Taiwan Railways Administration
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 over 1000 km of conventional railroad lines in Taiwan. 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 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 (orginally considered unnessicary 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 and Service
There are four main rail lines forming a closed loop around the main island of Taiwan, and three smaller branch lines.
Main Lines
- 西部幹線 (Western Line): Keelung to Kaohsiung
- 南迴線 (Southern Line): Kaohsiung to T'ai-tung
- 東部幹線 (Eastern Line): T'ai-tung to I-lan
- 北迴線 (Northern Line): I-lan to Keelung
Branch Lines
- 內灣線 (Nei-wan Line)
- 平溪線 (Ping-hsi Line)
- 集集線 (Chii-chii Line)
A third narrow gauge railway originally built for logging but since converted to haul tourists, the Alishan Forest Railway (阿里山森林鐵路), is not under the jurisdiction of TRA.
Trains are divided into five classes, higher classes generally stop at fewer stations making for faster service. The classes are:
- 自強 (Tze-Chiang): The fastest (and most expensive). Assigned seating.
- 莒光 (Chu-Kuang): Second fastest. Assigned seating.
- 復興 (Fu-Hsing): Third fastest. Assigned seating.
- 電車 (EMU): Short to medium distance commuter train, stops at nearly all stations. No assigned seating.
- 普通 (Ordinary): Stops at all stations, no air conditioning, most inexpensive. No assigned seating.
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 governer Liu Min-Chuan
- 1891: First rail line completed.
- 1894: Taiwan ceeded to Japan by China following the end of the Sino-Japanese War. Ministry of Taiwan Railway established by the Japanese.
- 1894-1926: The Japanese colonial government extands the railways to Kaohsiung and P'ing-tung in the south, and Su-ao on the east coast.
- 1940-1945: The railways are repeatedly bombed by the Allies during World War II.
- 1945-1949: Taiwan is handed over to the ROC, Taiwan Railway Administration established.
- 1979: Western Line fully electrified. Northern line completed.
- 1989: Rail lines running through downtown Taipei moved underground. New Taipei Main Station completed.
- 1991: Southern Line completed, completing the rail loop around Taiwan.
- 1997: Online reservations become avaliable.
- 2001: Various special trains targeting tourists are offered.