TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Minister of Transportation and Communications Li Men-yen (李孟諺) announced Tuesday (July 30) that Taiwan Railway (台鐵公司) will submit a fare increase proposal to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC, 交通部) by the end of September. This move aims to address the 29-year gap since the last fare adjustment.
Li noted that Taiwan Railway fares are cheaper than buses and the MRT for similar distances. He emphasized that the fare adjustment plan will consider factors such as commodity prices, inflation, and the economic environment before determining the adjustment method and scale.
After submission to the MOTC, the proposal will need approval from Taiwan Railway's board of directors. It will then go to the MOTC's fare review committee and the Executive Yuan (行政院) for a final decision. Li stated that the government would step in if the ticket price couldn't cover the costs because of collaboration with a specific policy, according to Taiwan Railway's corporatization regulations.