Taiwan’s high-speed and traditional rail services have released their 2026 ticket sale schedules,a crucial step for travelers planning trips around popular holidays and events. The thorough calendar, detailed below, covers dates for securing passage during peak seasons like Lunar New Year and national observances. This early release aims too allow passengers to proactively book travel and avoid potential sell-outs, especially during high-demand periods.
Taiwan’s high-speed rail and traditional rail services have announced their ticket sale schedules for 2026, including dates for popular travel periods like Lunar New Year and national holidays. The release of these dates allows travelers to plan ahead and secure tickets for peak seasons.
Tickets for the Lunar New Year holiday on Taiwan’s high-speed rail will go on sale January 16, 2026, while tickets for the traditional rail service will be available for purchase January 13-14, 2026. Here’s a comprehensive look at the 2026 ticket release calendar for both rail systems.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- High-Speed Rail Ticket Purchase Times
- How to Purchase High-Speed Rail Tickets
- Taiwan Railways Administration Ticket Purchase Times
- How to Purchase Taiwan Railways Administration Tickets
- High-Speed Rail Ticket Purchase Notes
- Taiwan Railways Administration Ticket Purchase Notes
- Q: How many days in advance do the high-speed rail and Taiwan Railways Administration begin selling tickets?
- Q: When will the high-speed rail and Taiwan Railways Administration begin selling tickets for the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday?
- Q: What discounts are available on the high-speed rail, and how can I get a better price on tickets?
- This article is not authorized for media partners.
Taiwan’s rail operators, including the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) and the Taiwan High Speed Rail (HSR), have published their schedules for ticket sales and peak travel dates throughout 2026. The calendar covers 12 major holidays and events, enabling travelers to proactively plan and mark down key dates for purchasing tickets.
| 2026 Holiday or Event | HSR Travel Dates | HSR Ticket Sale Date | TRA Travel Dates | TRA Ticket Sale Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day January 1(Thursday) |
December 31, 2025 – January 5, 2026 | December 3 | December 29, 2025 – January 5, 2026 | December 1 |
| Lunar New Year February 14 (Saturday) – February 22 (Sunday) |
February 13 – February 23 | January 16 | February 10 – February 23 | January 13 January 14 |
| Peace Memorial Day February 27 (Friday) – March 1 (Sunday) |
February 26 – March 2 | January 29 | February 24 – March 2 | January 27 |
| Tomb Sweeping Day April 3 (Friday) – April 6 (Monday) |
April 2 – April 7 | March 5 | March 31 – April 7 | March 3 |
| Labor Day May 1 (Friday) – May 3 (Sunday) |
April 30 – May 4 | April 2 | April 28 – May 4 | April 30 |
| Mother’s Day May 9 (Saturday) – May 10 (Sunday) |
May 8 – May 11 | April 10 | May 8 – May 11 | April 10 |
| Dragon Boat Festival June 19 (Friday) – June 21 (Sunday) |
June 18 – June 22 | May 21 | June 16 – June 22 | May 19 |
| Mid-Autumn Festival & Teacher’s Day September 25 (Friday) – September 28 (Monday) |
September 24 – September 29 | August 27 | September 22 – September 29 | August 25 |
| National Day October 9 (Friday) – October 11 (Sunday) |
October 8 – October 12 | September 10 | October 6 – October 12 | September 8 |
| Retrocession Day October 24 (Saturday) – October 26 (Monday) |
October 23 – October 27 | September 25 | October 21 – October 27 | September 23 |
| Constitution Day December 25 (Friday) – December 27 (Sunday) |
December 24 – December 28 | November 26 | December 22 – December 28 | November 24 |
| 2027 New Year’s Day January 1 (Friday) – January 3 (Sunday) |
December 31, 2026 – January 4, 2027 | December 3 | December 29, 2026 – January 4, 2027 | December 1 |
High-Speed Rail Ticket Purchase Times
Generally, passengers can book tickets for the Taiwan High Speed Rail up to 29 days in advance, including the day of travel, until one hour before departure. On Fridays and Saturdays, tickets for the following week through Sunday become available. During major holidays and peak travel times, the HSR will announce specific travel schedules and ticket sale dates in advance.
How to Purchase High-Speed Rail Tickets
- Online Booking: Offers reserved seating (Business Class/Standard Class) and allows booking of full-fare, child, senior, compassionate care, and student discount tickets.
- App Booking: T-EX Mobile Booking App
- Convenience Store Purchase
- Automated Ticket Vending Machines: Available for reserved and unreserved seating.
- Station Window Purchase: For booking, changing, or refunding tickets.
Taiwan Railways Administration Ticket Purchase Times
Passengers can book tickets for the Taiwan Railways Administration up to 30 minutes before departure on the day of travel. For travel dates beyond the current day, tickets can be reserved starting 28 days in advance, with an additional booking window opening on Fridays for travel through the following Sunday. The TRA will announce any adjustments to these times for special circumstances or national holidays.
How to Purchase Taiwan Railways Administration Tickets
- Online Booking
- App Booking: Taiwan Railway e-Booking App
- Station Purchase/Pickup
- Convenience Store/Post Office Pickup
- Voice Booking
Based on past trends, securing tickets during extended holidays like Lunar New Year and Tomb Sweeping Day can be particularly challenging due to high demand. The Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day periods may also be popular due to their proximity and multiple days off. Travelers are advised to note the sale dates and be ready to purchase tickets promptly at midnight when they become available.
If tickets are unavailable, consider purchasing them in segments. For example, if a direct ticket from Taipei to Kaohsiung is unavailable, travelers can book tickets for Taipei to Taichung and then Taichung to Kaohsiung. While this may require changing seats or trains, it can still allow for completion of the journey.
Keep an eye on system release times as well. If a ticket holder fails to complete payment within the specified timeframe, the seat will be released back into the system at midnight, potentially offering another opportunity to secure a ticket for popular travel dates.
High-Speed Rail Ticket Purchase Notes
- Online bookings are limited to a maximum of 10 tickets per transaction, with a maximum of 5 tickets each for outbound and return journeys.
- When purchasing senior or compassionate care tickets, passengers must enter the ID number of the traveler. For compassionate care tickets, the ID number of the person with a disability must also be provided.
- For tickets booked three or more days in advance, payment must be completed within three days. For tickets booked within three days of travel, payment must be completed one day before travel. For same-day bookings, payment must be completed at least 30 minutes before departure.
- Online bookings can be picked up through the T-EX Mobile Booking App or at station windows and convenience stores.
- Tickets can be modified or refunded through the online booking system before pickup.
Taiwan Railways Administration Ticket Purchase Notes
- When making reservations, each person (identified by their ID number) can reserve a maximum of 6 tickets per travel date.
- For round-trip bookings, a maximum of 12 tickets (6 for each direction) can be reserved at once.
- Online bookings require an ID number. For foreign nationals and residents without an ID number, a passport or residence permit number should be entered.
- After completing a booking, payment must be made within 24 hours of the booking date, and tickets must be picked up before the scheduled departure.
- If booking the day before travel, payment must be completed by 24:00 on the booking date, and tickets must be picked up before departure.
- If booking on the day of travel, payment must be completed 20 minutes before departure, and tickets must be picked up before departure.
- When picking up tickets, remember the booking code and bring the original ID of the passenger (passport or residence permit for foreign nationals).
- Tickets can be picked up at TRA ticket offices, convenience stores, and post offices, with a service fee of NT$8 per ticket at convenience stores.
Further Reading:
Q: How many days in advance do the high-speed rail and Taiwan Railways Administration begin selling tickets?
A: To purchase high-speed rail tickets, you can book up to 29 days in advance, including the day of travel, until one hour before departure. For Taiwan Railways Administration tickets, you can begin booking 28 days in advance. During peak seasons or holidays, refer to the announced schedules from the HSR and TRA.
Q: When will the high-speed rail and Taiwan Railways Administration begin selling tickets for the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday?
A: High-speed rail tickets for the 2026 Lunar New Year will go on sale January 16. Taiwan Railways Administration tickets will be available for pre-order starting February 10 for the Eastern Line (including Yilan, Hualien, Taitung, and South Link lines) and February 10 for the Western Line, with pre-ordering for the Western Line opening February 11.
Q: What discounts are available on the high-speed rail, and how can I get a better price on tickets?
The HSR offersearly bird discounts,credit card discounts,student discounts,group discounts,monthly pass discounts, andround-trip pass discounts. Passengers are encouraged to plan ahead and take advantage of available discounts.
Reference Materials: Taiwan High Speed Rail, Taiwan Railways Administration
