Taking the High-Speed Rail or the Train?

張貼日期：Oct 13, 2021 4:2:26 PM

Cindy Yan

With the advancement of technology, the commuting time is gradually shortening. In Taiwan, we have a variety of options for public transportation. Most people choose the Taiwan Railway (TRA) and the High-Speed Rail (HSR) to commute from or back to their hometown. I live in Kaohsiung and I’m studying in Taipeinow so I always need to take the TRA or the HSR to commute between these two places. I can choose to take either one based on the price, the travel time, and the environment of these two transportations means.

I believe that when most people are choosing which transportation to take, their first consideration is the price of the ticket. Take Kaohsiung to Taipei for example. It costs NT$1,500 to take the HSR, while the TRA costs only NT$800. Obviously, the price of taking the HSR is much higher than that of taking the TRA. In fact, exceptadult tickets, the HSR provide concession tickets for children, seniors, students and early bird passengers. I am a student so I’m eligible to buy student tickets which are only limited to certain periods, and tickets with 50% off, 25% off and 12% off are offered. In conclusion, it’s even cheaper than taking the TRA if I buy the 50% off HSR student ticket because the TRA doesn’t provide student tickets at all.

With different driving speeds and stopping stations, the driving time and punctuality of the HSR and the TRA are different. The HSR is a high-speed train with the speed up to 300 km/h and only stops at twelve stations. In comparison, the TRA is an ordinary train with slower speed and stop at many stations. Therefore, it only takes me one and a half hours on taking a HSR direct train, but it takes five hours to take the TRA from Kaohsiung to Taipei. I have taken these two transportations for many times; so far, I haven’t encountered any delay when taking the HSR, but almost every TRA has been delayed. Although I’m not sure the exact reason for the delay, it has seriously affected my subsequent transfers or other itineraries. Therefore, for someone in a hurry or business people, the High-Speed Rail will be their best choice.

Service quality and the environment are another consideration when making the choice between the two. The TRA is a traditional train so that the equipment is older and the services are very limited. By contrast, the HSR is a relatively new train; therefore, the quality of service is better and the carriage environment makes people feel comfortable. One thing about the TRA attracting me is that their seats are softer and more comfortable than those of the HSR.

All in all, both of these options have their own advantages. If we choose to save time then we will lose some money. On the other hand, if we save money then we will waste a lot of time. I consider that the TRA is suitable for short-distance commuters and the HSR is for long-distance passengers, including people like me who need to travel between Kaohsiung and Taipei a regular basis.