According to a THSR statement, from March 18, travelers booking tickets between Monday and Thursday March 31-June 30 will enjoy an additional 20 percent discount on top of the existing 20 percent discount on business class tickets and 10 percent on non reserved standard class.

The discount will bring down the price of a one-way business class Taipei-Zuoying from the original NT$2,440 (US$76) to NT$1,560, just NT$70 more than the economy class fare, THSR said in the statement.

In standard class, the price for the same trip will drop from the original NT$1,490 to NT$1,190, while for non-reserved tickets, the price will be down to NT$1,070 from the original NT$1,385.

The preferential fares will not be offered on national holidays, long holidays and special holidays, the statement said, noting that group travelers can also enjoy an additional 5 percent preferential discount during the same period.

Senior citizens and travelers aged under 12, who already enjoy preferential prices, are not entitled to the new discount.

The accumulated passenger volume of the high-speed railway system has breached the 20-million mark since it began operating last year. According to the company, the high-speed railway is not only the fastest land transport in Taiwan but is also the most eco-friendly.

Carbon dioxide released by a high-speed train averages only 0.0267 kg per passenger-kilometer, about one quarter of the average 0.1 kg released per passenger-kilometer by a small passenger car, it said.

As of March 5, the high speed railway had totaled 4.48 billion passenger-kilometers, saving 328,460 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions if those passengers had used their cars to cover the same distance, the company said.

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