High-speed rail prices have dropped ! Taipei–Zuoying returns to NT$1,490; earliest launch on December 1

▲ Taiwan High-Speed Rail. (Photo / Reporter Chen Rui-zhong)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Starting December 1, the high-speed rail will add Miaoli, Changhua, and Yunlin stations, increasing the total from 8 to 11 stations, with weekly services rising from 945 to 964. At today’s (September 10) extraordinary shareholders’ meeting, Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation voted to pass 7 reform proposals, including reducing high-speed rail ticket prices back to pre-October 8, 2013 levels — the full fare for standard class on the Taipei–Zuoying route will drop from NT$1,630 to NT$1,490, with the new price expected to take effect as early as December 1.

Starting December ! Major timetable overhaul ; high-speed rail service pattern cheat sheet＜＜＜ Click here

Due to the high-speed rail system’s unsustainable NT$46 billion in losses, along with NT$360 billion in bank loan repayments and major capital expenditures, the company held an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting today to vote on 7 financial improvement proposals and 1 director non-compete restriction case, with over 80% of shares represented. The fare reduction was also seen as a key part of the financial reform policy.

With the passage of the 8 proposals, the high-speed rail’s critical financial crisis is expected to be alleviated, and the new fare policy is scheduled to go into effect on December 1. With the addition of 3 new stations, high-speed rail service patterns will be divided into three main types: non-stop, skip-stop, and all-stations, increasing from the current 4 to 8 types. The Taipei–Zuoying non-stop service will still take 96 minutes, but trains stopping at all 11 stations will see their travel time increase from 2 hours to 2 hours and 18 minutes.

The extraordinary shareholders’ meeting started at 9:00 AM and, after 6 hours of discussion and voting, passed 8 proposals with approval rates between 70% and 90%. The controversial “60% reduction of common shares” policy was also passed with over 80% of shares in favor.