THSR, Zuoying Station set passenger records in 2024

Taipei, Feb. 12 (CNA) The number of Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) passengers hit a record high of 78.25 million in 2024, with passengers entering and exiting Zuoying Station in Kaohsiung both exceeding 10 million for the first time.

According to data compiled by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), THSR passenger volume reached 78.25 million last year, up about 7 percent from a year earlier and the highest in its 18 years of operations.

THSR Taipei Station served the highest number of passengers, with 16.39 million entering and nearly 16.96 million leaving, followed by Taichung Station, with nearly 13.238 million entering and 13.237 million leaving.

In third was Zuoying Station, with the number of passengers entering the station reaching 10.47 million, while 10.43 million passengers leaving.

Passengers exiting and passengers entering Taipei Station broke the 10 million mark for the first time in 2010.

The number of passengers entering and exiting Taichung Station surpassed 10 million for the first time in 2017 but COVID-19 caused the number down to below 10 million in 2020 before returning to the mark in 2023.

In terms of passenger growth rate, Nangang Station in Taipei posted the highest growth in passengers it served in 2024, with around 3.91 million passengers entering, up 12.9 percent from a year earlier, while nearly 3.41 million exiting, up 10.5 percent from 2023.

Tainan Station came in second, seeing the entry of 5.31 million passengers last year, up 10.3 percent from 2023, while the number of passengers leaving was more than 5.26 million, a year-on-year increase of 10.2 percent.