High Speed Rail

ARTICLE IN PRESS
Transport Policy 17 (2010) 51–63

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Transport Policy journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/tranpol

High-speed rail in Taiwan: New experience and issues for future development
Yung-Hsiang Cheng n
National Cheng Kung University, Department of Transportation and Communication Management Science, No. 1, University Road, Tainan City 701, Taiwan

a r t i c l e in fo
Available online 4 November 2009 Keywords: High speed rail Build-operate-transfer Taiwan Integration Transportation impact

abstract
This study aims to identify some possible issues and challenges for Taiwan’s High Speed Rail (HSR) system, which was constructed and is operated under a Build–Operate–Transfer (BOT) model. The operational experiences in the initial stage for equivalent systems in Japan, France, Germany, and elsewhere are introduced herein. This study first presents Taiwan’s HSR system development and conducts an ex post cost–benefit analysis of this transportation system. Second, unsatisfied ridership is examined to look for possible solutions to increase it. Third, the paper examines the impact of HSR on the intercity transportation market. Finally, the integration between HSR and various existing transportation modes is discussed. Several policy suggestions are included, which are useful for the decision makers of transportation systems’ entrepreneurs, the central government, and the local authorities to derive a comprehensive post-HSR planning strategy for a more integrated transportation system. & 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction The High Speed Rail (HSR) system has been proven to be a safe, comfortable, and efficient transportation mode (Ardun and Ni, 2005). Due to its ability to carry large numbers of passengers and provide short travel times, HSR has become one of the major tools to alleviate the traffic burden of some main traffic corridors in Japan, France, Germany, Spain, and also

References: Arduin, J.P., Ni, J., 2005. French TGV network development. Japan Railway & Transport Review 40, 22–28. Banister, D., Berechman, Y., 2001. Transport investment and the promotion of economic growth. Journal of Transport Geography 9 (3), 209–218. Blum, U., Haynes, K.E., Karlsson, C.K., 1997. The regional and urban effects of highspeed trains. The Annals of Regional Science 31 (1), 1–20. Bonnafous, A., 1987. The regional impact of the TGV. Transportation 14 (2), 127–137. ´ Coto-Millan, P., Inglada, V., Rey, B., 2007. Effects of network economies in highspeed rail: the Spanish case. The Annals of Regional Science 41 (4), 911–925. De Rus, G., Inglada, V., 1997. Cost-benefit analysis of the high-speed train in spain. The Annals of Regional Science 31 (2), 175–188. Froidh, O., 2005. Market effects of regional high-speed trains on the Svealand line. Journal of Transport Geography 13 (4), 352–361. Froidh, O., 2008. Perspectives for a future high-speed train in the Swedish domestic travel market. Journal of Transport Geography 16 (4), 268–277. Fujita, Takayoshi, 2007. Comparative culture study—High-speed railway systems in Japan and South Korea. Japan Railway & Transport Review 48, 36–39. Givoni, M., 2006. Development and impact of the modern high-speed train: a review. Transport Reviews 26 (5), 593–611. Givoni, M., Banister, D., 2006. Airline and railway integration. Transport Policy 13 (5), 386–397. Lin, K.S., Su, C.W., Hu, Y.C., Chung, H.Y., 2008. In: Study on Establishing the Decision Support System and Integrated Database for Transportation Infrastructure Deliberations (1/3). MOTC, Taiwan. Lopez-Pita, A., Robuste, F., 2005. Impact of high-speed lines in relation to very high frequency air services. Journal of Public Transportation 8 (2), 17–36. MOTC, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, 2007, Investigation of passenger transfer preferences on HSR transfer transportation mode, survey report (in Mandarin Chinese). Nash, C.A., 1991. The case for high speed rail. Investigaciones Economicas XV, 337–354. Park, Y., Ha, H.K., 2006. Analysis of the impact of high-speed railroad service on air transport demand. Transportation Research Part E 42 (2), 96–140. Plassard, F., 1991, Transport and the spatial distribution of activities, Round Table 85, Economic Research Centre, European Conference of Ministers of Transport, OECD, Paris. Roll, M., Verbeke, A., 1998. Financing of trans-European high-speed rail networks: new forms of public-private partnerships. European Management Journal 16 (6), 706–713. Stubbs, J., Jegede, F., 1998. The integration of rail and air transport in Britain. Journal of Transport Geography l6 (1), 53–67. Suh, S.D., Yang, K.Y., Lee, J.H., Ahn, B.M., Hyun, J., 2005. Effects of Korean train express (KTX) operation on the national transport system. Proceedings of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies 5, 175–189. Vickerman, R., 1997. High-speed rail in Europe: experience and issues for future development. The Annual of Regional Science 31 (1), 21–38. Wardman, M., 2006. Demand for rail travel and the effects of external factors. Transportation Research Part E, Logistics and Transportation Review 42 (3), 129–148. Website of THSRC, http://www.thsrc.com.tw.