View Full Version : (Slow)Rail:Cruisin'!
Taiwan is in the picture. Al given information asked for a railwaymap, with or withouth High speed train. What shall we do?
What shall we do?Ask some Dutch guy to draw it for us? :D :D :D
Look below the trackbed diagrams. I'm looking for some better maps than the iconic one below. The maps at this site appear to be inoperative. An optimist would say they are preparing the NEW Shinkansenised Version:-
http://www.railway.gov.tw/n/n1_01.htm
http://www.railway.gov.tw/l/images/tai12.gif
Country Map (Colourful, Big & Slow; just the way I like 'em ;) ) which seems to show most of the current railways:-
http://202.39.225.132/uploadfile/folded_map/08305_TAIWAN.jpg
Schematic Map of Alishan Forest Rlwy:-
http://202.39.225.132/uploadfile/folded_map/07151_ES03M03.jpg
Schematic of Tamshui MRT:-
http://202.39.225.132/uploadfile/folded_map/07090_EN08M03.jpg
Schematic Taipei MRT:-
http://202.39.225.132/uploadfile/folded_map/08182_taipei_m.jpg
String on 'Taiwan (ROC) Maps':-
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?p=5878#post5878
Description of the Touristic attractions of each line:-
http://www.worldpress.org/Asia/2012.cfm
Map Selection Page:-
http://202.39.225.132/jsp/Eng/html/map/index.jsp#
http://www.roc-taiwan.org/taiwan/2-visitor/map/map/x03.gif
http://www.roc-taiwan.org/taiwan/2-visitor/map/map/x04.gif
http://www.urbanrail.net/as/taip/taipei.htm
Taipei MRT (elsewhere):-
http://www.taiwan-map.com/EngMap/en_mrt.asp
http://home.trtc.com.tw/EINFO/eroutehome.asp
http://english.taipei.gov.tw/dorts/index.jsp
TRA spends over US$11 mil. cleaning train cabins
Thursday, December 6, 2007
CNA
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) is spending NT$370 million (US$11.4 million) a year keeping train cabins clean, TRA Deputy Director-General Chang Ying-huei said yesterday.
Chang revealed the figure at a press conference TRA held at the Shulin train station in Taipei County to release results of its efforts to keep the new "Taroko" express, commissioned to begin to ply between the capital city of Taipei and Hualien in eastern Taiwan in May, clean and shining.
Chang said improving passengers' satisfaction with TRA trains and services is the administration's key goal this year. With that in mind, TRA has imposed a stricter standards on the cleanness of train cabins, he added.
According to TRA statistics, around 450,000 passengers travel on TRA-operated railway lines every day. A senior official responsible for machine maintenance and repair said it is a great challenge to maintain the cleanness of more than 1,400 TRA express train cabins and numerous other cabins on commuter routes.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2007/12/06/133713/TRA%2Dspends.htm
Carriage cleanliness brings us onto another interesting story of life on Taiwanese railways:
Baby born in Taitung express train lavatory
Saturday, December 8, 2007
The China Post news staff
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Everybody cheered.
Some passengers aboard a coach of an express train from Taitung to Taipei even cried for joy yesterday as a fellow traveler gave birth to a baby girl.
They had reason for celebration.
The fellow traveler, known only as Mrs. Shao, delivered the baby at the lavatory in the morning. It fell into the toilet bowl by accident and was rescued.
Mrs. Shao on the Tzu-chiang express went into labor shortly before noon.
The train was about to reach Suao, a fishing port south of Yilan in eastern Taiwan when Mrs. Shao struggled into the lavatory.
Fellow passengers heard the baby cry, and one of them opened the lavatory door only to find a leg of the baby jutted out of the toilet bowl and the mother unconscious.
They dialed 119 for help.
As soon as the train eased into the Suao station, firemen and three interns at the Po-ai Hospital in the port city were there ready to lend a helping hand.
It took one hour to get the baby out of the bowl unscathed.
As the baby had its head stuck in the bowl, rescuers had to supply it with oxygen to keep it alive.
Passengers embraced each other to celebrate the successful delivery of the baby girl.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2007/12/08/134122/Baby%2Dborn.htm
TRA to inaugurate Sike railway station
Sunday, December 30, 2007
CNA
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) is scheduled to inaugurate Sunday the brand-new Sike railway station -- located in Sijhih, Taipei County -- to offer commuters convenient and fast transport services, a spokesman for the TRA said Saturday.
Sike Station is situated between the Sijhih and Taipei City's Nangang stations and was built by the TRA as a rapid transit station, the third of this kind the administration has constructed in northern Taiwan as part of its policy of turning railroads into rapid transit lines, according to the TRA.
Services at the station will begin at 4: 27 a.m. daily for trains heading north and at 4: 56 a.m. for southbound trains. There will be a total of 137 two-way runs per day through the station, the TRA spokesman said, adding that trains are expected every 10-12 minutes at peak hours.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2007/12/30/136997/TRA%2Dto.htm
TRA offers 1.5 mil. seats for New Year holidays
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
The China Post news staff
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The government-owned Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) will add a total of 1.5 million extra seats for travelers during Chinese New Year holidays. It will start accepting ticket purchases on Jan. 19.
The TRA under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications had originally planned to launch the special project of moving more travelers starting on Feb. 4.
But the hot sales of bullet-train tickets enjoyed by Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corp. (THSRC) prompted the TRA to advance the starting date to Feb. 1 for extra runs of trains and adding more coaches to trains.
For the period from Feb. 1 to Feb. 12, a total of 1.5 million extra seats will be added, averaging 125,000 seats each day during the 12-day period.
Although many people with travel plans already rushed to snap up seats available on the high-speed railway system, TRA executives expect quite a number of THSRC customers may cancel their reservations for THSRC trains and take TRA trains.
Although the traditional TRA trains do not run as fast as the high-speed rail, the ticket prices are highly competitive.
A TRA train ticket from Taipei to Kaohsiung costs only NT$845, compared with NT$1,490 charged by THSRC.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2008/01/08/138151/TRA%2Doffers.htm
A similar situation is also the case on Taiwan's High-Speed Raillink:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=2127
Timetables & tickets online:
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/cp/transportation/
40% more train travelers expected for new year
Thursday, January 17, 2008
CNA
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- As many as 460,000 passengers are expected to travel on Taiwan's railway trains daily during the Chinese New Year period, a 40 percent rise compared to ridership on an ordinary day, the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) said yesterday.
To cope with the peak travel period, when many people travel from one city to another to reunite with their families, the railway administration is planning to provide passengers with an extra service of 678 trains, mainly express trains, TRA Deputy Managing Director Chang Ying hui told reporters.
"The TRA is ready to provide passengers with the best service during the New Year period, " said Chang, adding that the TRA will dispatch all available train engines and compartments to join in the service.
Beginning Saturday, the administration will open up both the Internet and telephone ticketing systems to passengers planning to travel by train during the holiday period from Feb. 1-12, Chang said.
Chang said that passengers wishing to travel on the railway system's Eastern Line can make reservations online or by telephone from 6:00 a.m. Saturday, and those wishing to travel on the Western Line can book tickets starting at 6 a.m. Sunday.
The Eastern Line connects Taipei with main eastern counties, including Yilan, Hualien and Taitung, and the Western Line operates between Taipei and Kaohsiung, passing through the major cities and counties of Taoyuan, Hsingchu, Maoli, Taichung, Chiayi, and Tainan.
Chang further suggested that those who successfully order the tickets through telephone or the Internet to pay for the tickets within three days, and the ticket can be collected from post office or any stations 30 minutes before departure.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2008/01/17/139419/40%25%2Dmore.htm
Taiwan to invest NT$15 bil. in eastern rail
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
CNA
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The government has decided to invest NT$15 billion (US$468.8 million) over the next seven years in the first phase of a project to modernize the rail system in the less-developed eastern part of the country.
The overall plan, developed by the Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD), consists of two major projects to improve the 155-kilometer part of the line connecting Hualien and Taitung -- replacing diesel-powered trains with electric powered trains and converting single track sections to double track.
When the project is fully completed, the line's 2 hour 55 minute travel time will be reduced to under two hours and out of the 30 stations on the line at present, only 11 will remain.
At a briefing on the plan Monday, Sharon Hsieh, one of the council's planners in the Urban and Housing Development Department, said the first phase of the plan, to begin as early as sometime next year, will focus on the electrification of the line and laying double track in sections with severe bottlenecks. During the second phase, she said, the electrification process and the line's conversion to a double track railway will be fully completed.
Hsieh said switching to electric-powered locomotives, which are commonly used in most of Taiwan's railway system, will increase train frequencies and improve safety. Average speeds will be improved to 130km/hr from 110km/hr by using electric power.
The eastern railway network is formed by three main sections -- the Yilan Line, the North-link Line and the Hua-Tung Line. While the two northern lines are fully electrified, only diesel powered trains can operate on the Hua-Tung Line.
That means travelers from Taipei to Taitung must either change trains in Hualien or wait there while an electric-powered locomotive is replaced a diesel-powered one. The inconvenience and longer travel time to Taitung is seen as an impediment to tourism in the region.
Hsieh said the first phase of the project will take seven years to complete at a cost of NT$15 billion. The budget will be reviewed annually by the legislature, and the council will review the project's construction progress carried out by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.
The plan is part of a 2005 government campaign aimed at bringing greater economic prosperity to Taiwan's eastern counties of Yilan, Hualien and Taitung -- that includes development plans ranging from rebuilding rural communities to upgrading transportation.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2008/02/20/143680/Taiwan%2Dto.htm
EasyCards to be used in northern railway system
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
CNA
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Railway passengers will be allowed to pay their fares with EasyCards in four stations in the greater Taipei area later this year on a trial basis, the president of the Taipei Smart Card Corp. (TSCC) said yesterday.
The trial, which will cover the Taipei, Wanhua, Banchiao and Shulin stations, will allow the Taiwan Railway Administration to evaluate the feasibility of expanding the use of EasyCards to all 19 stations between Keelung and Jhongli, which see 400,000 commuters per day, according to TSCC President Lin Chih-ying.
The contactless prepaid cards were first launched by the company in September 2002 as a travel pass for passengers using the metro and public bus systems in Taipei City.
Over the past several years, the use of EasyCards has been expanded to Taipei city government-run parking lots and admission to the Taipei Zoo and municipal libraries.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2008/02/20/143685/EasyCards%2Dto.htm
Taiwan rail to become more user-friendly for tourists
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
CNA
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) is embarking on a program to make all train stations around the country bilingual in Chinese and English, in an effort to help foreign tourists and other non-Chinese speaking visitors, an official said yesterday.
The program is being launched after some foreigners recently complained that it is inconvenient for them to take trains in Taiwan because the Chinese-language train tickets are all Greek to them and announcers on the stations' public address system speak nothing but Chinese, according to the official.
The TRA is now sparing no effort to transliterate Chinese signs in the stations into English, the official said.
Some of TRA's major stations -- such as Taipei Station and Hsinchu Station -- already have signs and intercom announcements in both Chinese and English.
However, TRA has run into some problems going bilingual because the old-style information display bulletin boards in some stations cannot show full Taiwanese place names in English.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2008/03/04/145542/Taiwan%2Drail.htm
TRA launches exclusive trains for cycling enthusiasts
Sunday, March 9, 2008
The China Post news staff
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) yesterday began operating its "environmental protection train service," with a group of 272 cycling enthusiasts taking their bikes into trains to start their pollution-free bicycle trips in northern Taiwan.
TRA Director Fan Zi-ku said at the inauguration ceremony that the environmental protection train service is designed to inspire a pollution-free way of touring Taiwan, and encourage more people to head outdoors to take part in environmentally friendly activities where they can deeply appreciate the beauty of Taiwan.
Fan said the TRA will implement the service on a three-month trial basis, then expand services in central, southern and eastern Taiwan, thus allowing cyclists to travel around the island in a zero-pollution way.
Excited by the news, many cyclists have suggested the TRA step up the pace to allow passengers to get on and off trains with their own bikes, as can be done on the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT).
At the moment, the MRT allows passengers to board two designated trains with their own bikes, on holidays. By contrast, the railways now only allow passengers to do so on a group basis, and passenger groups are required to apply for exclusive trains to take.
In response, Fan said the TRA will move toward allowing passengers to accompany their bikes while boarding regular railway trains.
Fan noted that since trains stop at platforms for an average of one to two minutes, allowing passengers to board trains with bikes would make the trains fall behind schedule, potentially incurring complaints from other passengers. Accordingly, the railway does not allow passengers to take bikes on trains, only store them in special cars.
Besides the special train service opening in Hsinchu yesterday, the TRA will launch similar routes for cyclists from Hsichih, Taipei County to Miaoli County on April 19 and May 17, with stops at Hsichi, Sungshan, Wanhua, Shulin, Taoyuan, Chungli, Hsinchu and Miaoli.
The TRA said that to take these trains, groups of 10 passengers will be granted a 20-percent discount on tickets, and that discount will be expanded to 65 percent for 25 members, 50 percent for 50 members.
At the moment, each passenger of such groups is required to purchase two tickets, for the passenger and the bicycle.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2008/03/09/146244/TRA%2Dlaunches.htm
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
TRA to launch new timetable and carriages
CNA
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) published on yesterday its new timetable that takes effect May 15, simplifying departure times, expanding express service to Taiwan's eastern coast and increasing commuter trains in metropolitan areas.
TRA will increase its eastern and commuter line services after receiving delivery of and testing 48 new carriages for the limited express "Taroko" trains between Taipei and Hualien and 160 EMU 700 commuter train carriages, said TRA Deputy Managing Director Chang Ying-huei.
Beginning May 15, the railway will operate a total of 13-15 of the "Taroko" trains per day, compared to a total of 6-8 per day at present. The trains, specially adapted to travel faster on existing track, cut travel time between Taipei and Hualien to around two hours.
Under the new timetable, all limited express "Tzu-Chiang" or "Taroko" trains will depart from Taipei to the southern port city of Kaohsiung or Hualien on the hour or half-hour from 7 a.m. to 7: 15 p.m., which the railway said would help passengers manage their schedules more easily.
"This brings great convenience to passengers because they will no longer need to memorize the timetable," Chang stressed, adding that "the calling stations of every Tzu-Chiang train will remain the same."
Meanwhile, the increase of EMU 700 train services in the metropolitan areas of Taipei, Taichung in central Taiwan, and Kaohsiung, should benefit those who work or study in the city, providing them with faster and more convenient service.
Noting that an increasing number of passengers choose to travel long distances with high speed trains from Taipei to Taichung or Kaohsiung since service was launched in January 2007 by the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC), Chang said the TRA will also provide more connections between TRA stations and THSRC stations in those two cities.
"The connecting services will help high speed rail riders change trains at the TRA Kaohsiung Station for the southeastern county of Taitung through the South Link Line that connects Kaohsiung and Taitung more easily," Chang said.
"We will also launch two more Tzu-Chiang direct trains between Taipei and Taitung through the Eastern Line to solve transportation bottlenecks to and from the rural Taitung area," Chang noted.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/%20business/2008/05/13/156136/TRA%2Dto.htm
Saturday, May 31, 2008
EasyCard to be introduced on Taipei section of railway
CNA
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The EasyCard system is slated to be introduced on the section of the north-south railway running from Taipei City to Shulin City in southwestern Taipei County as early as the end of June, Taipei Smart Card Corp. President Lin Chih-ling said yesterday.
Speaking at a transportation meeting convened by the Taipei city government, Lin said that his company is currently discussing the installation of the system with the Taiwan Railway Administration.
After being introduced on the Taipei Shulin section of the rail line, the EasyCard system will then be expanded to include stations north to the coastal city of Keelung and south to Jhongli City, Taoyuan County, Lin said.
The TSCC is also currently in discussions with the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. on introducing the system for ticket reservations on the nation's high-speed railway, he continued.
Lin further said that the company is studying the introduction of the EasyCard to Taipei City's bicycle rental network in order to make the system, which has been launched on a trial basis at the city's MRT (and railway) stations, fully automated.
The EasyCard is also set to be introduced at Taipei City Hospital's Zhong Xing branch on July 1 to allow patients to pay fees for doctor's visits, he said, adding that the system will later be expanded to include all branches of the hospital.
Lin said that in the future, EasyCard holders will be able to use their cards to pay for entry into international activities hosted by the city, such as the Deaflympics in 2009 and the annual Taipei International Flower Exhibition.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/local/taipei/2008/05/31/158862/EasyCard%2Dto.htm
Monday, June 2, 2008
TRA campaign to allow bikes on trains launched
The China Post news staff
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The "Bike on Train Campaign" was launched by the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) yesterday with the aim of promoting the new Cabinet's carbon-reduction policy.
The campaign began at 7:15 a.m. at Hualien Station with participants carrying bicycles on board the No.67 Juguang-Class Train departing for Ruisui Station, followed by a guided tour arranged by the Ruisui Township Office.
More than 60 bicyclists took the opportunity to enjoy rustic scenery and delicious specialties in Ruesui, a township famous for its tea, pomelos and hot springs. Some biked directly to Hualien City via Guangfu Suger Factory or Shin Kong Chao Feng Farm while others took the No.29 Juguang Class back to Hualien at 1:22 p.m.
This campaign was intended to boost the tourism industry of Hualien before trains running on the Hualien-to-Taitung route are fully run by electricity. Luggage cabins will be attached to certain Juguang-Class trains for the convenience of bicyclists, according to the TRA Web site.
Another 370 Type-EMU800 electric train will be purchased to benefit more bicyclists by 2009 in accordance with the government's environmental policies, said the TRA.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national%20news/2008/06/02/159105/TRA%2Dcampaign.htm
See also previous post on bicycles on trains
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Pets to be allowed on TRA trains
CNA
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) announced yesterday that starting July 1 passengers will be allowed to take pets on its trains for a three-month trail period.
From June until September, passengers will be able to take dogs, cats, fishes and other pets on the TRA's express trains, but dangerous animals such as snakes will be prohibited, Yang Cheng-de, director of the TRA's Transportation Department, said at a press conference.
"After the trail period, the TRA will make an evaluation based on the feedback from passengers and will then decide whether or not to continue to allow pets on board," Yang added.
A poll conducted in April by the TRA among 7,000 respondents showed that 24 percent of its passengers supported the idea of allowing pets on trains, while 55 percent were opposed to the proposal.
A similar poll conducted in 2003 showed only 14 percent support for the idea.
While many people are still opposed to the initiative, Yang said, "the results of the poll also indicate that more and more TRA passengers would like to be able to travel with their pets, or do not mind sitting next to people carrying animals."
"The TRA needs to respect the opinions of the majority... and we are living in a multi-dimensional society," Yang said.
He stressed that during the trial period, passengers carrying pets will be restricted to the TRA's express trains, such as the Tzu-chiang, Chu-kuang and Fu-hsing, and he urged the public to pay attention to TRA stipulations regarding cage sizes.
"The size of each cage should not exceed 40 cm in length, 30 cm in width, and 26 cm in height, or the passengers will be fined," Yang said.
If the pets make noises or smell badly, other passengers can complain directly to the train conductor in and in order to "obtain an immediate response" and to "maintain the quality of the service," he said.
In Taiwan, the other major railway operators -- Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation, the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation, and the Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation -- all allow pets on board.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national%20news/2008/06/07/159891/Pets%2Dto.htm
Friday, July 4, 2008
Modern rail promised in Taitung: gov't
CNA
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Transportation authorities have promised to bring forward the completion date for a project to convert the railways between Hualien and Taitung into electric rail lines and thus improve the quality of transportation in the eastern part of the country.
Legislator Chen Ying of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party announced yesterday that the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has promised to expedite the work to upgrade the transportation network in the area.
Chen said that a few days ago she raised the issue in the Legislative Yuan, calling for the project to be speeded up. The railway conversion is one of the Kuomintang (KMT) government's 12 major national construction plans that are expected to spur local demand and boost the economy.
At the legislative session, Chen asked why the southeastern county of Taitung had not seen any of the "rapid transportation systems" that people in the western part of the country enjoy. Taitung has long been deprived of the comfortable, fast and convenient services afforded by various modern transportation networks such as rapid mass transit lines and high-speed railways, she said.
There is no such thing as an "electric railway" in Taitung, Chen noted. "The central government seemed to have forgotten Taitung" in its planning and implementation of major transportation projects over the past few decades, she complained.
However, her call has now been answered and the Hualien-Taitung railway electrification project will bring the modern "Taroko" express trains to Taitung by 2013, Chen said.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national%20news/2008/07/04/163946/Modern%2Drail.htm
http://www.railway.gov.tw/en/yearbook/pic/image001.jpg
[Map:http://www.railway.gov.tw/en/yearbook/yearbook-3.aspx]
Neat idea below! Dig the sensible speed! With more double-tracked lines in Thailand in future, this might well be an option worth looking into:
TRA to launch tourist 'cruise train' next Monday
By Chiang Yu-ting, Special to The China Post
Saturday, August 9, 2008
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/news_images/20080809/p16d.jpg
[Photo: China Post - A special tourist “cruise train” is scheduled to launch a debut run next Monday, enabling tourists to make several stopovers for sightseeing excursions at a leisurely pace from Hualien to Taitung on the east coast.(Courtesy of TRA)]
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- A first ever tourist "cruise train," which allows passengers to stop for sightseeing at designated scenic spots and get back on board on the same train to move on to the next stop, will make a debut run next Monday from Hualien to Taitung on the eastern coast of Taiwan, according to the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA).
The special tourist train covers three lines -- the Hualien, Ilan, and Kaohsiung lines -- and will be formally launched on Aug. 11, Aug. 19 and 30, and Aug. 23 and 30, respectively.
The Hualien line will be headed for Kwanshan in southeastern Taitung County at 7:30 a.m., and will stop at Kwanshan for three hours so that tourists may visit the Japanese style train station built with wood and rent bikes, at half price provided by the TRA for sightseeing excursions.
The special train will provide reserved seats and make stopovers at several selected places.
According to Chang Chen-li, deputy chief of the Transportation Department of the TRA, the train will go through Jian, Shoufeng, Wangrung, Kuangfu, Dongli and Fuli on the way to Kwanshan.
With a slow speed of only 35 kilometers per hour instead of the usual speed of 110 kilometers, passengers can appreciate the fascinating views, like the beautiful sea of sunflowers and the countryside lifestyle in eastern regions, through the window.
The same train will head back for Hualien at 5:30 p.m. on the same day. This tourist cruise train was the brainchild of Mao Chi-kuo, the minister of Transportation and Communications.
When taking a train to eastern Taiwan, he was inspired by such beautiful scenery on the way.
Mao thought it would be a pity if passengers just hastily passed through all these townships and scenic spots without enjoying the beautiful scenery in one of the most beautiful areas in Taiwan.
The tourist cruise train is generally patterned after the cruise voyage of liners, which stops at ports and allows customers to get off for sightseeing excursions at a leisurely pace, according to Mao.
The special train and the leisurely itinerary will enable tourists to enjoy total relaxation, rather than rushing around on hectic schedules.
The TRA offers a low-price ticket, a free lunch box, as well as a bottle of water to celebrate the debut run, Chang said. Chang added that the tourist train project will be continued if the trial run is successful.
He reminded the public to book tickets to reserve seats one day before departure. However, the tickets can only be purchased at the Hualien station for the Hualien-Taitung line. More information is available at the TRA's Website: [GWR: Something wrong with this link! Better link underneath article. I haven't found this item on the site yet!] http://www.railways.gov.tw.
http://www.railway.gov.tw
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national%20news/2008/08/09/169264/TRA-to.htm
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