekend are Sept. 28 Teachers’ Day, the Mid-Autumn Festival that falls on Oct. 6 this year, and Oct. 10 National Day, with Shih hoping the heavier discounts will attract passengers to travel on services generally less favored by holiday makers.
While the bullet train operator’s 2025 ridership is projected to pass 80 million, compared to the pre- COVID-19 pandemic level of 57.23 million posted in 2019, Shih said THRSC needs to tackle the capacity issue for the next two to three years before the rollout of 12 new trains in 2028.
‘ANGRY’: Forgetting the humiliations and sacrifices of ‘the people of the Republic of China’ experienced disqualified Lai from being president, Ma Ying-jeou said Former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday criticized President William Lai (賴清德) over what he called “phrasing that downplayed Japan’s atrocities” against China during World War II. Ma made the remarks in a post on Facebook on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Ma said he was “angry and disappointed” that Lai described the anniversary as the end of World War II instead of a “victory in the war of resistance” — a reference to the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). The eight-year war was a part of World War II, in which Japan and the other Axis
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday announced a ban on all current and former government officials from traveling to China to attend a military parade on Sept. 3, which Beijing is to hold to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War. "This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the Republic of China’s victory in the War of Resistance [Against Japan]," MAC Deputy Minister and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) told a regular news briefing in Taipei. To prevent Beijing from using the Sept. 3 military parade and related events for "united
Eight restaurants in Taiwan yesterday secured a one-star rating from the Michelin Guide Taiwan for the first time, while three one-star restaurants from last year’s edition were promoted to two stars. Forty-three restaurants were awarded one star this year, including 34 in Taipei, five in Taichung and four in Kaohsiung. Hosu (好嶼), Chuan Ya (川雅), Sushi Kajin (鮨嘉仁), aMaze (心宴), La Vie by Thomas Buhner, Yuan Yi (元一) and Frassi in Taipei and Front House (方蒔) in Kaohsiung received a one-star rating for the first time. Hosu is known for innovative Taiwanese dishes, while Chuan Ya serves Sichuan cuisine and aMaze specializes
‘OFFSHORE OPERATIONS’: Also in Dallas, Texas, the Ministry of Economic Affairs inaugurated its third Taiwan Trade and Investment Center to foster closer cooperation The 2025 Taiwan Expo USA opened on Thursday in Dallas, Texas, featuring 150 Taiwanese companies showcasing their latest technologies in the fields of drones, smart manufacturing and healthcare. The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the event’s organizer, said the exhibitors this year include Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (Foxconn), the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer; AUO; PC brand Asustek Computer; and drone maker Thunder Tiger. In his opening speech, TAITRA chairman James Huang (黃志芳) said he expected Texas to become a world-class center for innovation and manufacturing as US technology companies from Silicon Valley and Taiwanese manufacturers form an industrial cluster
RSS