How to book a THSR ticket

THSR booking is procedural: five channels, a fixed opening window, and a discount system with sharp edges. This page is the checklist — prices per corridor live in the fare finder.

1. Where you can buy

The online booking system (irs.thsrc.com.tw)
The "T Express" mobile app
Partnered convenience stores
Station ticket windows
Ticket vending machines

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Phone lines: booking 4066-0000 (24 h); customer service 4066-3000 (06:00–24:00).

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2. The booking window

Sales open 29 days before travel and close 1 hour before departure. If the opening date falls on a Friday or Saturday, it extends through the following Sunday.

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Limits: max 10 tickets per booking (5 for a round trip). Cancellations are accepted up to 30 minutes before departure; refunds after payment carry a NT$20 per-ticket handling fee.

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3. Early-bird discounts — the part that changes your fare

Three tiers — 35%, 20%, 10% off — sold as limited quantities per train. When a tier sells out, the stock cascades to the next tier. Sales end 5 days before travel (the last bookable day is T-5 inclusive). Tickets are adult standard-class reserved only, and each one is name-registered — the last five digits of your ID or passport are printed on the ticket.

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Early-bird tickets are sold only via the online system, T Express and convenience stores — not station windows or machines.
Changes: accepted up to 30 minutes before departure, but the original discount is lost — the ticket reprices at the full selling price. Name changes aren't allowed; cancel and rebuy instead.
Per-corridor tier prices are listed on every corridor page.

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4. Paying and picking up

Online payment cards: VISA, MasterCard, JCB, Amex (online Amex must be Taiwan-issued) and UnionPay.

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Payment deadlines depend on how far out you book:

3+ days before travel	pay within 3 days of booking
Under 3 days	pay by the day before
Same-day	pay at least 30 min before departure

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Pickup: T Express (mobile QR), convenience stores, station windows or machines. Collect with your booking ID — passport number works — plus the reservation code. Foreign passports are accepted as the booking ID, and the booking site runs in English, Japanese and Korean. One catch: online senior/disabled discount tickets are ROC-ID-only.

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5. Riding many trains? The passes

For foreign-passport holders only (ROC passports and ARCs are ineligible): a 3-Day Pass at NT$2,200 adult / NT$1,100 child, a Flexible 2-Day Pass at NT$2,500 / NT$1,250, or a one-way standard discount of 15% (adult) / 50% (child). Worked examples against point-to-point fares are on the hub page.

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Comparing THSR with the regular railway? How TRA booking works · THSR vs TRA verdicts.