What does the train actually cost?
Every Taiwan High Speed Rail and regular rail fare on this site is checked against THSR's and TRA's published prices — including the early-bird discounts the official site doesn't exactly shout about. Pick a corridor and see both sides of the ledger:
Train fares — the full matrix
One-way, per adult, in NT$. Tap any row for the corridor page with times, early-bird tiers and booking rules. The THSR line runs 12 stations over ~350 km at up to 300 km/h.
| Corridor | THSR Standard | THSR Business | THSR Non-reserved | TRA 自強 | THSR time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taipei ⇄ Zuoying (Kaohsiung) | NT$1,490 | NT$2,440 | NT$1,445 | NT$975 | fastest ~96 min (gov figure) |
| Taipei ⇄ Taichung | NT$700 | NT$1,250 | NT$675 | NT$500 | fastest ~47 min (secondary source) |
| Taipei ⇄ Chiayi | NT$1,080 | NT$1,820 | NT$1,045 | NT$750 | observed all-stop 104 min (train 8815, Taipei 08:31 → Chiayi 10:15) |
| Taipei ⇄ Tainan | NT$1,350 | NT$2,230 | NT$1,305 | NT$891 | observed all-stop 122 min (train 8815, Taipei 08:31 → Tainan 10:33) |
| Taipei ⇄ Taoyuan | NT$160 | NT$440 | NT$155 | NT$99 | 19 min (Taoyuan city gov tourism site) |
| Banqiao ⇄ Zuoying (Kaohsiung) | NT$1,460 | NT$2,390 | NT$1,415 | To be confirmed · OPEN-1 | observed 126 min on all-stop 8813 (Banqiao 08:19 → Zuoying 10:25) |
HUB-2 (high) · HUB-3 (high) · HUB-4 (high) · HUB-6 (med) · HUB-7 (med) · HUB-8 (high)
TRA 自強 fares are quoted from major outlets citing the official TRA fare table (post-rise, effective 2025-06-23, +26.8% on average — the first rise in about 30 years). Non-reserved 自由座 runs ≈97% of the standard reserved fare; child/senior/disabled concessions are half price in every car class.
The early-bird trick — up to 35% off, built into THSR itself
THSR releases discounted seats on every train, in three cascading tiers. Book ahead on the routes above and the walk-up price is what only last-minute travellers pay. Sales end five days before travel (last day is T-5 inclusive), seats are limited per train and cascade to the next tier when sold out, and tickets are adult standard-class only, registered to a name.
Taipei → Kaohsiung (Zuoying) drops from NT$1,490 to NT$965. On the Taichung corridor (NT$700) it lands at NT$455 — under the TRA express.
The next pool of seats. Taipei → Zuoying becomes NT$1,190; Taipei → Tainan NT$1,080.
The last discounted seats, up to five days before departure — NT$1,340 on the flagship route. Still beats the walk-up price.
TZ-5 (high) · TC-4 (high) · TN-4 (high) · BK-3 (high) · BK-4 (high)
Early-bird tickets are sold only through the online booking system, the T Express app and convenience stores — not station windows or machines. Changes reprice at the full selling price, and the name on the ticket can't be changed.
Or skip per-ride fares entirely: the passes
Pays off with a single Taipei ⇄ Kaohsiung round trip plus one hop. Foreign passport holders only (ROC passports and ARCs are ineligible).
For an open-jaw trip: ride any two days within seven of activation.
A flat discount on standard-class one-way tickets for pass holders.
BK-11 (high)
THSR vs TRA — corridor verdicts
Same two train systems, different answers per corridor. Where the fact sheet doesn't yet support a comparison, we say so instead of filling the gap.
Verdict — Taipei ⇄ Zuoying (Kaohsiung)
- TRA 自強 (NT$975) is ≈35% cheaper than THSR standard (NT$1,490)
- THSR ~96 min vs TRA ≥3.5 h — the fast train wins the clock by hours
Verdict — Taipei ⇄ Taichung
- At standard fares TRA 自強 (NT$500) is NT$200 cheaper than THSR (NT$700)
- Book the 35% early-bird and THSR (NT$455) undercuts TRA (NT$500)
- THSR saves roughly an hour against the typical 自強 run
Verdict — Taipei ⇄ Chiayi
- TRA 自強 (NT$750) is NT$330 cheaper than THSR standard (NT$1,080)
Verdict — Taipei ⇄ Tainan
- TRA 自強 (NT$891) is NT$459 cheaper than THSR standard (NT$1,350)
Verdict — Taipei ⇄ Taoyuan
- TRA 自強 (NT$99) is NT$61 cheaper than THSR standard (NT$160)
Verdict — Banqiao ⇄ Zuoying (Kaohsiung)
- Head-to-head verdict pending — one side of this corridor is still unverified. To be confirmed · OPEN-1
X-1 (high) · X-2 (high) · TZ-9 (high) · TC-9 (high)
Booking windows at a glance
| System | Opens | Closes | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|
| THSR | 29 days before travel | 1 hour before departure | Friday/Saturday openings extend through Sunday |
| TRA | 28 days before travel | Same-day booking until 30 min before departure | Friday openings extend through Sunday; 9 tickets per ID per date (18 round trip) |
Full walkthroughs: how to book THSR (channels, early-bird mechanics, foreign-passenger pickup) and how to book TRA (app, windows, IC cards). Not sure which ticket class fits? Ticket types explained. Luggage, bikes, pets and refunds live in the FAQ.
Live train lists on Trip.com: Taipei ⇄ Taichung ↗ · Taipei ⇄ Tainan ↗ · Taichung ⇄ Tainan ↗ [partner link]