TRA's New Ticketing Rules Go Live Across Taiwan Today! Major Changes to Boarding Regulations and Latest Booking Rules Explained

With summer domestic travel and返乡 passenger traffic surging, travelers taking the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) are urged to pay close attention to new riding regulations. To cope with the summer travel peak and maintain carriage order, TRA has announced a 'total volume control' measure for the EMU3000 New Tze-Chiang Express on the Western Trunk Line, effective from August 1 to August 31.

During this period, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in August, the EMU3000 model will suspend the sale of unreserved seats and operate entirely as 'reserved seating only' to prevent overcrowding from standing passengers.

Travelers without advance bookings but with urgent travel needs—what should they do? TRA states that on-site contingency plans will be available. On the day of travel, passengers can purchase a limited number of 'standing tickets' at ticket counters or automated machines at all stations across Taiwan. Only 200 standing tickets per train will be released, on a first-come, first-served basis until sold out.

Importantly, these limited standing tickets are not available via online reservation or the TRA mobile app—purchase is strictly on-site only. Standing ticket holders also face clear movement restrictions:

- Permitted standing cars: Cars 1–5 and 7–12 (standard cars) - Strictly prohibited: Car 6, the 'Tengyun Business Cabin'

As the 'Tengyun Business Cabin' is a premium business-class space offering exclusive gourmet meals and spacious seating, TRA has barred all standing ticket holders, TR-PASS users, and Joint-Pass holders from entering or standing in this car to protect the experience of paying passengers. Violators will be dealt with by train conductors according to regulations.

TRA's new policy. (Image: Taiwan Railway Corporation, Ltd.)

Strict Ban on EasyCard, iPass, and TPASS—Violators Face 50% Penalty on Full Fare

TRA emphasizes that the EMU3000 New Tze-Chiang Express, like the Puyuma and Taroko Express, does not accept electronic fare cards. This includes EasyCard, iPass, and the widely used 'TPASS Administrative Commuter Pass,' which cannot be used for direct gate entry.

Passengers who mistakenly or intentionally swipe in will, upon inspection by train staff, be required to pay the full fare on the spot plus an additional 50% penalty as a breach-of-contract fee. For example, a 200 NTD fare would require a total payment of 300 NTD upon ticket inspection. TRA advises passengers wishing to use TPASS or electronic tickets to take local trains, express local trains,莒光号, or PP Push-Pull Tze-Chiang trains to avoid unexpected expenses.

Scope of Impact: Limited to Weekend Services on the Western Trunk Line

This August policy is not implemented across all trains nationwide. The following table summarizes affected services:

- Route: Western Trunk Line (affected) / Eastern Trunk Line (Hualien, Taitung) (unaffected) - Train Type: EMU3000 New Tze-Chiang Express (affected) / Local, Chu-Kuang, PP Tze-Chiang, Puyuma, Taroko (unaffected) - Dates: Every Friday, Saturday, Sunday in August (affected) / Weekdays (Monday–Thursday) (unaffected)

TRA stresses that this measure aims to prevent overcrowding during peak summer periods, ensuring operational safety and service quality. The policy is currently a trial set to end on August 31. Whether reserved seating will continue or revert to unreserved seating in September will be announced after evaluating August's operational data and effectiveness.