LittleWife
Do you feel anxious about using public transport after having kids? Afraid your child might cry, make noise, or act up and disturb fellow passengers, which leads you to avoid taking public transport?
Taiwan Railways has created a family-friendly space. Since the summer of 2017, it launched parent-child carriages, and this summer the service has been expanded. Starting July 27, more train services have been added to benefit more families. Here’s how to book tickets for the family carriages, what facilities are available onboard, and the related rules for riding in the parent-child carriages.
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Only the following 12 train services offer parent-child carriages.Please choose your service based on your departure and destination.
Tickets can only be purchased via online booking orat the station ticket counter.
1. Select “Book a one-way ticket for a specific service.”
2. Enter the service code, and the system will show the option for the parent-child carriage. (If the service code is wrong, only regular carriage options will appear — please double-check that the selected service actually includes a parent-child carriage.)
3. Once the travel date, departure station code, arrival station code, service code, and number of tickets are all correct, click to start booking.
Note: A single ID number can be used to book up to six tickets.
Tickets bought at the station will be marked with “parent-child carriage.” If purchased via convenience store or post office, the ticket will only show “12-car,” meaning it's the 12th carriage of the Taroko Express — the parent-child carriage, which operates on a reserved seating basis.
The parent-child carriage is intended for families with children. During the journey, announcements will periodically remind passengers that Carriage 12 is for family use only.However, there may still be passengers who ignore the signs. Station staff will verbally advise them. Please note:If a passenger without a valid ticket for the carriage refuses to leave after being advised, they will be required to purchase a new ticket and pay an additional 50% surcharge according to the passenger transport contract.
The exterior of the parent-child carriage features colorful designs and clear signage identifying it as a family-friendly space — much cuter than the regular carriages. Most importantly, strollers are allowed.
The spacing between the carriage doors is larger, so pushing strollers or pulling suitcases is much easier.
The parent-child carriage only sells seated tickets, with just 12 seats per carriage.Themed around Taiwan’s “Yo Bear,” the carriage is bright and adorable, and nearly half the space is reserved for children to play, making it both spacious and comfortable.
Each seatback is labeled with instructions for using the carriage facilities, so everything is easy to understand at a glance.
Seats are available as either double or single, and chairs can rotate to face each other.
The most unique feature is that each single seat comes with a safety belt, which can be used to secure luggage or strollers. The aisle is also wider than in regular carriages, so you don’t have to worry about blocking other passengers. Moreover, everything is firmly secured and won’t shift due to train movement — super convenient for families with young kids!
It’s almost like riding a high-speed rail — there are foldable tables that are perfect for drawing, dining, or placing tablets. The only downside is that the table might be a bit far for toddlers.
There’s additional storage space above the seats.
The seats also have small handles where you can hang light bags.
The double seats also offer more space, so even with luggage placed there, it doesn’t feel cramped.
The rear section of the carriage is divided into an interactive play area for families, a stroller parking zone, and seating area, where children can play without disturbing passengers in the seating section.
The seating area is an open space and does not require assigned seating.Even if you don’t manage to secure a seat, pregnant passengers or families with young children can rest here briefly by showing their Mommy Handbook and an official ID that proves the child’s age (under 12).
Most kids in this area were reading, drawing, or playing board games. The other passengers were very friendly — one even shared origami with Bao Bao. She played with the paper crane for nearly half an hour, which her mom was really grateful for.
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The tables and chair handles in the resting area are padded with soft covers to protect children who are playing or moving around.
Stroller parking zones are set up along both sides of the train. There's no need to fold the strollers; just fasten the safety belts to prevent them from moving and potentially hurting the child. Not having to fold the stroller is a huge relief for parents, and babies can comfortably lie in the stroller to rest. It's fantastic !
The walls of the family interactive area are also padded with safety cushions. But what kind of activities can be done in the family interactive area? That’s where parents need to get creative to pass the time on the journey.
Photos alone can’t convey the sense of space — come on, check out the video to see for yourself !
The toilet is very spacious. (Sorry, the photo came out a bit blurry as the train was shaking a lot.)
The nursing room is also quite large, featuring a double seat, a table enclosed with safety rails, a diaper-changing station, and a sink at a child-friendly height. It would be perfect if there was also a water dispenser for parents to prepare formula milk.
Bao Bao’s mom gave it positive feedback. Taking an express train (ZiQiang) from Taichung to Kaohsiung takes at least two and a half hours, and it’s simply unrealistic for toddlers to sit still for the whole ride. Being able to move around is really important !
Also, it’s inevitable that there will be crying babies or noisy kids in the family carriages, but everyone is considerate and understanding. This family-friendly environment makes people less afraid to travel with young children. We hope the high-speed rail will also introduce family carriages in the future.
Also, you might wonder why our ride had almost no one else — it probably has to do with the timing and departure station. On the day we traveled, it was a weekday, and after leaving Xinying, no other families with young children boarded. If you’re having trouble booking a family carriage, try starting from a smaller station !
Authorized reprint from [Bao Bao’s Home]Original article: [Taiwan Railways Family Carriage | Exclusive for Families, Free Stroller Parking, Spacious Seats, Interactive Zone]