How to take a Train

       The train system is a little old and not too English speaker friendly but once you learn how everything works it is invaluable.

Buying Tickets :

       Trains are a very cheap way to travel. You can get from the north of the island to south side for about 500nt. For specific prices go to the Taiwan Railway main site at: http://163.29.3.96/twrail_en/index.aspx you can purchase your tickets at the ticket counter of the main station. All the counters accept cash, even the ones that say "credit card" above them. Don't worry about getting reserve tickets unless you want to travel during Chinese New Year or other busy travel times. If you want you can also use the automated vending machines. The ones in the Taipei station are labeled in English but if you are in another city you will need to get the help of someone who can read Chinese to help you pick the correct city. The other problem with the automated machines is that you don't get a reserved seat if you use one so you will often find yourself crouched outside the door to the bathroom. Once you've bought your ticket head down the stair marked departures.


Finding your Train:

       Finding your train can be a little difficult since everything is in Chinese. First you need to find which platform your train is leaving from. This isn't listed on your ticket so you will have to look at the TV monitors to figure out where you need to go. An easy way to determine where you're supposed to go is to use the time listed on the ticket and match it to the time on the monitor. You can also just ask the ticket checker as you walk in the gate and he can direct you to the correct platform. Once you're on the platform you can check the messages on the display as the trains arrive. It's never a bad idea to ask a train attendant or a friendly Taiwanese person if your getting on the right train before you hop on.