TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Any fare increase for high-speed rail travel will depend on service quality and the introduction of new trains to replace aging ones, Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation Chair Shih Che (史哲) said Wednesday.

He rejected the idea that fares could be used to regulate passenger numbers, such as raising ticket prices to prevent overcrowding, per CNA. Fare adjustments would only be considered if services improved and new trains were introduced as planned, he said.

On Wednesday, the company unveiled images of 12 new trainsets ordered from the Hitachi Toshiba Supreme Consortium in Japan. The first train is scheduled to arrive in Taiwan for testing next August, with service set to begin in the second half of 2027.

By that time, 34 trainsets will have been in service for 20 years, Shih said. Retiring the old trains would then become necessary, with fare hikes a consideration that could no longer be avoided, he added.

Shih said the high-speed rail network has changed travel habits in Taiwan, boosting both long-distance trips and urban development.

Also Wednesday, a proposal to extend the network from Taipei’s Nangang Station to Yilan in the northeast passed an environmental impact review despite protests. Plans are also under discussion for a southern extension from Kaohsiung’s Zuoying Station to Pingtung.