Publication Agency: Public Transportation and Rapid Transit System of Taichung City / Telephone Number: 04-22289111 Extension: 61145 / Publication Date: 2023-03-15
The Executive Yuan, at the Cabinet meeting, has approved a proposal from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), the Central Government’s Promotion of Public Transportation Utilization Plan. Taichung City will launch a new and improved preferential plan for city residents and offer a Monthly Transit Pass at only NTD 299 per person. The plan was announced by Mayor Shiow-Yen Lu on March 15th. In addition to the originally announced MRT, urban buses, and public bicycles, this plan now includes “Taiwan Railway", making it the cheapest across the country. Mayor Lu expressed her gratitude to the Central Government for listening to local voices. The Monthly Transit Passes to travel across Taichung at NTD 299 and across Taichung, Changhua, Nantou and Miaoli (The Little League) at NTD 699 are only available to Taichung residents and offer the lowest prices in Taiwan. In the originally announced NTD 299 plan, the Central Government did not include Taiwan Railway in the scope. At yesterday’s City Council Meeting, she emphasized that she will make every effort to include Taiwan Railway in this plan, and will never let Taichung citizens suffer a loss so that they could enjoy the cheapest plan in Taiwan. Mayor Lu indicated that, considering the fact that some citizens commute to school and work in the City by train, such as from Dajia and Chingshui to the City area, or from Tantsu to Beitun and South District, etc., whether the NTD 299 plan covers the Taiwan Railway is significantly affected by the subsidies from the Central Government. After the city government expressed its hope to include the Taiwan Railway in the plan yesterday, the MOTC showed its sincerity. Minister Kwo-Tsai Wang personally called her and expressed his goodwill, promising that the Central Government will provide 90% of the intercity subsidies, which is also applicable to the basic monthly pass plan in the city area. This means that the NTD 299 plan will cover the Taiwan Railway. Mayor Lu thanked the Central Government for listening and proactively responding to local voices. This decision will greatly reduce the financial burden on the local government. Mayor Lu said that, since this policy involves updating the credit card equipment of Taiwan Railways, it would be challenging if any city or county takes the lead. Taichung City will also remind the Central Government of this matter and believes that the Central Government will plan to implement this proposal synchronously. Chao-Fu Yeh, Director-General of the Transportation Bureau, added that, Taichung residents’ Monthly Transit Pass plans for Taichung, Changhua, Nantou and Miaoli, i.e. the Little League, are NTD 299 and NTD 699 per month respectively, which are the cheapest in Taiwan. For non-Taichung citizens, the plans for Taichung and for the Little League are NTD 599 and NTD 999 respectively. Today, Mayor Lu, City Councilor Chien-Hao Huang, Director General Chao-Fu Yeh, and Chaoshin Chen, Director General of the Information Bureau, jointly announced the policies on commuter monthly passes.