Taiwan rail services curtailed as Typhoon Bavi approaches

Taipei, July 10 (CNA) Taiwan's two main rail operators announced major service reductions for Saturday as Typhoon Bavi approaches, with Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) switching to a reduced all-nonreserved schedule for the full day and Taiwan Railway (TR) suspending most services before noon.

THSR said Friday it will cancel all regularly scheduled services on Saturday and instead run three trains per hour in each direction, departing from Nangang Station southbound and Zuoying Station northbound. The trains will stop at every station and all cars will be nonreserved with the exception of business-class.

Trains will depart from both terminal stations on the hour, 20 minutes past the hour and 40 minutes past the hour, THSR said in a statement.

To accommodate passengers departing from Taichung, the company said it will add five extra early morning trains from Taichung Station -- three northbound services departing at 6:09 a.m., 6:29 a.m. and 6:49 a.m., and two southbound services departing at 6:20 a.m. and 6:50 a.m.

The final southbound train from Nangang to Zuoying is scheduled to depart at 9:40 p.m., with another southbound service leaving Nangang for Taichung at 10:40 p.m. The final northbound train from Zuoying to Nangang will also depart at 9:40 p.m., followed by a northbound service from Zuoying to Taichung at 10:40 p.m.

Passengers who cancel trips because of the typhoon can apply for refunds without paying handling fees, THSR said. Those still needing to travel may use their original tickets to board any of Saturday's operating nonreserved services if their booked train is canceled because of the schedule changes.

Meanwhile, TR said it will suspend most train services across Taiwan before noon Saturday.

All reserved-seat trains on the western trunk line will be suspended through 12 p.m. Saturday, while among nonreserved services only local trains running between Changhua and Chaozhou in southern Taiwan will operate as normal, the company said.

On the eastern trunk line and South Link line, both reserved-seat and nonreserved trains will be fully suspended before noon, TR said.

For branch lines, only the Shalun line in Tainan will continue operating as normal, while all other branch line services will be suspended. Tourist trains will also be suspended.

TR said it will announce service arrangements for after 12 p.m. Saturday at 9 a.m. Saturday.

According to the Central Weather Administration, Bavi was located about 540 kilometers east-northeast of Taiwan's southernmost tip of Eluanbi at 9 p.m. Friday and moving northwest at 27-30 kph.

It is expected to have the most severe impact on Taiwan from Friday night through Saturday, with the storm's rainbands likely to affect areas stretching from New Taipei's northeastern coast to Yilan and Hualien counties early Saturday.