Ingin tahu bagaimana caranya ber-backpacking keliling Taiwan dengan (cukup) nyaman dan murah meriah? Nah, salah satu caranya adalah dengan TR Pass. Apa itu TR Pass? TR (Taiwan Railway) Pass adalah salah satu fasilitas yang disediakan oleh Taiwan Railway Company untuk memberikan kesempatan kepada para (khususnya) mahasiswa lokal dan asing/ internasional untuk berkeliling Taiwan dengan menggunakan kereta api.
TR Pass ini sangat membantu bagi para low-cost backpacker/ traveler untuk menyambangi berbagai tempat di seantero Taiwan. Cukup dengan (sekitar) Rp 250.000 rupiah, kita bisa menaiki kereta sepuasnya selama 5 hari (*hanya kereta jenis tertentu tapinya).
Tapi, ada harga, ada barang. Maksudnya, karena harganya tergolong murah banget, fasilitas yang didapatkan tidak seleluasa penumpang reguler. Tidak semua jenis kereta bisa dinaiki (hanya terbatas kereta lokal, Fu Hsing Semi express dan Chu Kuang saja). Untuk kereta jenis yang cepat (Tze Chiang) dan super cepat (THSR – macam shinkansen), tidak termasuk dalam TR Pass.
Selain itu, kalau lagi peak season alias kereta penuh, ya mau gak mau harus siap dengan konsekuensi no-seat alias gak duduk. Kalau pas rejeki, Alhamdulillah bisa duduk nyaman. Tapi kalau nggak, ya terpaksa berdiri. hehehe…. Pas saya pergi dari Taipei ke Taitung, saya terpaksa ngelesot dan tidur over-night di lantai (Alhamdulillah pas sedia sajadah untuk duduk). But, overall, TR Pass ini sangat ngebantu banget untuk menekan budget.
Pas libur musim panas 2014 (bulan Agustus), saya menyempatkan diri untuk solo traveling ke beberapa kota di Taiwan. Saya belinya yang 5-day pass aja (kalo kelamaan, gempor juga ^^”). Berikut itinerary saya saat keliling Taiwan dengan TR Pass Student:
Sabtu, 16 Agustus 2014: Taipei – Taitung
- Berangkat dari Taipei ke Taitung jam 23.30
- Overnight sleep di kereta
Ahad, 17 Agustus 2014: Taitung – Kaohsiung
- Sampai Taitung jam 05.30.
- Lanjut kereta dari Taitung ke Kaohsiung jam 06.14 – 10.20
- Istirahat di rumah kawan
- Keliling Kota Kaohsiung (Lotus Pond)
- Menginap di rumah kawan orang Taiwan
Senin, 18 Agustus 2014: Kaohsiung – Chiayi
- Jalan-jalan bersama keluarga kawan ke Fo Guang Shan – Buddhist Monastery
- Perjalanan kereta dari Kaohsiung ke Chiayi jam 17.16 – 19.34.
- Menginap di Chiayi Assemble! Backpacker Hostel (Deket stasiun)
Selasa, 19 Agustus 2014: Chiayi – Alishan – Taipei
- Ke Alishan naik bus pagi dari stasiun jam 06.10 – 08.10
- Keliling Alishan dan hiking di hutan sampai jam 13.30
- Kembali ke Chiayi dengan bus jam 14.00
- Kereta kembali ke Taipei jam 16.48 – 21.54
Untuk memudahkan penyusunan itinerary, berikut link untuk tahu jadwal kereta di Taiwan dan juga jenis keretanya: Taiwan Railway – Train Schedule
En berikut di bawah ini saya copaskan informasi tentang TR PASS dari: TR Pass Information
The validity period of pass usage：
- Foreign student: every day.
- Domestic student (termasuk mahasiswa asing yang kuliah di Taiwan):
- Winter period：15th January ~ 15th March.
- Summer period：15th June ~ 15th September.
Type and price：
- 5-day pass: $599 (sekitar Rp 250.000,-)
- 7-day pass: $799 (sekitar Rp 330.000,-)
- 10-day pass: $1,098 (Only foreign student permit – ISIC Card ato Student ID) (sekitar Rp 450.000,-)
Type/Group:
- Domestic student: 5-day pass and 7-day pass only (permit to purchase on winter/ summer vacation)
- Foreign student: 5, 7 and 10-day pass (permit to purchase every day)
Train accommodations:
During its period of validity it can be used for an unlimited number of journeys on Chu Kuang Express, Fu Hsing Semi-express or local trains.
Points of Sale for the TR-Pass (Student)：
Taitung、Yuli、Shoufeng、Zhixue、Ji’an、Hualien、Xincheng、Su’ao、Luodong、Yilan、Jiaoxi、Toucheng、Fulong、Ruifang、Keelung、Badu、Qidu、Xizhi、Nangang Songshan、Taipei、Wanhua、Banqiao、Shulin、Shanjia、Yingge、Taoyuan、Neili、Zhongli、Puxin、Yangmei、Hukou、Xinfeng、Zhubei、Hsinchu、Zhunan、Houlong、Tongxiao、Yuanli、Dajia、Shalu、Miaoli、Sanyi、Houli、Fengyuan、Tanzi、Taichung、Xinwuri、Changhua、Yuanlin、Tianzhong、Ershui、Douliu、Dounan、Dalin、Minxiong、Chiayi、Xinying、Longtian、Shanhua、Xinshi、Yongkang、Tainan、Bao’an、Zhongzhou、Dahu、Luzhu、Gangshan、Nanzi、Xinzuoying、Kaohsiung、Fengshan、Pingtung、Chaozhou、Fangliao.
Credentials：
1. Foreign student：
(1) Passport (Must)
(2) International Student Identity Card (ISIC) or The Youth Travel Card (international version, red version) published by YDA, Ministry of Education, Taiwan. (choose one)
Note：
The Youth Travel Card (National version) is forbidden.
Foreign student visiting Taiwan from abroad for sight-seeing.
2. Domestic student: (the same as Chinese version)
The period of sale：
- Foreign student: 7 days before a starting date. (Example: A starting date is 7th July, you can purchase the pass during 1st July to 7th July).
- Domestic student: 3 days before a starting date. (Example: A starting date is 7th July, you can purchase the pass during 5th July to 7th July).
Note:
If the passage takes the train with forbid pass, it will be regarded as travelling without a valid ticket and pay the excess fare with penalty.
Remark：
The TR-PASS (student version) is not valid for any seats on Tze-Chiang Limited Express (Including “TAROKO” and “PUYUMA” Limited Express), if you must be take Tze-Chiang Limited Express, should purchase other ticket.
The conditions of use：
1. During its period of validity it can be used for an unlimited number of journeys on Chu Kuang Express, Fu Hsing Semi-express or local trains. It cannot be used to travel on tourist trains, group e trains, special trains, cruise type trains or other trains designated by TRA. (These train numbers are showed on TRA’s website.) If the pass holder takes any of these trains it will be regarded as travelling without a valid ticket.
2. Seats will not be allocated on Chu Kuang Express, Fu Hsing Semi-express trains.
3. It is void without the name on the cover. The name must be writing on the train pass cover and the same as that of person using it. Please carry your student ID during the journey for inspection by station staff or train masters.
4. The expiry date of the pass cannot be changed. If trains do not run because of force majeure, for example a typhoon, the pass can be choose one of methods as following after verification by station staff or train masters.
(1) The ticket can be extended for one day.
(2) The value of unused period can be refunded.
5. If the record on the train pass cover is altered the pass will be rendered invalid and the ticked taken back.
6. Because there is no restriction on the numbers of journeys or sections, this pass cannot be returned after it is purchased. It also does not qualify for the TRA train delay compensation scheme.
7. This pass will not be replace if it is lost or stolen, so please take good care of it.
8. Don’t lean against the door and stand or sit at entrance.
9. Other matters not mentioned will be dealt with according to TRA regulations. The integral regulations show on the website.(http://www.railway.gov.tw/en/)
10. The Traditional Chinese edition of these conditions shall have precedence over translations into other languages, which are made for convenience.
The forbidden list of trains with TR-PASS (student version)：
- Train type Train Number Note
Tourist trains 1、2、51、52 All class is forbidden.
Group trains 71、74、73、72 All class is forbidden.
others 606、655、607、751 Business class is forbidden.
All special trains, cruise type trains are forbidden.
