Taiwan High Speed Rail plans new non-reserved seat rules in 2026

Taipei, Aug. 20 (CNA) 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.

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.