Taiwan Railway to Offer Student Discount Tickets from August

Taiwan's railway operator is set to launch a "university student discount ticket" program in August, following advocacy from legislators Chen Ying and Chuang Jui-hsiung. The announcement came in July after months of discussions with the railway administration.

Legislators had received complaints from students, particularly those from Taitung studying in other counties, about the high cost of inter-city travel. They highlighted that while high-speed rail offers student discounts, students traveling between eastern and western Taiwan primarily depend on traditional rail services, which are more expensive.

"This discount policy can directly reduce the economic burden of university students studying away from home," Chen Ying stated. She emphasized that for students commuting between eastern and western Taiwan, the new discount will significantly lower transportation costs. One student from Taitung, who studies in Taichung, shared that they currently use a combination of discounted high-speed rail and traditional rail to save money, and the new policy would allow for more direct and cost-effective travel.

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This discount policy can directly reduce the economic burden of university students studying away from home.

Chuang Jui-hsiung added that for students in Pingtung and eastern Taiwan, traditional rail is often the only option. He argued that the current fare structure is unfair, as western students' discounted high-speed rail fares can be cheaper than the equivalent traditional rail journey. "We are jointly striving for this railway student discount to break this sense of double deprivation and reduce the economic burden of cross-county studies," he said.

Chen Ying also indicated plans to advocate for "early bird" discounts for all age groups in the future to further reduce travel costs. She welcomed young people to study and live in Taitung, expressing hope they would remain in the region after graduation.

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We are jointly striving for this railway student discount to break this sense of double deprivation and reduce the economic burden of cross-county studies.