username

Not sure how many people use the service and not sure why they are discontinuing it...THSR = Taiwan High Speed Rail.

http://www.evaair.com/zh-tw/flight-i...erminated.html is the Chinese version.

Lulu Chen

never used it, it's not like HKIA where the airport express takes you direct to the airport, so it's not a major loss for many travelers.

lolstebbo

Yeah, I never really understood the point of the THSR check-in stations since it's not a particularly long bus ride to the airport from the station.

coolfish1103

With the Airport Express being ready to service end of this year, there's probably really no need to keep the THSR check in at Taoyuan. They might as well have check ins at the Airport Express station at Taipei Main Station or other THSR stations south of Hsinchu...

lolstebbo

Isn't that the plan?

coolfish1103

Not sure. Have not heard about it.

oldtimer

I used the services whenever I fly EVA. It is convenient to unload the baggage at the Taoyuan check-in counter so that one doesn't have to drag the baggage onto the shuttle. As it stands, there is just not enough room in the shuttle to carry the baggage for other airlines. I would say this is short-sighted; however, I agree that it would not serve much purpose if and when the Airport Express starts running. Anybody knows the official commencement date of the Airport Express?

I also used the CI check-in counter at Taoyuan station, when I fly CI and other Skyteam member airlines.

username

The benefit is definitely not having to drag your bags. Of course, some would rather do that than trusting the airline to take the bags

The long delayed Airport Express is now expected to open from Taipei Downtown to TPE the end of 2015 (that is not a typo, next year)! It is crazy how long it has taken.

Then...it is expected to be a 35 minute trip on the most direct train (that makes the least number of stops). Now you can take the bus in about an hour and it gets you to various parts of Taipei. So, I wonder how much gain there is really going to be for many.

bzcat

The construction time is pretty reasonable by first world standards. Taiwan is not some banana republic where the Govt can just take your property and start digging a hole in the ground and ignore any environmental issues. It's also standard to run the train for several months at full schedule for testing before you start revenue service.

I haven't pay that much attention to the design of the Airport line... but from what you described, it has express tracks that allow trains to bypass some stations? That would be good.

The advantage of the airport train would be of course that you are already in the MRT system so it will make transfer to other parts of Taipei much easier. The highway bus does take you to various destinations in the main city area but if you want to go to the suburbs (e.g. Tianmu), you still have to take the MRT or taxi once you get off the highway bus.

lolstebbo

Kinda. The Taipei station for the Airport line is located somewhere between Taipei Main Station and (future) Beimen station; you'll still need to exit the MRT to get into the Airport line since the Airport line is run by a separate authority. The same would apply to other transfer stations on the Airport line, I believe.

username

Well, there is a long long long story to the Airport Express and it is really typical of public projects in Taiwan - delays, political influences, contractor disputes, delays and corruption.

No one could have followed this closely as that would have been a full time job. The Taiwanese media generally do exposes on easy targets but really don't get down to the bottom of anything. So, who knows.

My understanding is that:

1 - multiple changes in approach - BOT/government/semi-government...
2 - station = higher property value. So, it was a long long time before they settled all the stations/route - plenty of behind the scenes stuff
3 - they ended up with too many stations
4 - there are only 2 tracks
5 - somehow they will have both local and express trains
6 - was supposed to be done in 2013 (and I think that was already a delayed date). Now end of 2015
7 - some stuff need to be re-worked and there is dispute with the contractor

Like all these new things in Taiwan, there is a lot of skeptism in the beginning. Many (like the Taipei MRT and TSHR) work out and now people can't do without them. So, hopefully this one works out too.

The Taipei Main Station complex is a huge maze and there are a lot of ups and downs. I hope this part will be easier for dragging suitcases. If it is not anything like Hong Kong, and it won't be, people will not be happy.

Stratoliner777

What?? I've used the THSR Taoyuan check-in many times. It is great--beats having to bring the bags onto the bus. EVA has always done a fantastic job bringing the bags to the plane--priority tags and all.

For those of us who are traveling from the south to TPE airport, the fact that there is an Airport Express line opening in 2015 with connection from TPE to downtown Taipei is not helpful....

I was googling but didn't find much...any details on whether there will be luggage check ins at other THSR stations?

username

The way I understood it is that there will be another rail line (Taoyuan Metro Blue Line) to T2 at TPE. Then you can take that one to the HSR Taoyuan Station and there will be bag checks at the HSR. That part also is expected to open the end of 2015.

http://www.hsr.gov.tw/homepage.nsf/8...5?OpenDocument has some information in English.

If you can read Chinese, here is a better map with the station numbers: http://www.tymetro.com.tw/DetailPage.aspx?m=5 A18 is THSR.

Stratoliner777

Thanks for the info. Taking a train from the Taoyuan HSR station to T2 is fine, probably easy to wheel luggage on and off that way.

I do wish that BR would keep the luggage checking service until 2015 though!

xtc

I wish they'd keep it until 2015 as well. Coming up from the south, I've always found the check-in service at Taoyuan THSR to be very convenient. I'll drop off the bags there, head off to the airport via bus. It was fantastic being able to bypass that line at the airport check-in counters.