Recently, I accompanied my husband on a trip to Taiwan. Upon arrival at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, we took a shuttle bus to the High Speed Rail (HSR) at Taoyuan station (高鐵桃園站). It was only 20 minutes by bus.
It was a cool day with temperature around 15 degree Celsius, a great difference from our hot and humid weather in Singapore. Love the cool weather!
With the Taiwan High Speed Rail (HSR) system, Taiwan’s public transportation system has taken a leap forward. It tremendously shortened the travel time between various cities and regions. Tickets can be purchased online or via a phone voice system. For more info, visit the THSR website - http://www.thsrc.com.tw/en/
The bullet train was travelling at a speed around 300km/h. Kaohsiung is 345km (220 mile) from Taipei. We reached Kaohsiung in an hour plus. The HSR is amazingly fast, affordable and comfortable.
Passing towns and cities as we travel 345km (220 mile) on the high-speed line between Taipei and Kaohsiung.
Kaohsiung city, its amazingly clean and the roads have lesser traffic compared to Taipei. The weather's warmer in Kaohsiung though.
Time to look for food!!! :D
Taiwan's bullet trains have similar service just like Japan's, looks like. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Lina,
ReplyDeleteYou are right. Japanese technology was chosen, using Kawasaki's 700 series Shinkansen trains as a model. The finished product has been classified 700T and the first train was completed in January 2004. A formal handover ceremony took place at Kawasaki's Hyogo works.
The 700T has been co-developed by Central Japan and West Japan Railway Companies and modified to suit the topography of the high speed line. In comparison to Japan's 700 series trains the 700T has a higher maximum speed (300km/h compared to 285km/h of the Japanese operated trains) and an exterior designed to withstand Taiwan's hotter climate.
A total of 30 new trains have been built to serve the Taipei-Kaohsiung line, with 12 coaches capable of carrying 989 passengers in business and standard classes. Business cars have 2+2 seating whilst standard cars have a 3+2 layout. The new fleet cost NT$100bn to build. The performance equipment has been designed to support the most intensive operational requirements as the line's traffic grows up to 2033.
The Eurostar connecting France to London also does 300 km/h ! So I am quicker from Brussels to London (1 h 45 min) than from one end of Brussels to the other ! which would certainly take me 2 or more h ! World shrinks !
ReplyDeleteGattina,
ReplyDeleteThat's cool! Hope to ride the Eurostar soon and probably meet up with you. ;)
The world has indeed shrank, it is so convenient to get from one place to another without tiring ourselves out.
I hv taken the eurostar from Brussel to London but not the one in taiwan.
ReplyDeleteSuch fancy trains. Did you buy any yummy snacks? I enjoyed the warmer weather in Kaohsiung compared to Taipei. Everything in Taiwan seems pretty inexpensive compared to the U.S. anyways.
ReplyDelete