Trains filled with the fragrance of books: Six new “Reading Bars” added at Taichung TRA stations

▲ The bulb-shaped Reading Bars will offer a book borrowing service that allows users to pick up books at one location and return them at another. (Photo / Provided by Taichung City Government Cultural Affairs Bureau, the same below)

By Chen Rui-zhong, staff reporter / Comprehensive report

The Taichung City Government’s Cultural Affairs Bureau has collaborated with the Taiwan Railways Administration under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to set up a total of six “Reading Bar 读册吧” at Taichung, Fengyuan, Dajia, Shalu, and Qingshui stations, allowing passengers to enjoy a literary atmosphere while traveling by train.

With the launch of these six new Reading Bars, Taichung now has a total of 11 such facilities.

Each Reading Bar 读册吧 location is stocked with around 50 books. Passengers can pick up a book to read, breaking away from the traditional borrowing and returning model. In the future, TRA passengers will be able to pick up a book at one station, read it on the train, and then return it to a Reading Bar at their destination.

The Taichung City Government’s Cultural Affairs Bureau stated that since launching “Reading Bar 读册吧” at five locations including Taichung Airport in January, the initiative has received positive feedback. As a result, six additional TRA stations have been added to provide more reading opportunities for waiting passengers. Aside from supplying quality books through district libraries, the Reading Bars will also rotate themes every six months at different stations to enrich content. The bureau hopes passengers will make good use of them under the philosophy of:“Choose any good book, return it after reading. If you want to take it, remember to exchange it for another.”” concept, make the most of it.