Taiwan Railway Corporation ticket prices could increase by over NT$300 | Taiwan News

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The price of Taiwan Railway Corporation (TRC) tickets could increase by as much as NT$300 (US$9) in the second half of this year, as the railroad mulls raising ticket prices for the first time in decades.

With fares frozen for 29 years, TRC has submitted three proposals to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) to increase its ticket prices with rates of return ranging from 3% to 5%, reported SET News. Transportation Minister Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said the assessment of the proposal will be announced after the new minister takes office on May 20.

With the restructuring of TRC, there has been speculation about fare adjustments. Now, with the fare formula approved by the Legislative Yuan, TRC is expected to propose plans that could potentially push the ticket prices for Taipei to Kaohsiung express trains to over NT$1,000.

For short distances, passengers would likely have a high acceptance rate of the price hikes. For example, Taipei to Banqiao, which currently costs NT$15 for a local train, could be raised to NT$20.

However, for longer journeys, such as the Tze-Chiang Express from Taipei to Kaohsiung, the current fare of NT$843 could potentially be increased to at least NT$1,145. This means an increase of over NT$300, which is only NT$300 less than the unreserved seats on the Taiwan High-Speed ​​Rail (THSR), which sell for NT$1,445.

However, in terms of travel time, the fastest TRC train, the Puyuma Express, takes 3 hours and 40 minutes to go from Taipei to Kaohsiung, while the slowest takes nearly 5 hours. THSR, on the other hand, takes a minimum of 1 hour and 30 minutes and a maximum of 2 hours and 14 minutes.

In response to concerns about a steep price hike, TRC said it is considering factors such as internal operating conditions, external socio-economic situations, and market supply and demand.

After the board of directors approves the proposal for ticket prices, it will be reported to MOTC. Then, it will be submitted to the rate review committee before being reported to the Cabinet for final approval in the second half of this year.