Comments on: HSR from Taichung to Taipei http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/ commentary on all things Taiwanese -- Taichung, Taiwan Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:46:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kaminoge http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/comment-page-1/#comment-83329 Kaminoge Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:24:53 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/#comment-83329 According to an article in the Daily Yomiuri, only about 55,000 to 60,000 passengers a day are riding Taiwan's shinkansen, which is half the number needed for THSR to make a profit. Stations in places like Miaoli or Yunlin could help in developing rural areas. On the other hand, they could also serve to pull more young people into the big cities like Taipei and Kaohsiung, where jobs are more plentiful. According to an article in the Daily Yomiuri, only about 55,000 to 60,000 passengers a day are riding Taiwan’s shinkansen, which is half the number needed for THSR to make a profit.

Stations in places like Miaoli or Yunlin could help in developing rural areas. On the other hand, they could also serve to pull more young people into the big cities like Taipei and Kaohsiung, where jobs are more plentiful.

]]> By: TheNHBushman.com | Bushman’s Picks, January 6, 2008 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/comment-page-1/#comment-83281 TheNHBushman.com | Bushman’s Picks, January 6, 2008 Sun, 06 Jan 2008 10:02:06 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/#comment-83281 [...] Reid takes a ride on the Taiwan High Speed Rail, further than he has gone in the past. His photos reveal that the trains are pretty clean, but seem [...] [...] Reid takes a ride on the Taiwan High Speed Rail, further than he has gone in the past. His photos reveal that the trains are pretty clean, but seem [...]

]]> By: range http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/comment-page-1/#comment-83280 range Sun, 06 Jan 2008 05:19:08 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/#comment-83280 I like the HSR as well, but I haven't taken it that much in the last year. I love the stations though, they are really nice and impressive. I like the picture with the cabs. That's a lot of cabs! I like the HSR as well, but I haven’t taken it that much in the last year. I love the stations though, they are really nice and impressive.

I like the picture with the cabs. That’s a lot of cabs!

]]> By: Benjamin Thompson http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/comment-page-1/#comment-83263 Benjamin Thompson Sat, 05 Jan 2008 15:13:12 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/#comment-83263 LOL - I have no idea what I was thinking about. Of course you're right... LOL – I have no idea what I was thinking about. Of course you’re right…

]]> By: cfimages http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/comment-page-1/#comment-83247 cfimages Sat, 05 Jan 2008 00:39:29 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/#comment-83247 I'm a huge fan of HSR, maybe because I live 10 mins from Taizhong HSR station. I rarely take TRA trains anymore, except for short trips. A friend of mine lives near the Zouying station and has seen the value of his apartment go up 20% in the past year since the HSR opened. At Taizhong, there is now a free shuttle bus from the station to the SOGO area (which seems to be the new downtown). It's pretty much a straight run up Wenxin Rd, and I'd guess takes the same time to get to SOGO from the HSR as it does from the TRA. I’m a huge fan of HSR, maybe because I live 10 mins from Taizhong HSR station. I rarely take TRA trains anymore, except for short trips.

A friend of mine lives near the Zouying station and has seen the value of his apartment go up 20% in the past year since the HSR opened.

At Taizhong, there is now a free shuttle bus from the station to the SOGO area (which seems to be the new downtown). It’s pretty much a straight run up Wenxin Rd, and I’d guess takes the same time to get to SOGO from the HSR as it does from the TRA.

]]> By: David Reid http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/comment-page-1/#comment-83246 David Reid Sat, 05 Jan 2008 00:01:41 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/#comment-83246 Benjamin, I think your population figures are a bit high. It is around 2.6 million for Taipei City and 3.7 million for Taipei County. Benjamin, I think your population figures are a bit high. It is around 2.6 million for Taipei City and 3.7 million for Taipei County.

]]> By: Prince Roy http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/comment-page-1/#comment-83244 Prince Roy Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:14:03 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/#comment-83244 not that I'm in such a hurry, just that it is anticlimactic and pointless to have a stop a mere 8 minutes from where the line begins/ends. If you factor in the braking of the train into Banqiao with the 2 and a half minute stop, I think it just makes more sense to eliminate it -better off just going full steam ahead. Maybe Banqiao serves a large population, but I've taken the HSR several times, and I've seen very few people get on and off there. I've looked at maps of the anticipated orbital line, and again, there is easy access to Taipei Main Station. I fail to see the logic behind this stop for an HSR system. Do Miaoli or Yunlin deserve stops? If they would only be on a 'non-express' kind of HSR, then perhaps yes, because the first lies almost halfway between Taipei and Taichung, the second between Taichung and Chiayi. In any event, they make way more sense than the Banqiao stop. I would hope most trains, though, are expresses to/from Gaoxiong, Tainan, Chiayi, Taichung, Xinzhu and Taipei. And as far as the Gaoxiong HSR goes, they just should've put the station there from the get go and concentrated on an MRT extension to Zuoying, especially since the HSR is eventually going to wind up at Gaoxiong Main Station anyway. not that I’m in such a hurry, just that it is anticlimactic and pointless to have a stop a mere 8 minutes from where the line begins/ends. If you factor in the braking of the train into Banqiao with the 2 and a half minute stop, I think it just makes more sense to eliminate it -better off just going full steam ahead. Maybe Banqiao serves a large population, but I’ve taken the HSR several times, and I’ve seen very few people get on and off there.

I’ve looked at maps of the anticipated orbital line, and again, there is easy access to Taipei Main Station. I fail to see the logic behind this stop for an HSR system.

Do Miaoli or Yunlin deserve stops? If they would only be on a ‘non-express’ kind of HSR, then perhaps yes, because the first lies almost halfway between Taipei and Taichung, the second between Taichung and Chiayi. In any event, they make way more sense than the Banqiao stop. I would hope most trains, though, are expresses to/from Gaoxiong, Tainan, Chiayi, Taichung, Xinzhu and Taipei.

And as far as the Gaoxiong HSR goes, they just should’ve put the station there from the get go and concentrated on an MRT extension to Zuoying, especially since the HSR is eventually going to wind up at Gaoxiong Main Station anyway.

]]> By: David Reid http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/comment-page-1/#comment-83243 David Reid Fri, 04 Jan 2008 09:07:04 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/#comment-83243 Like I said the Banqiao Station serves a very large population. In the future when the MRT orbital line is complete it will be an even more important transportation hub for the Greater Taipei area. The total time for the stop would be around two minutes anyway. Are you really in that much of a hurry? You should worry yourself more about the future stations in Miaoli or Yunlin. Are they necessary? Perhaps not, but I think they are important to ensure that the rural areas of Taiwan don't get left behind with development becoming ever more concentrated in just a few major centres. They do have plans to build a HSR Station in Kaohsiung. Zuoying will very soon have the MRT which will make it much more convenient to connect to Kaohsiung anyway. Like I said the Banqiao Station serves a very large population. In the future when the MRT orbital line is complete it will be an even more important transportation hub for the Greater Taipei area.

The total time for the stop would be around two minutes anyway. Are you really in that much of a hurry?

You should worry yourself more about the future stations in Miaoli or Yunlin. Are they necessary? Perhaps not, but I think they are important to ensure that the rural areas of Taiwan don’t get left behind with development becoming ever more concentrated in just a few major centres.

They do have plans to build a HSR Station in Kaohsiung. Zuoying will very soon have the MRT which will make it much more convenient to connect to Kaohsiung anyway.

]]> By: Joanna http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/comment-page-1/#comment-83241 Joanna Fri, 04 Jan 2008 06:53:10 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/#comment-83241 I love high speed rail. Yes it is a bit inconvenient that the stations are out in the boonies and you do have to pay a high cab fare to get anywhere. However, the architecture of the buildings and convenience of HSR makes up for the out of the way location. David your photos are fantastic! I love high speed rail. Yes it is a bit inconvenient that the stations are out in the boonies and you do have to pay a high cab fare to get anywhere. However, the architecture of the buildings and convenience of HSR makes up for the out of the way location. David your photos are fantastic!

]]> By: Benjamin Thompson http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/comment-page-1/#comment-83238 Benjamin Thompson Fri, 04 Jan 2008 06:29:38 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2008/01/high-speed-taichung-taipei/#comment-83238 Or, you could just as easily argue that people in Taipei could take the MRT to Banciao. Seeing as how 5 million live in Taipei, and 7 million in Taipei County, I think it makes great sense to have both stops. Moreover, I doubt the underground portion allows high speeds, so it's not adding that much time. Or, you could just as easily argue that people in Taipei could take the MRT to Banciao. Seeing as how 5 million live in Taipei, and 7 million in Taipei County, I think it makes great sense to have both stops. Moreover, I doubt the underground portion allows high speeds, so it’s not adding that much time.

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