Taiwan Railways' named-ticket system for eastbound trains to be piloted during Dragon Boat Festival holiday

By the MOOK Scenic Spots editorial team

The named-ticket system for trains to eastern Taiwan, which has been a major concern for residents and travelers in Hualien and Taitung, will be piloted by Taiwan Railways. It is hoped that this measure will further alleviate the chronic issue of sold-out tickets during long holidays.

In response to public interest in the pilot plan for named-ticket return trains for Hualien and Taitung residents, Taiwan Railways has included the named-ticket system in its six-month review agenda. During this year’s Dragon Boat Festival holiday, selected train services will be piloted, with results to be evaluated and analyzed.

(1) Named-ticket sales arrangements:
1. Designated dates and services: One painted Puyuma train on June 9 (downward: Shulin → Taipei → Taitung, Train No. 5234 departing Taipei at 7:43) and one on June 12 (upward: Taitung → Taipei → Shulin, Train No. 5245 departing Taitung at 14:45).
2. Ticket sales dates, times, and stations: Starting at 6:00 AM on June 1, tickets will be sold manually at designated windows at eight stations—Shulin, Banqiao, Taipei, Songshan, Hualien, Yuli, Guanshan, and Taitung—until sold out.
3. Purchasing method: Passengers must present an ID card starting with U or V. One ID allows the purchase of one round-trip ticket (one outbound and one return), with a maximum of three different IDs per person. Duplicate purchases are not permitted.

(2) Taiwan Railways supplementary regulations:
1. Ticket marking: Tickets will be stamped with the passenger’s ID number beginning with U or V, including the last three digits for identification.
2. Inspection method: Train conductors may check passengers’ ID documents when inspecting tickets onboard.

Additionally, detailed departure and arrival times for each station, as well as ticket sales and inspection rules, will be announced by Taiwan Railways prior to ticket sales.

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