Taiwan Railways Administration
| Taiwan Railway Administration | ||
|---|---|---|
| TRA logo | ||
| Headquarters | Taipei Main Station, Taipei | |
| Network | 1097 km | |
| Service Type | Inter-City, Commuter | |
| Foundation | 1887 — present | |
| Track gauge | Narrow (1067 mm) | |
| Website | http://www.railway.gov.tw | |
The Taiwan Railway Administration (台灣鐵路管理局, a.k.a 台鐵 or TRA) is the government agency responsible for managing, maintaining, and running passenger and freight service on 1097 km of conventional railroad lines in Taiwan (gauge: 1067 mm). As Taiwan is heavily urbanized with a high population density, railways have always played an important part in domestic transportation. Most of the main lines are fully electrified and service is generally efficient and reliable.
Recent growth in the highway system and increased competition from bus companies and airlines has led to a decline in long distance rail travel (except during major holidays such as Chinese New Year), though short and intermediate distance travel is still heavily utilized by commuters and students. A Taiwan High Speed Rail line currently under construction and scheduled for completion in 2005 is not run by TRA, and is also expected to be a major source of competition. To offset this TRA has begun placing an emphasis on tourism, this has led to several special tourist trains running to scenic areas and hot springs, the addition of dining cars (originally deemed unnecessary due to Taiwan's relatively small size), and converting several smaller branch lines to attract tourists.
Like several other state owned enterprises in Taiwan, the Taiwan Railway Adminsitration is currently in the process of privatization, which has led to some conflict between employee unions and management with the occasional threat of strikes.
Routes
TRA runs the four main rail lines forming a closed loop around the main island of Taiwan, and three smaller branch lines.
Main Lines
- Western Line (西部幹線): Keelung City to Kaohsiung City
- Taichung Line (台中線): Jhunan, Miaoli to Changhua City
- Pingtung Line (屏東線): Kaohsiung City to Fangliao, Pingtung
- Eastern Line (東部幹線):
- Yilan Line (宜蘭線): Badu to Su-ao, Yilan
- North-Link Line (北迴線): Su-ao, Yilan New Station to Hualian City
- Hwa-tung Line (花東線): Hualian City to Taitung City
- South-Link Line (南迴線): Fangliao, Pingtung to Taitung City
Branch Lines
Passenger service
- Pingsi Line (平溪線): Houdong, Taipei County - Jingtong, Taipei County
- Neiwan Line (內灣線): Hsinchu City - Neiwan, Hsinchu County
- Jiji Line (集集線): Ershuei, Changhua - Checheng, Nantou County
Freight only
- Shenao Line (深澳線): Rueifang, Taipei County - Shenao, Taipei County
Defunct
- Donggang Line (東港線): Jhenan, Pingtung County - Donggang, Pingtung County. Passenger service discontinued in 1991, completely closed in 2002.
- Danshui Line (淡水線): Taipei Main Station - Danshuei, Taipei County. Replaced by Taipei Rapid Transit System's Danshui Line.
- Old Taichung Line (舊山線): Segment located in Miaoli County, closed in 1998. Now a minor tourist attraction. Shengsing Station has been declared a historical site.
Service
Trains are divided into five classes, higher classes generally stop at fewer stations resulting in faster service. The classes are:
- Tzu-Chiang (Tsu-chiang / 自強): The fastest (and most expensive). Assigned seating. Non-reserved (standing) tickets are also sold at full price. There are 3 types of Tsz-chiang: EMU electric multiple unit (brown), push-pull (orange/silver) and diesel (yellow/silver). Tickets for all 3 types of Tsz-chiang are the same price.
- Chu-Kuang (Chu-kwang / 莒光): Second fastest. Assigned seating. Non-reserved tickets are sold at 80% of original price.
- Fu-hsing (Fu-shing / 復興): Third fastest. Assigned seating. Non-reserved tickets are sold at 80% of original price.
- EMU (Electric multiple unit / 電車) and DRC (Diesel railcar / 柴客): Short to medium distance commuter train, stops at all stations. No assigned seating.
- Express / Ordinary (普通): Stops at all stations, no air conditioning, most inexpensive. No assigned seating. Some Express trains (the light blue ones running on West Trunk Line) are air-conditioned while others (dark blue ones) are not equipped with air conditioners.
- Diesel Express: Only available on East Trunk Line and South Link Line. Mainly serve as commuter trains. No air conditioning. Tickets are the same price as Express and Ordinary.
With the exception of the Ordinary trains, all trains are modern and air conditioned. Many of the Ordinary train cars, on the other hand, are almost 40 to 50 years old, and provide an interesting experience for the more historically minded.
History
(Provided from official TRA pages: ChineseEnglish)
- 1887: Construction begins on first railway in Taiwan between Keelung and Taipei by Ching Dynasty governor Liu Min-Chuan
- 1891: First rail line completed
- 1895: Taiwan ceded to Japan by China following the end of the Sino-Japanese War. Ministry of Taiwan Railway established by the Japanese Government.
- 1908: The Japanese colonial government extends the railways to Kaohsiung.
- 1922: Coastal Line (Jhunan - Changhua) completed.
- 1924: Yilan Line (Badu - Suao) completed.
- 1926: Huatung Line (Hualien - Taitung) completed.
- 1941: Pingtung Line (Kaohsiung - Fangliao) completed.
- 1940-1945: The railways are repeatedly bombed by the Allies during World War II.
- 1945: Taiwan is handed over to the ROC, Taiwan Railway Administration established.
- 1979: Western Line fully electrified. North-link line completed.
- 1989: Rail lines running through downtown Taipei moved underground. New Taipei Main Station completed.
- 1991: South-link Line completed, completing the rail loop around Taiwan.
- 1997: Online reservations become available.
- 2000: Yilan Line electrified.
- 2001: Various special trains targeting tourists are offered.
- 2003: North-link Line electrified.