Operating Base and Services
The THSRC began its operation in 2007, with Taiwan as an important operating base, and is headquartered in Nangang District, Taipei City. The total length of the THSR operating route is 350 kilometers, passing through 11 counties and cities in the west and 76 townships.
Note: The function of depots is different from that of stations, and it includes main workshop, marshalling yard, civil engineering base and electrical engineering base, and maintenance base. At present, the maintenance depots in service include Liujia/Hsinchu, Wuri/Taichung, Taibao/Chiayi, Zuoying/Kaohsiung, and Yanchao Main Workshop/Kaohsiung; while Xizhi Depot is currently being planned.
Business Scope of THSRC
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| High Speed Rail Passenger Services | Fast, convenient and comfortable rail transport services, while offering different types of train services, including direct train, semi-direct train, and stopping train to meet passengers' needs. |
| Operation of Relevant Affiliated Services | Retail spaces leasing (e.g., convenience stores, food and beverage, and service counters), parking lots at stations, advertising sales (e.g., lightboxes, column spaces, wall spaces, product displays, and train decorations), retail, trolley sales, and others. |
THSRC's upstream industries mainly provide train carriages, construction services, and manufacturers and maintenance industries for track-related service facilities and equipment. Midstream industries include the power supply industry, transport support related to train preparation, and operators related to the provision of transfer services, including the parking lot management industry, the freeway bus industry, the car rental industry, and the taxi industry. Downstream are passengers taking the THSR, or travel agencies that cooperate with the THSRC.
Ticketing Services
Multiple Ticketing Channels
Passenger Services
Strengthening Customer Relationships with Optimized Experience
THSRC launched the individual membership mechanism “TGo membership program” in October 2017, enabling customers to purchase tickets as THSRC members and accumulate points through consumption to redeem THSR tickets or enjoy discounts. To deepen customer loyalty and engagement, THSRC established the "TGo 365 point" redemption platform in July 2020, which combines external enterprises and shops in THSR stations. Nearly 300 merchandises allow consumers to redeem with credits, deepen the value of high-speed railway TGo members through cross-industry alliance benefits, and enhance the business opportunities of cooperative merchants. By the end of 2023, the "TGo Membership Program" has accumulated more than 2.418 million members, which is an 19.9% increase over the previous year, and the "TGo 365 point" redemption platform has created nearly 500,000 merchandises redeemed in 2023, which is beloved by members.
In addition to continuously optimizing the membership mechanism, THSRC has also improved the convenience of ticketing services through multiple ticketing channels. The TGo Member ID real-time verification mechanism, which was launched in 2020, improves the accuracy of members' ticket purchases in each booking system ─ including ticketing windows, ticket vending machines, websites, convenience stores, smartphones, and other channels. From August 2022, TGo members can directly select the "credit discounted fare" service when purchasing tickets offsite channels. By the end of 2023, in addition to the existing ID card number or membership card number, a new verified mobile phone number will be added to the relevant channels to enhance the convenience of ticketing services. Furthermore, we have optimized the T Express App mobile ticketing application to continuously improve the utilization rate of mobile channels and the quality of mobile ticketing services. In addition to the TGo members who can enjoy preferential discounts to buy tickets, we have added the "T Express Booking Chatbot" service and credit card binding and other functions, hoping to fit to the operation habits and needs of passengers. At present, T Express App has become one of the main channels for passengers to buy THSR tickets. In 2023, more than 21.07 million mobile tickets were issued.
Innovative, Digital, and Real-time Communication
THSRC is committed to developing a multi-faceted information platform to broadcast public information related to transportation and promotional videos instantly, and assists passengers in accessing real-time information related to train schedule. To interact with customers and get real-time feedback and suggestions, THSRC provides information regarding the latest product and service through its Facebook fan page. The THSRC's Facebook Fan Page garnered 440,000 fans cumulatively in 2023, and the posts on THSRC's Facebook Page reached more than 6.39 million throughout the year. Advertising activities were also effective in raising brand awareness, for example, the 2023 Travel Revitalization Project reached more than 26 million people, the Spring Travel Promotion Project reached more than 14.5 million people, and the Online Travel Exhibition Project reached more than 9.23 million people.
In addition to implementing the personalized mobile ticketing service "T Express App", THSRC is also creating a smarter travel service by emphasizing the multi-functional travel service "THSR App". "THSR App" creates a real-time communication system for consumers to provide customers with more comprehensive digital services member information, itineraries and offers to customers in real time. By 2023, the "T Express App" has accumulated more than 14.99 million downloads and the mobile payment rate has reached 44.4%, both of which have increased significantly compared to 2022 increasing 1.95 million downloads, demonstrating the digitalization results of the high-speed railway; in addition, the "THSR App" has accumulated more than 1.51 million downloads.
Enjoy a Local Travel
In line with the recovery of domestic tourism industry after the pandemic, the "Be There, NOW," a brand promotion activities which encourage tourist to take the THSR, regain the touch of real contact, launched in June 2023 including "Cool Summer Fun in Taipei and Kaohsiung", "The Refreshing Summer Delight", "Discovered the Sun Moon Lake", and other projects, and continue to cooperate with the hotel and tourism industry to launch many value-added tourism projects, including "THSRC with Free Hotel," "THSRC with Free Admission Tickets", "THSRC with Free Car Rental". In collaboration with the Tourism Administration, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Ministry of Transport has launched the "Overseas Visitors Ride High-Speed Rail in Taiwan: Buy One, Get One Free!" to promote and activate the tourism benefits of cities along the central and southern high-speed rail routes. Therefore, THSRC has recorded an annual tourist number of 4.025 million in 2023. Compared to 2022, the growth rate is as high as 38%.
In addition, THSRC has led tourists to respond to the sustainable policy through sustainable tourism projects, stimulating and driving tourism business opportunities. In January 2023, the THSRC " High-Speed Rail and Hotel Combo Ticket " launched the "Environmental Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Promotion" project, encouraging passengers to take THSR, a low-carbon and environmentally friendly green transportation, to reduce the use of disposable amenities for accommodation, and to provide discounts for additional THSR's tickets, so as to contribute to the earth.
In future, THSRC will continue to launch diverse projects to meet the tourism needs, and work together with the tourism industry to meet the diverse needs of tourists, and hope that the number of tourists will reach new achievements in 2024.
THSRC will participate in the Taipei International Travel Expo in 2023 to promote the "Journey with THSR, Discover Taiwan" series of travel itineraries, using colorful flower imagery to continue the theme of "Flower viewing" on the themed train, and the small animals of Kanahra will be transformed into various Q versions of THSR staffs to accompany the public to take photos and check in. In response to the Company's corporate philosophy of "sustainable transportation", the materials used in this booth adopt a universal design that can be reused in different exhibitions, so that the panels can be reused in the next exhibition after dismantling, so as to achieve the purpose of recycling, and this time we also won the "Best Pavilion Award" by the organizer again.
Traffic Dispersion and Transfer Services
Traffic Dispersion Measures
THSRC adopts rigorous internal procedures to draw up dispersion plans and submit them to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) for review before execution. At present, a total of 34 groups of trains are available to provide service, and the planning of the train schedule takes into account the needs of each time period, the expected occupancy rate, and the available fleet resources, and carries out shift planning to maximize the transport energy of the train and meet the travel needs of the public.
| Period of Occurrence | Traffic Dispersion Scheduling Measures | |
|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | (Monday to Thursday) | Temporarily increase the number of trains according to the number of passengers on the current day. |
| Peak Weekend Periods | (Friday to Sunday) | Move certain maintenance operations to weekdays to increase the number of usable trains during holidays. Temporarily increase the number of trains on the current day according to the number of passengers on the current day during the peak weekend period. |
| During Long Holidays | (e.g., Lunar New Year, Tomb-Sweeping Day, etc.) |
Control maintenance operations and provide maximum ridership to meet transportation demand In order to disperse large numbers of passengers, temporarily increase the number of trains according to passenger demand on the current day during the traffic dispersion period for long holidays. |
Overall HSR transport volume increases in 2023. Therefore, THSRC has increased the total travel services per week from 1,016 to 1,025 travel services since 1st July, and further increase to 1,039 travel services per week from 16 October. In response to travel demand, short-term additional travel services have be added during middle-end August, and from November to December to expand HSR service capacity.
Transfer Services
THSRC offers transfer or shuttle services in collaboration with various modes of public transportation at various operating locations, including shuttle bus, Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA), Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), public bus/express bus, taxis, parking lots, car leases, as well as pick-up and drop-off services for the physically challenged passengers. Moreover, THSRC has prepared transfer maps and established a transfer information system for passengers to consult, while providing transfer information at each HSR station on its corporate website and THSRC APP.
Transportation Inclusion
In order to provide a friendly and inclusive accessible ride environment for all passengers while actively responding to the Sustainable Development Goals simultaneously, SDG 9 of “building affordable, safe, eco-friendly, resilient, and sustainable transportation”, THSRC has installed reminder signs at multiple locations in the stations to guide the elderly, wheelchair-bound, physically challenged passengers, and those with large luggage or strollers. Through sound and complete station/train services and facility planning, every passenger will be able to have a pleasant travel experience. Relevant services and facilities are as follows:
