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: Depots have different functions from stations and can be subdivided into 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 space leasing (e.g., convenience stores, food and beverage, and service counters), parking lots at stations, advertising sales (e.g., lightboxes, column space, wall space, 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 industries comprise THSRC passengers or travel agencies, which provide T Holiday packages in collaboration with 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 2022, the "TGo Membership Program" will has accumulated more than 2.017 million members, which is an 18% increase over the previous year, and the "TGo 365" point redemption platform has created nearly 500,000 merchandises redeemed in 2022, 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; and from August 2022, customers can directly select the "credit discounted fare" service when purchasing tickets offsite channels. In addition, to continuously improve the utilization rate of mobile channels and the quality of mobile ticketing services, we have optimized the T Express mobile ticketing application. In addition to the TGo members who can enjoy preferential discounts for TGo members 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 has become one of the main channels for passengers to buy THSR tickets. In 2022, more than 15.96 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 420,000 fans cumulatively in 2022, and the posts on THSRC's Facebook Page reached more than 30 million throughout the year, with more than 930,000 interactions. Advertising activities were also effective in raising brand awareness, for example, the 2022 Travel Revitalization Project reached more than 4.9 million people, the Spring Travel Promotion Project reached more than 1.8 million people, and the Online Travel Exhibition Project reached more than 2 million people.
In addition to implementing the personalized mobile ticketing service "T-EX 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 member information, itineraries and offers to customers in real time. By 2022, the "T-EX App" has accumulated more than 13.04 million downloads and the mobile payment rate has reached 43.6%, both of which have increased significantly compared to last year, demonstrating the digitalization results of the high-speed railway; in addition, the "THSR App" has accumulated more than 1.38 million downloads.
Customer Affirmation
In 2022, pandemic has been gradually eased and the domestic tourism industry continued to recover, THSRC transported 2.913 million people, increasing of 98% compared with 2021. To capitalize on this trend, THSRC launched the "Be There in Your Way" revitalizing plan from July to September 2022, offering a variety of interesting package itineraries. This project successfully created marketing topics and drove the trend of intercity tourism, attracting nearly 247,000 tourists and achieving an impressive rate of 113% in ticket sales. Looking ahead, THSRC plans to continue promoting diversified tourism products in the future, targeting more different demographics for mass marketing, introducing exclusive tourism products, and using brand advantages to develop new products. The company hopes to exceed 3.98 million passengers in high-speed rail tourism in 2023.
To promote the "Journey with THSR, Discover Taiwan" series of travel itineraries, THSRC participated in the 2022 Taipei International Travel Fair. The exhibition hall showcased the theme of "High speed slow living" and displayed the beautiful life brought by high-speed rail. The high-speed rail art installation "Treasure Island Walkman" was also featured, inviting attendees to experience an art feast on the move. This conveyed the brand spirit of "real contact" of THSRC. The President attended the opening of the THSRC in person, and the exhibition attracted many people and media attention. In the end, THSRC stood out from many pavilions and was awarded the "Best Pavilion Award" by the conference.
Smooth Travel in Adherence to Commitment
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 trainsets 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 | (Mondays to Thursdays) | Temporarily increase the number of trains according to the number of passengers on the current day. |
| Peak Weekend Periods | (Fridays to Sundays) | 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. |
The THSRC operations gradually emerged from the haze of the epidemic in 2022 and have resumed the pre-epidemic schedule since the beginning of January, providing 1,016 travel services per week to meet the gradually recovering travel demand. We also adjusted the schedule in response to the increased travel demand at the end of the year. From the middle of November to the end of December, 6 additional trains were available each weekend (2 south to south on Friday and 2 north to south on Sunday, excluding the weekend of the election), increasing the capacity of the service.
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.
In order to improve the emergency response efficiency of emergencies like the Southeast Cement Construction Accident in early April 2022 that resulted in the suspension of operations between Tainan Station and Zuoying Station, the THSRC took advantage of the post-shift period in late April to conduct the "Operation Change Passenger Shuttle Drill" at Tainan High-Speed Rail Station. They conducted daily staff training, strengthened coordination and cooperation with foreign relief agencies, improved the station's indirect barrier mechanism, provided passengers with fast and convenient shuttle services, and reduced the impact of operational changes on passengers.
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:
| Items | Services and Facility |
|---|---|
| Stations | In 2022, the station completed the installation of handrails in squat toilets, the improvement of barrier-free urinals and partitions, the adjustment of the location of barrier-free toilet facilities, the addition of movable barrier-free slope slabs in taxi passenger areas, and the improvement of barrier-free platforms in Tainan Station Bus Transit Station to provide a friendly ride environment. |
| Set up accessible ticket counters/ticket gates/toilets and elevators, and other service facilities, and call bells in the accessible restroom for assistance to passengers at any time. | |
| Specially prepared guidance services to assist elderly passengers traveling alone, wheelchair-bound passengers, or physically challenged passengers in entering and exiting the station. A total of 68,497 passengers received the guidance services in 2022. | |
| Trains | Car 7 is designed as an accessible car, and four seats are reserved for physically challenged passengers' companions to take care of the physically challenged passengers. The car seats and accessible restroom are equipped with call bells. The physically challenged passengers can use it to call the train crew for assistance when necessary, and there are also charging sockets for electric wheelchair charging. |
| There is a secure and private breastfeeding room at the entrance of car 5 of the THSR train. The train crew will also introduce the breastfeeding room equipment as per the passengers' needs to provide a warm and safe travel environment for mother and baby passengers. | |
| Large luggage storage areas are added in cars 3, 5, 9, and 11 for storage of luggage as well as folding wheelchairs, mobility aids, and strollers. | |
| There is a “seat map information system” at the train master compartment with a built-in reminder function for boarding guidance, reminding passengers with disabilities of the boarding section and the passenger assistance items (such as borrowing a wheelchair at the station). The prompt sound and reminder screen in the system will be turned on before passengers get on/off the train, so that the train crew can provide more complete and considerate services quickly and accurately. |
Internally, THSRC also arranges train guidance service courses for new station staff and train crew members to learn guidance operations for wheelchair-bound and visually impaired and other disadvantaged groups of passengers. In addition to arranging external lecturers to explain service skills, practical experience trainings are also arranged for colleagues to enable them to better understand the practical operation precautions and meet the needs of passengers.