TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan High Speed Rail (高鐵) set a new annual ridership record by transporting over 82 million passengers in 2025, the company announced on Wednesday (Jan. 28). Chairman Shih Che (史哲) confirmed that the first N700ST new-generation train will arrive in Taiwan in August, marking a major fleet upgrade. Once all new trains become fully operational, the high-speed rail system's peak capacity will increase by 25 percent, officials stated.
Taiwan High Speed Rail plans to complete integration of all new trains by the end of 2028, ultimately boosting peak capacity by 50 percent through additional trains and increased hourly departures. Officials held a beam-raising ceremony for a second vehicle maintenance plant at the Zuoying (左營) base in southern Taiwan on Wednesday (Jan. 28). Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱), Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), and Chairman Shih Che attended the expansion event.
According to Chairman Shih, average daily ridership has increased from 160,000 passengers before the pandemic to 225,000 in 2025, representing approximately 11,000 more passengers than in 2024. Weekend ridership from Friday to Sunday has surged to nearly 300,000 daily passengers during peak periods. Officials attributed the increase partly to Kaohsiung's active promotion of the concert economy, which has drawn visitors to southern Taiwan.
Taiwan High Speed Rail's board approved the procurement of new train sets in 2023, modeled after Japan's latest N700S series Shinkansen technology. The company plans to develop 12 N700ST trains specifically designed for Taiwan's high-speed rail system to meet growing demand. Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai emphasized the rail system's contribution to Taiwan's economy, noting it has transported 980 million passengers to date. The minister expressed anticipation for new trains to commence service in August. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$31.2)