High-speed Rail Stations in Changhua, Miaoli, and Yunlin to Open in December; All-Traverse Trains Add 18 Minutes Between Taipei and Kaohsiung

▲ High-Speed Rail to launch three new stations by year-end. (Photo / Credited to Reporter Ji Xiangru)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

The three new High-Speed Rail stations in Changhua, Miaoli, and Yunlin are scheduled to open on December 1. In the future, the travel time for all-traverse trains will increase from 120 minutes to 138 minutes, which is 18 minutes longer than the current duration.

After the official launch of the three new High-Speed Rail stations, the total number of stations will increase to 11. The current travel time for all-traverse "Taipei–Zuoying" services will extend from 120 minutes to 138 minutes, but non-stop trains will still only stop at Banqiao and Taichung, maintaining a 96-minute journey. However, the number of weekly services will increase from 954 to 964.

Additionally, to serve business travelers heading north in the morning, High-Speed Rail will offer one northbound semi-non-stop train per day in the future, departing Zuoying at 6:18 AM, stopping at Taichung, Miaoli, Hsinchu, and Banqiao, and arriving in Taipei at 8:12 AM. Considering the high number of business passengers, there are also plans to add stops at Tainan and Chiayi.

▲ Miaoli High-Speed Rail Station. (Photo / FromHigh-Speed Rail Point-Line-Surface Fan Page)

According to High-Speed Rail’s planning, train operations at the three new stations are expected to be divided between all-traverse and skip-stop services. Under the all-traverse model, future travel times will be 49 minutes from Taipei to Miaoli, 80 minutes from Taipei to Changhua, and 92 minutes from Taipei to Yunlin. For the skip-stop model, Taipei to Changhua will take 60 minutes, and Taipei to Yunlin 72 minutes. However, High-Speed Rail noted that the exact details still require approval from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications before being finalized.

The Road Management Section of Miaoli County’s Public Works Department stated that it has negotiated with bus operators. With the opening of the Miaoli High-Speed Rail station, five existing Miaoli bus routes will be extended and new stops added at Miaoli HSR Station to facilitate transfers to Miaoli, Zhunan, or Houlong train stations. These routes are: 5803 Hsinchu–Miaoli, 5807 Hsinchu–Houlong, 5808 Houlong–Dajia, 5814 Dajia–Miaoli, and 5816 Miaoli–Waipu.

The Road Management Section also mentioned plans to introduce three High-Speed Rail express bus routes in the future, but these are still under discussion with operators and have not yet been finalized.