Taiwan Railways adjusts blacklist policy: Number of non-payments increased to 6 times, effective starting April 2025

Taiwan Railways Administration will relax the criteria for blacklisting unpaid bookings from three instances within a month to six, starting April 14, 2025, excluding orders that have been completed with online payment. This adjustment is made because the rate of overdue ticket collections has dropped to 9.2% and considering that passengers may unintentionally violate the rules. The new measure aims to improve the flexibility and fairness of the booking system, ensuring the effective utilization of seat resources.

Blacklist Standard Relaxed to 6 Unpaid Bookings

According to the latest announcement from Taiwan Railways, starting April 14, 2025, passengers who accumulate six unpaid bookings within a month will be added to the blacklist and suspended from booking for one month. Compared to the previous rule where only three unpaid bookings would result in suspension, this adjustment significantly relaxes the standard. Taiwan Railways emphasizes that orders with completed online payments will not be counted as unpaid.

Additionally, for passengers who were under suspension before the new policy takes effect, Taiwan Railways states that once their suspension period ends, their status will be recalculated according to the new rules to determine if they should be added to the blacklist. If a passenger's unpaid record occurred before the new policy is implemented, the system will still include it in the calculation.

Background Data: Significant Drop in Rate of Overdue Ticket Pick-up

One of the key reasons for Taiwan Railways' policy adjustment is the significant drop in the rate of overdue ticket pick-up. According to Taiwan Railways' statistics, over the past five years, the rate has decreased from 30.9% in 2019 to 9.2% in 2024. This data indicates a clear improvement in overall passenger booking behavior, with a substantial reduction in the proportion of invalid orders.

Further analysis shows that most unpaid bookings occur within three days before the travel date, with a peak from Friday to Sunday, indicating that short-distance travelers, especially weekday commuters, are less likely to leave tickets uncollected. This also reflects the increasing efficiency of Taiwan Railways' booking system in meeting short-distance transportation needs.

Consideration for Non-Malicious Violations and Passenger Flexibility

Taiwan Railways points out that while the previous suspension mechanism helped curb invalid orders, it may have inconvenienced some passengers who did not violate the rules maliciously. Particularly, foreign travelers or those who book frequently might be unfamiliar with the rules, face language barriers, or have sudden itinerary changes, leading to unpaid bookings and subsequent being added to the blacklist.

Therefore, this policy adjustment aims to reduce the impact on such passengers and enhance the system's flexibility and fairness. Taiwan Railways also emphasizes that the original intent of the suspension mechanism is to ensure the effective use of seat resources and prevent unpaid or uncollected bookings from affecting other passengers' booking rights.

New Trains and Booking System Upgrades Support Policy Adjustment

In addition to improved passenger behavior, Taiwan Railways also notes that with the introduction of new intercity trains, overall capacity has significantly increased. Along with extending the booking period to over 28 days, passengers have more flexibility in planning their trips, reducing unpaid situations due to time pressure.

These system and hardware upgrades provide favorable conditions for this policy adjustment. Taiwan Railways states that it will continue to monitor passenger booking behavior and system operations, reviewing relevant regulations in a timely manner to balance operational efficiency and passenger rights.

Taiwan Railways Reminds Passengers: Pay or Cancel Bookings Promptly

Taiwan Railways reminds passengers to complete payment or cancel bookings within the specified period after booking to avoid being added to the system's blacklist. Even under the new policy, while the tolerance for unpaid bookings has increased, accumulating six unpaid bookings will still result in suspension.

Taiwan Railways also urges passengers to take advantage of online payment options to avoid forgetting to pay or last-minute changes that could affect their booking rights. In the future, Taiwan Railways will continue to optimize the booking process and reminder mechanisms to help passengers complete their bookings and payments more smoothly.