19 April 2018 (Thursday)
My reason for booking a 9:00 a.m. train was to allow myself time to look for a nice breakfast before leaving. However, businesses started late in Taipei at about 10:00 a.m. I could not find traditional breakfasts around Chia Rong Hostel and ended up at 7-11.
After breakfast, I went back to the hostel to pack. I checked out of the hostel by 7:30 a.m. and went straight to Taipei Main Station to the TRA train station. I was too early.
At the station, I saw some people who entered the departure area without using the Easycard. Most passengers were however using their EasyCard at the turnstiles. I entered using my EasyCard too. It was at that time that I began wondering why I was using EasyCard. It dawned on me that if I entered the departure area using EasyCard, then the system would only be able to deduct the fare after I exited in Hualien. It did not make sense since I have the TRA train tickets to Hualien.
Down at Platform 4B, there were not many people around at that hour. People started streaming in little by little. While waiting for the train to arrive, I had an urge to use the toilet but could not find one at the platforms. I have to exit the platforms. Naturally, I used the EasyCard. That completed the entry and exit cycle of the EasyCard.
On re-entering the departure area again, I used the TRA ticket this time. I showed my ticket to the ticket inspector standing beside the turnstiles. He waved me through.
On the internet, there were no detail resources on how to get to the TRA train platform. Before experiencing it myself, I was not sure whether it would be at Level 2 or Level 1 or the basement levels, etc. Only one blogger mentioned that she went to Platform 4 and there were no other details.
For the benefit of readers, when you are at Taipei Main Station main hall (that very large empty hall where you find people sitting on the floor), you are at street level. From your train ticket, identify your train number. Look for the corresponding train number on the display board at the main hall. From there, you would be able to know your platform number.
Then, look for the colourful train schedule boards (green, red, orange display in the photo below) outside Taipei Main Station main hall. Take the escalator to go one level down.
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| Only the TRA train schedule boards have this colourful electronic display. There are two such electronic boards at either ends of the entrances to TRA departure hall |
Now, you will be at basement level 1 or B1 level. Enter the departure hall. There are two sides with departure gates to the different destinations. Look for your platform number. For Hualien, the platform would be "4". Then, look at your Car number. If you are like me on Car 5, then look for "4" in big blue sign and look for the smaller print in black "1 - 7" beneath the "4". Use the turnstile on this side of the hall and enter by showing your train ticket to the train inspector and walk to Gate "4". Take the escalator down another level. You are now at the train platform at basement level 2, i.e. B2. "A" and "B" refer to the platforms, which are basically either sides of the platforms.
Tze-Chiang train was late by 2 minutes. I thought that this train would only stop at a few stations on the way to Hualien. Instead, it stopped at almost every train station. The whole journey, instead of two hours took three hours and ten minutes. I would miss my 12:00 noon shuttle bus no. 1133A from Hualien bus station to Taroko Gorge.
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