TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's transportation system is facing a growing imbalance as an increasing number of passengers opt for the convenience and speed of the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR), leaving the traditional railway and intercity buses struggling to keep pace.
"Priority will be given to taking the high speed rail. Because time is money when traveling. We want a more comfortable and faster way to get to where we want to go," said a Malaysian tourist, reflecting the sentiments of many travelers.
Chu Chih-yu, Secretary General of the Taiwan Railway Union, acknowledged the perception of delays and slowness associated with Taiwan's traditional railway system. He attributed the sluggishness to the necessity of stopping at each station and the need to coordinate with direct and local trains.
Intercity buses, on the other hand, are facing stiff competition from the THSR with passengers increasingly favoring the latter for their journeys. "We don't get enough passengers even when we adjust to an hourly schedule. Each trip on normal days is a loss of money," lamented Hsu Teng-po, Deputy General Manager of a local intercity bus company.
As the high speed rail becomes the preferred mode of transportation for more passengers, concerns are rising about the system's sustainability. Li Ke-tsung, Convener of the Transportation Committee at the Consumers' Foundation, warned, "In the future, if everyone focuses on rail transport, there will still be some problems. If issues occur in rail transport, we will have no support or backup system for related operations."
During the recent Mid-Autumn Festival and Double Ten holidays, the THSR set new records by carrying 338,000 and 284,000 passengers, respectively. In contrast, Taiwan Railway saw a decrease of 120,000 passengers during the Mid-Autumn Festival and 190,000 during the Double Ten holiday compared to pre-pandemic levels.
In the first half of this year, intercity bus passenger volume reached approximately 24.81 million, representing just 60% of pre-pandemic levels. Rising operating costs and a lack of drivers have resulted in reductions in bus services. The industry is increasingly reliant on military personnel and students as passengers, but the declining population poses further challenges, highlighting the need for industry transformation.
As experts stress the importance of rebalancing the transportation system, they call on the government to improve the intercity bus passenger experience and for Taiwan Railways to enhance service quality to accommodate the evolving preferences of travelers.