Taking the train in Taiwan

Taiwan passed by in a blur. I tried to make out the green fields, rivers and buildings, but looking out the window at 300 km/h was making me nauseous. Halfway through my bento box, I lost my appetite.

In two hours, Leisa and I were travelling from the capital, Taipei, in the North, to the cultural capital of Tainan, in the South. We were travelling at a faster pace than we were used to, and a lot of our trip was in transit, especially on trains.

After travelling extensively through South Asia and Latin America, I normally associate travel days with discomfort and anxiety. Even though some of my fondest travel memories were in transit, I rarely enjoyed them in the moment.

Taking the train in Taiwan was a welcome departure from our previous trips. Our experience was comfortable, efficient and probably the closest we had come to a relaxing holiday. With the absence of stress and fatigue, our curious minds could appreciate the endless nuances of being in a country very different to our own.

Train Services

To understand Taiwan's train network, it is essential to understand the country's geography. The eastern side of the country is dominated by mountains that run the length of the island. The western side is flatter and is where the majority of the population resides. As such, most of the train services and infrastructure are concentrated in the west.

There are three main train services in Taiwan:

1. High Speed Rail

2. Metro

3. Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA)

   
   

The high-speed rail network currently operates only on the West Coast, connecting major population centres. The metro systems also only operate in the west. The East Coast is connected by TRA trains that are slower and prone to the occasional landslide.

We were travelling during the monsoon, known locally as the “plum rains”. With only a week up our sleeve, we couldn't afford too much disruption, so we stuck to the cities in the west and decided to save the mountains in the east for a future trip.

Rules and Etiquette

Don’t say they didn’t warn you. You will never have an excuse for not knowing the correct rules and etiquette on a Taiwanese train. To say their approach is prescriptive would be an understatement.

Some rules include (but are not limited to):

• No food or drink

• No loud music

• No loud conversation

• Keep your backpack in front

• Move to the centre of the carriage

• Don’t block the way when absorbed by your phone (my favourite)

Like many East Asian cultures, the Taiwanese tend to avoid confrontation, as it can cause embarrassment and loss of face. These rules serve as a guide to assist commuters in avoiding awkward encounters. Some rules were explicitly communicated, with the punishment displayed. Others had a lighter touch, featuring anime-style cartoon animals which Leisa found excruciatingly cute.

Bento

On HSR and TRA trains, food is permitted, but it’s frowned upon to eat food with a strong scent. Bento is a Japanese-influenced, single-serve meal, designed for consumption in transit. Unlike Japanese varieties, which are lighter and fish-based, the Taiwanese bento is more hardy.

Bento and bubble tea

The classic Taiwanese bento dish is pork chop with braised egg, rice and vegetables. For clumsy westerners like yours truly, this required a level of chopstick proficiency above my current competency. After checking no one was watching, I self-consciously finished the remaining pork chop with my hands.

Stations

Being in Taipei Main Station felt like transit purgatory. I have never spent so much time in a building without knowing what it looks like on the outside. At first, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of humans in one place. In time, I acclimatised and often found myself in autopilot between platforms. In something equivalent to cognitive standby mode, I followed colours, took escalators, stood in lines, and miraculously, would end up where I needed to be.

Taking the metro in the Southern city of Kaohsiung was more relaxed. There were fewer commuters, and everyone seemed less in a hurry. Leisa loved the cute sound effects made when you go through the gate, making us feel like we were in an anime movie.

Kaohsiung doesn’t see many international tourists, and one of the main attractions is a train station - Formosa Boulevard. It’s famous for the Dome of Light, one of the world’s biggest public art installations. It was created by an Italian artist and made of glass, lights, and mixed with a healthy dose of self-indulgence.

While immersed in sensory overload, a stream of commuters flowed around us. I’d never felt so at peace being so lost and directionless. The next time someone asks me about marriage or kids, I will think of this moment.