TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Freeway Bureau (高公局) in Taiwan will maintain regular toll rates on Friday (Feb. 13) while opening road shoulders to accommodate the expected surge of travelers heading home for the Lunar New Year holiday. The bureau will switch to a flat-rate toll system starting Saturday (Feb. 14) as part of the holiday traffic management plan.
The bureau announced high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) restrictions from Tuesday (Feb. 18) to Friday (Feb. 21), between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., on northbound sections of National Freeway 5 (國5北向). Similar restrictions will apply to parts of National Freeway 1 (國1北向) and 3 (國3北向) on Wednesday (Feb. 19) and Thursday (Feb. 20). During these periods, vehicles must carry at least three passengers to access designated routes, with fines ranging from NT$600 to NT$1,200 (approximately to US$19 to US$38) for violations.
Throughout the holiday, all national freeways will waive tolls from midnight to 5 a.m., but the usual 20 kilometers of free daily mileage will not apply. Instead, a flat-rate toll will be implemented. The bureau predicted heavy southbound traffic from the first to the third day of the holiday, followed by intense northbound pressure from the third to fourth days, based on historical and big data models.
The bureau advised travelers to use the "Freeway 1968 App" for real-time traffic updates and control measures, as these may dynamically adjust. Meanwhile, the Taiwan High Speed Rail (高鐵) will add 395 train services during the holiday period. A new feature on the app will also display estimated waiting times for non-reserved seats, using a color-coded system to help passengers avoid peak times. (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$31.47)