TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) urged travelers on Thursday (May 29) to wear masks amid rising COVID-19 cases as they head home for the Dragon Boat Festival (端午節) holiday. Running from Friday to Sunday, Taiwan Railway (台鐵) and Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR, 高鐵) anticipate managing a total of 5.4 million passenger trips.
Taiwan Railway predicts an average daily ridership of 774,000 during the festival, with peak numbers on Thursday estimated at 825,000. Meanwhile, THSR expects its highest single-day ridership of 316,000 on Sunday, marking the peak northbound travel of 191,000 passengers.
Minister Chen warned that Thursday and Friday will see the heaviest rainfall of the holiday, urging transport units to prepare to prevent disruptions. He noted that many citizens use the 1968App for real-time traffic updates and expressed hope for future enhancements, including state highways, Taiwan Railway, or high-speed rail status.
During the holiday, transportation ministry staff will remain on duty, and intercity buses will offer a 40% discount. Minister Chen encouraged those not in a hurry to consider taking these buses. Authorities should remind travelers at stations and highway service areas to wear masks to combat the pandemic's resurgence.