Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) and Hitachi Toshiba Supreme Consortium in Tokyo yesterday signed a procurement contract for next-generation high-speed trains.
THSRC’s board of directors in March passed a resolution authorizing management to spend about NT$28.5 billion (US$926.35 million) to procure 12 next-generation high-speed trains from the Japanese firm.
Representative to Japan Frank Hsieh (謝長廷), Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Allen Hu (胡湘麟) and executives from the two firms attended the ceremony.
Photo courtesy of Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp
THSRC chairman Chiang Yao-chung (江耀宗) told the ceremony that high-speed rail services in Taiwan are a result of Japan’s Shinkansen system being successfully exported.
“Since Taiwan’s high-speed rail was launched in 2007, total passenger volume has exceeded 770 million,” Chiang said. “Operations have recovered rapidly as the COVID-19 pandemic has eased. Last month, the daily average of passengers accessing the system was 207,000, an all-time high,” he said.
“Modeled after the latest N700S, the new trains would enhance THSRC’s transport capacity and provide passengers with higher-quality services,” he said.
Next-generation rolling stock is expected to be delivered in batches starting in 2026 and the new trains are to begin operations in 2027, THSRC said.
Compared with the existing 700T trains, the new trains are more energy efficient, as they are lighter and are more streamlined, it said.
Each passenger seat would be equipped with a 110V charging socket, the company said.
Cabins would be equipped with full-color LCD information displays, arrival lights and two-tier luggage racks, the company said.
Chinese-language media reported that the first two tenders for the procurement contract failed because Japanese firms offered NT$5 billion per set of trains.
The deal was finalized after the price was reduced to NT$2.3 billion, the reports said.
Last year, Japanese House of Representatives member Keiji Furuya, chairman of the Japan-Republic of China Diet Members’ Consultative Council, raised the issue of THSRC’s procurement of new high-speed rail cars from Japan at a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
The high-speed rail system “is a symbol of the solid friendship between Taiwan and Japan, for which the two countries must cooperate,” Furuya said at the time.
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