Taipei:State-owned Taiwan Railway Corp. (TR) announced it will ban political advertisements in its stations starting next year, following criticism that such advertisements breached administrative neutrality.

According to Focus Taiwan, the controversy began when a user on Threads posted photos of a campaign poster for Kuomintang (KMT) Yunlin County magistrate candidate Chang Chia-chun displayed near ticket gates at Douliu Railway Station. The user pointed out that TR prohibits renting station facilities for political activities, which likely includes political advertising, but noted this policy was not being enforced.

In a statement, Taiwan Railway clarified that the Central Election Commission and Ministry of Civil Service's interpretations consider advertising spaces leased to third parties as commercial leases, which do not violate administrative neutrality rules. The railway company maintains oversight by ensuring fair treatment of all political parties and limiting advertisement sizes.

Despite this, and in consideration of public perception and commitment to neutrality, TR has decided to end political and election-related ad space rentals in its stations from January 1, 2027. Political advertisements already in place will not be affected by this new policy. Taiwan's local elections are scheduled for November 28, 2026.