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I'm using Google Maps to find public transportation from Keelung to Tapiei Main Station. It shows "Fuxing / Shuttle" as the recommended option. Is this a bus? When I click "details" to see its number, it shows different numbers depending on departure time (e.g. 1483 to Beihu or 1263 to Hsinchu or something else). So what exactly is "Fuxing / Shuttle"? How often does it operate and when does the service end?

Google Maps search result from Keelung City to Taipei Main station, showing "Fuxing/Shuttle" as the recommended option

Google Maps search result - clicking on the first recommended options shows numbers depending on departure time

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  • There's a train (fuxing, 801) and a bus (shuttle, 1802) which both serve this route.
    – Roddy of the Frozen Peas
    May 26, 2019 at 15:45
  • Fuxing at Wikipedia
    – user90371
    May 26, 2019 at 16:08
  • @Redd, that's a Mainland Chinese train; I doubt they use them in Taiwan.
    – hmakholm left over Monica
    May 26, 2019 at 17:24
  • I have added what I see on my Google Maps to provide extra context.
    – B.Liu
    May 27, 2019 at 9:00

1 Answer 1

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Short answer: Fuxing and Shuttle are two specific service classes on the Taiwan Railways. They refer to semi-express and local trains respectively. The numbers are TrainCode, which identify the train services. There are 2-6 trains per hours between Keelung and Taipei on weekdays, with more trains during the peak hours. The last train departs from Keelung at 23:05 on weekdays.

Long answer:

A brief introduction to (some aspects of) Taiwan Railways

Service Speed Class

Taiwan Railways run a few classes of trains in terms of service speed (i.e. express vs local trains, instead of 1st/2nd/3rd class carriages on the same train), and the train fare ties to the class of service and distance traveled. According to Taiwan Railway Administration, MOTC:

Principle of calculation of fares
The fare rate of the Express Trains of this Administration: (The current minimum mileage for each train type is 10 km. Those who are less than 10 km are quoted at 10 km.)

Ordinary Train: NT$1.06 per person per kilometer.
Fu-Hsing [Fuxing] Semi Express/Local Train: NT$1.46 per person per kilometer.
Chu-Kuang Express: NT$1.75 per person per kilometer.
Tze-Chiang Limited Express: NT$2.27 per person per kilometer.

One can see Fuxing and local train (shuttle) are priced on the same tier, which is probably why Google has lumped them under the same "line" (as opposed to Tze-Chiang Limited Express). It is worth noting that no Fuxing trains actually run between Keelung and Taipei.

Service number

Services on Taiwan Railways are identified by a one to four digit TrainCode. For example, service 1263 mentioned by the OP is the 20:15 service (from Keelung) to Hsinchu according to the (old) train timetable information page maintained by Taiwan Railways Administration. This service arrives at Taipei Main Station at 21:02.

Search result on the train timetable information page, showing Train code 1263 which is the 20:15 service from Keelung to Hsinchu, stopping at Taipei Main Station.

Service pattern and timetable

The new train schedule/code inquiry page allows one to search for all trains during the day between two stations. They will have to know which administrative city/county their origin and destination are in though.

For OP's specific journey, the following entry would do:

Using the new train schedule/code inquiry page. For the OP's journey, one should put in 0900-Keelung for the departure Station, 1000-Taipei as the arrival station, and specify the date and time accordingly.

The search results shows there are 2-6 trains per hour for this particular journey, with more trains during the peak hours. The last train departs from Keelung at 23:05. Note the result reflects the timetable on a Monday (train services are likely to be different on weekends and public holidays).

Side note: There are a number of bus routes that operate between Taipei and Keelung, but that falls in the scope of another question.

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  • I took different kinds of trains (local and non-local, e.g. Tze-Chiang) from Songshan to Taipei and vice versa, and the fare was always the same - 14 NTD. So the "Principle of calculation of fares" still remains mysterious. In particular, I don't see how the system would know which kind of train I took since one only taps EasyCard upon entering and leaving the station, not the train. But this is probably a topic for another question.
    – user557
    May 31, 2019 at 14:03
  • @user77409 Actually the particular scenario you described is covered in Calculation principle of electronic fare - for short journeys (<70 km) Tze-Chiang and Local trains cost the same for EasyCard users. You raised a good point on how the system determines which train you have taken in this case - I have no idea, but do post a question so that someone who knows Taiwan better than I do can answer!
    – B.Liu
    May 31, 2019 at 15:36
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    @user77409 Upon further research, it turns out they have a system that tries to match the time where you touch out and the train times to determine which kind of train you have taken. It was subjected to abuse (people taking express trains to the station before, and then take a local train to "qualify" for local fare), and according to an newspaper article in 2015 the Taiwan Railways Administration has announced they are trying to plug the gap by comparing the time you touch in as well, not sure if that is implemented though.
    – B.Liu
    Jun 1, 2019 at 21:03
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    @uhoh I beg to differ. The journey shown in your image suggested you to first take Bus 81 to Xinzhuang (railway) station, and then the local train (service number 1754) for two stops to Liujia station. I've found the train on the Taiwan Railways Administration Website with the time given on your screenshot.
    – B.Liu
    Feb 12, 2020 at 7:58
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    oh geez I didn't notice that, no wonder the schedule wasn't making sense to me! Thanks for setting me straight. I once took a shuttle bus from Liujia to Science Park Hub directly, and I've never been able to find the reverse bus (Science Park Hub to Liujia) on a map or schedule. I'll ask at the information desk next time I'm there. Thanks!
    – uhoh
    Feb 12, 2020 at 8:13

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