To boost tourism in Hualien and Taitung counties, Taiwan Railway Corp’s (TRC) “presidential train” made its public debut yesterday to crowds of eager railway enthusiasts.
The train, which was used by former presidents Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) and Yen Chia-kan (嚴家淦), is to travel from Hualien to Fuli Township (富里) every Sunday this month before operating between Rueisuei Township (瑞穗) and Taitung City next month, the TRC said.
The train has the same setup from 1991 when it carried Lee on his inspection of the nation’s railways, TRC tourism department official Ye Yu-chien (葉宇倩) said.
Photo: Screen grab from Taiwan Railway Corp’s Facebook page
In addition to the two carriages Lee used — the “presidential saloon car,” which has a conference room, a reception room, two bedrooms and a bathroom, and the living room car — passengers can also ride in three Chu-Kuang Express carriages.
The train also features distinct male and female suites, with the former designed in a Chinese style and the latter designed in Western style, each one providing unique lighting effects as it passes through tunnels.
The program, named “Follow the President to the East,” has already sold 70 to 80 percent of tickets for each trip, TRC said.
TRC said it hopes the “presidential train” would draw significant attention to the region’s tourism, as it offers dedicated tour guides, historical and cultural commentary, business card-style train tickets and vintage railway box meals.
Interested travelers can visit the TRC Web site for more information on the itinerary and train prices.
In related news, the Hualien County Government has allotted NT$10 billion (US$310.73 billion) to stimulate the local economy following the tourism industry’s decline after the April 3 earthquake.
Starting on Saturday, the government began distributing stimulus vouchers to the county’s 318,000 residents and is to continue at designated locations from 9am to 5pm until Friday. Although the printed expiration date on the voucher states they are only valid to the end of the year, they can be used until Feb. 28 next year.
The vouchers can be used like cash at hotels, markets, entertainment venues and more, which have led to businesses launching promotions and discounts in hopes of attracting customers, the county government said.
7-Eleven is also offering a card that converts the NT$3000 voucher into NT$3600 in-store credit, while Carrefour is giving away coffee for purchases of more than NT$500 and raffle tickets for appliances for purchases that exceed NT$1000, it added.
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