High-speed Rail in Taiwan

High-speed Rail In Taiwan

Taiwan High Speed Rail (abbreviated THSR or HSR) is a high-speed rail line that runs approximately 345 km (214 mi) along the west coast of the Taiwan, from the national capital of Taipei to the southern city of Kaohsiung. With construction managed by a private company, Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC), which also operates the line, the total cost of the project was US$18 billion. At the time it was built this was one of the world's largest privately funded rail construction schemes. The line runs on viaducts(73%) or through tunnels(18%) for most of its length, most of the civil work constructed by Taiwanese internal construction companies.The system and train with technology based mainly on Japan's Shinkansen.

The line opened for service on January 5, 2007, using trains with a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph), which offer journey times from Taipei to Zuoyingin as short as 96 minutes, cover almost 90% of population and make Taiwan into a new stage of “one-day peripheral circle”. Compare with traditional train or internal plane, high speed rail has its advantages of more faster, convenient, low-price and environmental friendly. Most intermediate stations on the line lie outside the cities served, however, a variety of transfer options, such as free shuttle bus, train and metro are offered to meet the needs of different passengers, to make the journey much easier from the outset.

Ridership initially fell short of forecasts, but grew from fewer than 40,000 passengers a day in the first few months. Nowadays, the system average carrying over 121000 passangers per-day, and has carried its first 100 million passangers in August of 2010 and over 200 million passengers taken this system on 17-12-2012 since it opened for service.

In the initial years of operation, THSRC accumulated debt due to high depreciation charges and interest, which originated in the financial structure set up for this private company can operate the line just 35 years (or actualy 26.5 years ). In 2009, THSRC negotiated with goverment to change the method of dipreciation form depend on concession right to ridership. It can more reasonable to exhibit the real value of THSRC's asset. At the same time, government also help refinancing THSRC's loans, that assist the company can continuity provied well service for the public. The present chairman of the board and CEO of the company is civil engineer Dr. Chin-der Ou.