The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) will run an extra 42 express services on its Yilan-Hualien route from Thursday afternoon until Jan. 15 following the temporary closure of the Suhua Highway.
The TRA said it would run six extra express trains in both directions on Thursday afternoon stopping at Yilan, Luodong, Su’auxin, Nan’ao, Heping, Sincheng and Hualien, and an extra 12 services per day from Friday until Sunday.
With rocks and other debris blocking a tunnel entrance around the 159-kilometer mark of the highway not expected to be cleared until 5 p.m. Sunday, the Directorate General of Highways (DGH) has advised those traveling between Yilan and Hualien to take the train.
Alternatively, cars and medium-sized buses traveling between 7 a.m.-5 p.m. can use the Central Cross-Island Highway and Provincial Highway No. 7, the DGH said.
Meanwhile, the Maritime and Port Bureau (MPB) said it had dispatched the Ho Fu Express — which is capable of ferrying 40 vehicles and 442 passengers — to ease expected congestion.
The MPB added that the free, first-come-first-serve service will depart from Hualien Port to Su’ao at 7 p.m. Thursday, and return to Hualien at 12 a.m. on Friday.
In addition, the MPB said the Kai Shiuan No. 8, capable of carrying 250 vehicles and 330 people, would join on Friday to help.
According to DGH official Li Shun-cheng (???), around 3,000 vehicles passed through the blocked section of the Suhua Highway in one direction on an average weekday, rising to 6,000-7,000 on weekends, and even higher during holidays.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel