TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) on Tuesday stressed the necessity of adjusting Taiwan Railway (台鐵公司) fares, pointing out that rates have remained unchanged for 29 years.
A Taiwan Railway board meeting scheduled for Tuesday afternoon is expected to consider a 35.62% fare increase, which could take effect early next year. Chen emphasized the importance of keeping fare hikes within a range acceptable to the public.
The increase is likely to impact short-distance routes the most. For example, the fare for the Taipei to Banqiao route will rise from NT$15 to NT$20, still less than the NT$25 metro fare.
Long-distance travel, such as the Taipei to Kaohsiung route via the Tze-Chiang Limited Express (自強號), will remain under NT$1,000, preserving a price advantage over the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR, 台灣高鐵) fare of NT$1,490.
The Taiwan Railway Union (TWRU, 台灣鐵路產業工會) has backed the fare increase, advocating for the additional revenue to be used for improving safety.
TWRU Secretary-General Chu Chih-yu (朱智宇) noted that after privatization, the need for fare increases has become more pressing. "In the past, the state covered the cost of ensuring railroad safety through budgeting," he said.
The proposed fare hike still requires approval from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC, 交通部) and the Executive Yuan (行政院) before it can be implemented.