THSR opens 'secret passage' at Taipei station to ease congestion

Taipei, June 30 (CNA) Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) on Tuesday opened a long-sealed passageway at Taipei Main Station to help ease passenger congestion, with the company estimating it could be used by up to 10,000 passengers on peak travel days.

The newly opened passage, which includes two escalators that had been unused for about 20 years, began operating at noon and serves as a new east exit for passengers traveling in non-reserved seating cars.

THSR unveiled the so-called "secret passage" in a video posted on Facebook, featuring Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱), THSR Chairman Shih Che (史哲) and Taiwan Railway Corp. (TR) Chairman James Jeng (鄭光遠).

According to THSR, Shih discovered the unused passage during an inspection after taking office and proposed reopening it to improve passenger flow at Taipei station, the busiest rail hub in Taiwan.

Because the passage is located within an area managed by TR, the project required coordination between the two rail operators before it could be opened, THSR said.

The passage is located near Car No. 10, allowing passengers from nonreserved seating cars to leave the station in 60 seconds through an expanded east exit, where an additional gate will be equipped with three turnstiles.

The company estimated that at least one-quarter of passengers on each train will use the new passage, reducing exit times and easing congestion during busy periods.

THSR carried more than 80 million passengers for the first time in 2025. During the first five months of this year, ridership reached 35.37 million, up 5.95 percent from the same period a year earlier.

To meet growing demand, THSR has ordered 12 next-generation N700ST trainsets from Japan. The first train is scheduled to be completed in late July, arrive in Taiwan in mid-August and enter commercial service in July next year.