Taiwan High Speed Rail to end early-boarding flexibility Nov. 10

Taipei, Aug. 27 (CNA) Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. (THSRC) said Wednesday it will end its policy allowing passengers with reserved-seat tickets to board earlier trains and sit in non-reserved cars, starting Nov. 10.

THSRC said the practice, originally introduced to give passengers flexibility, is now used by several hundred people daily. This has led to wasted reserved seats and overcrowding in non-reserved cars, affecting travel quality.

From Nov. 10, reserved-seat passengers wishing to take an earlier train must exchange their tickets in advance, the company said, urging travelers to board only the train printed on their ticket.

The decision follows recent measures announced by THSRC Chairman Shih Che (史哲) to improve service, including plans to designate certain peak-hour trains as non-reserved services next year.

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Under THSRC regulations, reserved tickets are valid only for the specific train and route on a given date, while non-reserved tickets are valid for use on all trains on a designated date.