It will take about 13 years for the high-speed rail to extend south to Pingtung. Pingtung County Councilor Xu Xinyun asked today (1st) that the high-speed rail is currently only planned to land in six houses in Pingtung City, which will be a big problem for the vast number of Chaozhou and Fangliao folks. He said that water far away cannot save the fire nearby, and called for "the southern extension of the high-speed rail and the optimization of the Taiwan Railway's dual-track progress" and asked the county government to strive for a "high-speed rail plus Taiwan Railway (Chaozhou/Fangliao) joint ticket" to realize a one-day living circle from Chaofang to Taipei.
Pingtung County Councilors Xu Xinyun and Huang Mingxian both proposed the idea of "the southern extension of the high-speed rail and the optimization of the Taiwan Railway in parallel." Xu Xinyun pointed out that if folks from Chaozhou in Pingzhong area and Fangliao in Pingnan area want to go to Taipei, it takes 4.5 to 5 hours to get to Taipei from Fangliao by Taiwan Railway, and 4 to 4.5 hours to Chaozhou. If the Taiwan Railway is converted to high-speed rail, although the departure from Chaozhou can be shortened to about 2.5 hours, and Fangliao can be shortened to about 3 hours, but in Xinzuoying Waiting for station transfers and platform movements often waste time and energy, and you have to endure the inconvenience of purchasing tickets for two sections. During the 13-year window before the full line of high-speed rail is opened to traffic in 2039, can the county government seek a "high-speed rail plus Taiwan Railway (Chaozhou/Fangliao) joint ticket" from the Taiwan Railways and High-Speed Rail, so that villagers can enjoy the one-ticket service.
Huang Guowei, director of the Transportation and Tourism Department of Ping County Government, said that the high-speed rail and Taiwan Railway are different companies. Is it possible to vote together and use joint tickets to improve transportation efficiency? This is a good suggestion, and local opinions will be actively reported to the Ministry of Transportation. As for the extension of the high-speed rail to Pingtung Liukuaicuo, the latest progress is in the second phase of the environmental impact assessment. The Executive Yuan is actively assisting and the progress is under control. We are very optimistic about whether the schedule can be shortened. Pingtung Liukuaicuo Station is co-constructed with the Taiwan Railways and is a precursor to high-speed rail. It should be faster and can be expected in the future.
Xu Xinyun also said that after taking the Taiwan Railway to Chaozhou Station or Fangliao Station, foreign tourists have to go to Chaozhou Japanese Architecture Cultural Park, Linhou Four Forests, or Fangliao Art Village, Fangliao Fishing Port. There are few buses and rental transport. Due to the inconvenience, the county government should strive to optimize the double railway to promote tourism, improve local connections, or promote exclusive sightseeing packages, discount coupons, and packaged experiences, so that foreign tourists can no longer just pass by, but explore Chaofang in depth.
Huang Guowei also responded that the county government promotes dual-rail tourism, that is, Taiwan Railway plus YouBike, in the hope of driving in-depth tourism. After increasing the density of YouBike in Chaozhou, the usage is large, and the benefits are also spreading to the surrounding areas. The county government is also building a tourist information station at Fangliao Station and expanding the YouBike site. Infrastructure equipment for dual-rail tourism is also under construction. Sightseeing packages or package experiences can be discussed.
