TRA Announces Major New Policy! Nationwide 'Ticketing Rules Changed' Starting July 20 – Full Details on Latest Booking Schedule and Student Discounts

Students studying away from home now have great news! Previously, only Taiwan High-Speed Rail (THSR) offered long-term student-exclusive discounts, leaving students relying on Taiwan Railways (TRA) for commuting—especially those traveling between eastern Taiwan, Pingtung, and other regions—envious. After extensive coordination and advocacy, TRA has officially followed THSR’s model and introduced its first permanent 'Student Discount Ticket' program. The new policy opens for booking on July 20 and officially takes effect on August 17, offering a minimum 50% discount on reserved trains for journeys over 50 kilometers, substantially reducing transportation costs for young students commuting across counties or returning home. TRA Launches 'Student Discount Tickets'! Booking Opens July 20: Discounts from 50%, Eligible Programs, and Riding Rules Explained The 'Student Discount Ticket' is valid from August 17, 2026 (ROC Year 115) to August 16, 2027 (ROC Year 116), perfectly aligning with the start of the new academic semester at colleges and universities. To encourage early trip planning, TRA will implement a 'tiered discount, limited supply' system. Each train’s discounted seats are subject to a total cap. The applicable discount is automatically calculated based on booking time, and once the quota is full, tickets revert to full price: 50% off: Booked 14 days or more before the travel date. 70% off: Booked between 8 and 13 days before the travel date. 80% off: Booked within 7 days (inclusive) of the travel date. Eligible students can book and collect tickets through multiple channels, including TRA’s official website, the mobile app 'TRA-eOrder', four major convenience stores, station ticket counters, and automatic ticket machines. Master’s, PhD, and在职专班 Students Also Eligible! List of Eligible Programs and Excluded Services TRA clarifies that the discount applies to currently enrolled students at大专 institutions approved by the Ministry of Education. The eligible programs and student categories are extremely broad—anyone with valid proof of enrollment can enjoy the benefit: Eligible Programs: Five-year junior college, two-year junior college, two-year technical college, four-year technical college, university, master’s programs, and doctoral programs. Eligible Classes: Day, continuing education, evening, and在职专班 (in-service) students. Excluded Services: Tengyun Cabin (business class), non-reserved seats, standing tickets (no seat), and rail-highway combined tickets. This discount cannot be combined with any other TRA promotional offers. Must Carry Student ID When Riding! Fines for Fare Evasion Include 1.5x Fare and Ticket Refund Restrictions To ensure fair usage, TRA reminds passengers to carry their valid student ID or official proof of enrollment for inspection by train staff. If passengers cannot verify eligibility during inspection, they will be treated as 'riding without a ticket.' TRA will require them to pay the full fare plus an additional 50% penalty (i.e., 1.5 times the original fare), and the original discounted ticket cannot be refunded. Additionally, if a student wishes to refund a discounted ticket, the refund processing fee will still be calculated based on the 'full original fare' percentage. Students must pay close attention to these rules when purchasing and using tickets.