Originalquelle
The TAIWAN BULLET TRAIN isn't perfect (Kaohsiung to Taipei)
Taiwan High-Speed Rail: Kaohsiung to Taipei
The Taiwan Saga continues! We didn't read the fine print on our tickets and apparently, when you're in Taiwan you need to reserve seats on the train you ALREADY booked! don't make our mistake! 🤣
Hopefully, we can find some seats on this Taiwan bullet train from Kaohsiung to Taipei!
Special Thanks...
The Taiwan Saga continues! We didn't read the fine print on our tickets and apparently, when you're in Taiwan you need to reserve seats on the train you ALREADY booked! don't make our mistake! 🤣
Hopefully, we can find some seats on this Taiwan bullet train from Kaohsiung to Taipei!
Embark on a thrilling journey with Jordan and Emily, an Australian couple, as they navigate the Taiwan bullet train from Kaohsiung to Taipei. Their unexpected adventure highlights the importance of meticulous ticket booking in Taiwan. Learn from their humorous mistake and discover the beauty of Taiwan's high-speed rail system. This episode is a captivating blend of travel mishaps and stunning Taiwanese scenery.
The Taiwan Saga continues! We didn't read the fine print on our tickets and apparently, when you're in Taiwan you need to reserve seats on the train you ALREADY booked! don't make our mistake! 🤣
Hopefully, we can find some seats on this Taiwan bullet train from Kaohsiung to Taipei!
Jordan and Emily start the day in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, planning to travel by bullet train at about 300 km an hour from the south to the north in Taipei. They booked online through 12Go Asia, so they queue to exchange the online tickets for paper ones. When they try to redeem the tickets, the only reservation available is at midnight, and they were meant to get in at 3:00. Emily is stressed. The counter staff print non-reserved tickets and tell them to try their original 12:55 train; they had missed the fine print saying they needed to reserve a time again. They buy brown sugar bubble tea and croissants, then queue at the marked arrows for the non-reserved cars, hoping to get two seats. The train goes every 10 minutes and covers the length of the country in 2 hours and 17 minutes. Emily says her first impression is functional and that she was stressed for nothing. Jordan explores the train: the standard seats are a little hard, while business is about double the price with wider, plusher seats. A vending machine at the back of the car is full of drinks, and he says there are no signs against bringing food but food is not sold on board outside business class. An announcement asks passengers to put devices on mute and speak in a low voice. They eat a picnic, check a speed app that shows 294 against a top speed of 300, and note there is Wi-Fi on board. Jordan tours a toilet: the car has four, one for women only, with a baby changing station, a Western-style toilet, a sink, a hand dryer, soap, an automatic flush and toilet seat covers. He calls them old, warm and a little wet. At Taichung station many people board and stand in the middle. They tour their own seats, with a tray table, plenty of leg room, a net, a window sill and a shade. After a brief stop announcement they reach Taipei Main Station, which they find hectic. They call the train functional and fast, a relatively comfortable way to go from the bottom of the country to the top.
Jordan and Emily ride the Taiwan bullet train from Kaohsiung to Taipei in a single day. At the station they find their online tickets, booked through 12Go Asia, still need a seat reservation, and the only slot offered is at midnight. The ticket office prints non-reserved tickets for their original 12:55 train instead. They line up at the marked boarding spot, get two seats together and take the journey of 2 hours and 17 minutes. On board they compare standard and business seats, notice a quiet-carriage announcement, find only drinks in the vending machine, tour a toilet, and watch a speed app reach 294. After a crowded stop in Taichung they arrive at busy Taipei Main Station.
Jordan and Emily ride the Taiwan bullet train from Kaohsiung to Taipei after a ticket mix-up, covering seats, food, toilets and station crowds.
Taiwan Bullet Train Kaohsiung to Taipei: Tickets, Seats and Tips
2:20 Read the fine print on a bullet train booking. Jordan and Emily booked online through 12Go Asia but did not notice they had to reserve a time again, so the only slot offered was at midnight and they got non-reserved tickets.
3:55 Non-reserved tickets mean a little extra step at the gate, but they still get you through. Jordan and Emily used theirs for the original 12:55 train and could still hope for seats.
4:24 Line up early at the arrows marked on the platform for your car section. They stood at the front of one line, and Jordan says they would not have got seats together if they had arrived late.
5:06 Trains are frequent, going about every 10 minutes like a metro, so missing one is not a disaster. The ride from the south to the north takes 2 hours and 17 minutes.
6:12 The standard seats are a little hard. Business class is about double the price of standard, with plusher seats and wider seats, so decide which one suits your budget before you book your ticket.
7:13 Put your devices on mute mode. An announcement asks passengers to use a low tone of voice and not to play anything out loud, and the couple agree it needs to be said.
8:19 Bring your own snacks if you travel over lunch. Jordan saw no signs against bringing food, but the vending machine is full of drinks and you cannot buy food on board unless you are in business class.
10:32 Toilets are on board: Jordan's car has four, one for women only, with a baby changing station, soap, a hand dryer and toilet seat covers. He calls them old and warm, but says they have what you need.
12:12 Expect a crowd at Taichung station. Many people get on there and stand in the middle of the car, so lining up early for seats pays off.
15:38 Be ready for hecticness at Taipei Main Station, especially in the middle of the day. Jordan and Emily did no research and did not expect it to be this crazy before heading to their hotel.
2:20 Read the fine print on a bullet train booking. Jordan and Emily booked online through 12Go Asia but did not notice they had to reserve a time again, so the only slot offered was at midnight and they got non-reserved tickets.
3:55 Non-reserved tickets mean a little extra step at the gate, but they still get you through. Jordan and Emily used theirs for the original 12:55 train and could still hope for seats.
4:24 Line up early at the arrows marked on the platform for your car section. They stood at the front of one line, and Jordan says they would not have got seats together if they had arrived late.
5:06 Trains are frequent, going about every 10 minutes like a metro, so missing one is not a disaster. The ride from the south to the north takes 2 hours and 17 minutes.
6:12 The standard seats are a little hard. Business class is about double the price of standard, with plusher seats and wider seats, so decide which one suits your budget before you book your ticket.
7:13 Put your devices on mute mode. An announcement asks passengers to use a low tone of voice and not to play anything out loud, and the couple agree it needs to be said.
8:19 Bring your own snacks if you travel over lunch. Jordan saw no signs against bringing food, but the vending machine is full of drinks and you cannot buy food on board unless you are in business class.
10:32 Toilets are on board: Jordan's car has four, one for women only, with a baby changing station, soap, a hand dryer and toilet seat covers. He calls them old and warm, but says they have what you need.
12:12 Expect a crowd at Taichung station. Many people get on there and stand in the middle of the car, so lining up early for seats pays off.
15:38 Be ready for hecticness at Taipei Main Station, especially in the middle of the day. Jordan and Emily did no research and did not expect it to be this crazy before heading to their hotel.
0:01 Stress over ticket redemption
1:14 Getting non-reserved tickets for 12:55
2:00 Bubble tea at the station
3:33 Buying croissants for the road
3:55 Lining up for non-reserved cars
5:06 First impressions of the train
6:12 Standard versus business seats
7:13 Quiet carriage announcement
7:40 Picnic and food on board
8:58 Checking the train's speed
10:32 A toilet tour
12:12 Crowds board at Taichung
12:34 A tour of the seats
14:06 Arriving in Taipei
15:10 Verdict on the bullet train
0:01 Stress over ticket redemption
1:14 Getting non-reserved tickets for 12:55
2:00 Bubble tea at the station
3:33 Buying croissants for the road
3:55 Lining up for non-reserved cars
5:06 First impressions of the train
6:12 Standard versus business seats
7:13 Quiet carriage announcement
7:40 Picnic and food on board
8:58 Checking the train's speed
10:32 A toilet tour
12:12 Crowds board at Taichung
12:34 A tour of the seats
14:06 Arriving in Taipei
15:10 Verdict on the bullet train
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Emily says the trip from the bottom of the country to the top takes 2 hours and 17 minutes, and the train runs at about 300 km an hour. Their speed app showed 294 at one point.
Why couldn't they redeem their online tickets?
They booked through 12Go Asia and missed the fine print saying they had to reserve a time again. When they tried to redeem, the only slot available was at midnight, so the counter printed non-reserved tickets for their original 12:55 train.
How do you get seats on a non-reserved car?
Line up early at the arrows and sections marked on the platform. Jordan and Emily stood at the front of a line, got two seats together, and he says they would not have done so if they had arrived late.
How often do the trains run?
Emily says the trains run about every 10 minutes, as frequently as a metro, while covering the entire length of the country.
Is there food and drink on the train?
Jordan saw no signs against bringing food, but the vending machine at the back of the car was full of drinks and there was no food to buy on board. Business class passengers are fed, so he recommends bringing snacks.
How much more is business class than standard?
Jordan says business is about double the price of standard. The business seats are plusher and wider, while standard seats are a little hard but have plenty of leg room and recline well.
Is there Wi-Fi and are the toilets any good?
Jordan says there is Wi-Fi on board. His car has four toilets, one of them for women only, with a baby changing station, soap, a hand dryer and toilet seat covers; he finds them old, warm and a little wet.
Is the train quiet?
An announcement asks passengers to put devices on mute and to speak in a low tone of voice, and Jordan found the carriage so quiet that he felt weird walking through it and talking.
