High speed train in Taïwan /1 – Overview

Passenger train services • Main line services / Ticketing • High speed Rail • Taïwan

Summary: Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) is a high-speed rail line running 350 km along Taiwan’s west coast, linking Taipei to Kaohsiung. Operated by Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC), the system uses Japan’s Shinkansen technology and began service in January 2007, with trains reaching speeds up to 300 km/h and completing the full route in under two hours. Initially built under a build-operate-transfer (BOT) model, the project cost NT$513.3 billion. Early ridership was lower than expected, prompting government intervention, including refinancing and extending THSRC’s concession to 70 years. By 2016, the system had carried over 400 million passengers. THSR was developed in response to severe traffic congestion in western Taiwan, with planning beginning in the 1980s and construction starting in 1999. Though THSRC initially favored European technology, it switched to Japanese trains following financial and political pressures. The line now includes 12 stations, with three added in 2015.

➤ See also: High speed train in France – High speed train in Germany – High speed train in Italy – High speed in Japan – Economics

Note: For educational purpose only. This page is meant purely as a documentation tool and has no legal effect. It is not a substitute for the official page of the operating company, manufacturer or official institutions. It cannot be used for staff training, which is the responsibility of approved institutions and companies.

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Key Summary

Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) is a 350 km high-speed line running along Taiwan’s west coast, connecting Taipei in the north to Kaohsiung in the south. Operated by the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC), the system opened in 2007 with trains reaching speeds up to 300 km/h, reducing travel time to as little as 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Originally conceived in the 1970s to ease congestion in the western corridor, formal planning began in the 1980s. A feasibility study in 1990 confirmed the benefits of high-speed rail. In 1998, a build-operate-transfer (BOT) agreement was signed with THSRC, a private consortium. Though initially based on European technology, the system adopted Japan’s Shinkansen design following financing incentives and safety concerns.

Caracteristics

Infrastructure managers: Taiwan High Speed Rail
Main HS operators: Taiwan High Speed Rail
First services: 2007
Lenght of network : ca 350km (with reference to lines with ≥ 250 km/h speed, 25kV supply)

Construction began in 1999, with full operations starting in 2007. Despite early financial challenges and ridership below forecasts, passenger numbers grew steadily. Government intervention in 2009 helped stabilize the project through financial restructuring and increased investment. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications recently released new statistics showing a record-breaking 78,254,830 passengers in 2024.

Definition of High Speed Train
The definition of a high-speed train varies by region, but generally, it refers to trains that operate at speeds of at least 250 km/h (155 mph) on newly built lines and 200 km/h (124 mph) on upgraded lines. In Europe, for example, the UIC (International Union of Railways) considers a commercial speed of 250 km/h as the principal criterion for high-speed rail. In the United States, the definition can include trains operating at speeds ranging from 180 km/h (110 mph) to 240 km/h (150 mph).

➤ See the UIC definition

Network expansion

Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) began service in January 2007 — specifically on January 5, with limited service between Banqiao and Zuoying stations.
Full service from Taipei to Kaohsiung (Nangang to Zuoying) started a few months later, in May 2007.

National rolling stock (past and present)

700T series
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Hitachi Rail, Nippon Sharyo…
2007 – …

The THSR 700T is based primarily on the 700 Series EMU designed in Japan. 34 sets were built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Hitachi Rail and Nippon Sharyo. 700T trainset is made of 4-car sub-sets, each with three motor cars and one trailer.