Taiwan Railway Administration to Upgrade Service

TAIPEI, May 13 Asia Pulse - The Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) published on Monday its new timetable that takes effect May 15, simplifying departure times, expanding express service to Taiwan's eastern coast and increasing commuter trains in metropolitan areas.

TRA will increase its eastern and commuter line services after receiving delivery of and testing 48 new carriages for the limited express "Taroko" trains between Taipei and Hualien and 160 EMU 700 commuter train carriages, said TRA Deputy Managing Director Chang Ying-huei.

Beginning May 15, the railway will operate a total of 13-15 of the "Taroko" trains per day, compared to a total of 6-8 per day at present. The trains, specially adapted to travel faster on existing track, cut travel time between Taipei and Hualien to around two hours.

Under the new timetable, all limited express "Tzu-Chiang" or "Taroko" trains will depart from Taipei to the southern port city of Kaohsiung or Hualien on the hour or half-hour from 7 a.m. to 7: 15 p.m., which the railway said would help passengers manage their schedules more easily.

"This brings great convenience to passengers because they will no longer need to memorize the timetable, " Chang stressed, adding that "the calling stations of every Tzu-Chiang train will remain the same."

Meanwhile, the increase of EMU 700 train services in the metropolitan areas of Taipei, Taichung in central Taiwan, and Kaohsiung, should benefit those who work or study in the city, providing them with faster and more convenient service.

Noting that an increasing number of passengers choose to travel long distances with high speed trains from Taipei to Taichung or Kaohsiung since service was launched in January 2007 by the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC), Chang said the TRA will also provide more connections between TRA stations and THSRC stations in those two cities.

"The connecting services will help high speed rail riders change trains at the TRA Kaohsiung Station for the southeastern county of Taitung through the South Link Line that connects Kaohsiung and Taitung more easily," Chang said.

"We will also launch two more Tzu-Chiang direct trains between Taipei and Taitung through the Eastern Line to solve transportation bottlenecks to and from the rural Taitung area," Chang noted.

(CNA)

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