One Threads user said a room that normally costs around NT$2,000 per night appeared to rise to NT$18,000 after midnight, accusing hotels of exploiting demand and calling on city authorities to investigate.

The state-run operator said international cruise traffic has fully rebounded from the pandemic, with 567 cruise ship calls last year carrying approximately 1.16 million passengers, surpassing pre-COVID levels.

By RK Shih/Staff -Photo via Taiwanderers PINGTUNG — Once packed with tour buses and weekend crowds, Kenting is now confronting a prolonged…

Star Cruises’ “2.0” expansion includes direct Keelung-to-Japan sailings launching August 2, featuring an eight-day itinerary visiting both Tokyo and Osaka — the only cruise route in Taiwan to offer this combination. Additional routes include six-day Japan-Korea itineraries and shorter Okinawa sailings.

Advance ticket sales begin January 13 at midnight for eastern corridor reserved-seat trains, including Yilan, North-Link, South-Link, and cross-line services. Western corridor ticket sales open January 14 at midnight, with bookings available for travel through February 23. Real-name eastern corridor trains open for booking at midnight on January 15 for passengers whose ID numbers begin with U or V, registered residents of Hualien or Taitung counties, and their spouses or first-degree relatives.

Nationwide, Taiwan currently has 491 intercity bus routes, including 140 freeway routes and 351 conventional highway services , but many existing routes were planned 20 to 30 years ago and no longer match current travel patterns. The bureau is now reviewing major corridors, including Taipei–Keelung, Taipei–Taoyuan, Taipei–Taichung, Taipei–Tainan, and Taipei–Kaohsiung, to assess possible route mergers, frequency adjustments, and new stop placements.

Tainan–Kumamoto and Kaohsiung–Kumamoto routes, while a Tainan–Okinawa service has also officially launched.

Train No. 1985 will depart Nangang Station at 10:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, stopping only at Taipei and Banqiao before continuing directly to Tainan and then Zuoying. The streamlined route will cut travel time to approximately 83 minutes from Taipei to Tainan and 95 minutes to Zuoying, offering a significantly faster late-night option for travelers heading to Tainan and Kaohsiung.

By RK Shih/Staff KAOHSIUNG — Ridership on the Kaohsiung Light Rail (高雄輕軌) continued to climb in 2025 following completion of its full…

Did you know? –Drivers can register their mobile number and basic details via the official Kaohsiung traffic violation service website or by scanning a QR code provided on police or city sites. Once approved, the system will send SMS alerts as soon as a violation is confirmed.