TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) announced on Friday (Jan. 24) that Taiwan Railway (台鐵) expects passenger numbers to peak at 760,000, up from 630,000 on Thursday. This surge marks the beginning of the high travel season, with additional services and upgraded trains accommodating the increased demand.
Taiwan Railway has added 326 extra services this year, with some trains offering up to eight carriages of non-reserved seats. Passengers can now travel from Taipei to Fengyuan (豐原) in just 1.5 hours aboard the EMU3000 model of the new Tze-Chiang Limited Express (新自強號).
Meanwhile, Taiwan High Speed Rail (高鐵) has introduced 380 additional services, also expanding non-reserved seating to eight carriages. However, ticket availability remains tight, with a booking rate of approximately 70%. National Highway Bus (國道客運) offers a 40% discount during the Lunar New Year period, encouraging travelers to spread out their journeys. Traffic light indicators will assist in managing crowd levels.
Chen advised that the least congested times for southbound travel on the western national highways are between midnight and 6 a.m. from Jan. 29 to Jan. 31. For northbound travel from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, he recommended departing southern regions before 9 a.m.
During the pandemic, domestic travel demand surged due to border closures. As restrictions ease, more individuals opt for international travel, impacting domestic tourism. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (交通部) plans to adjust its strategy by promoting "slow travel" and designing self-driving exploration routes to adapt to changing domestic travel needs.