Hualien experiences Mid-Autumn travel rush amid calls for better infrastructure

During the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, Hualien experienced a significant surge in travelers returning home. At Hualien Station, passengers reported difficulties securing last-minute train tickets, with many advising that booking in advance via the internet or convenience stores is essential to avoid long queues and unavailability.

Taiwan Railways officials noted that while some seats remain available for north and south travel, the peak travel period is expected to occur around September 28. Station management has encouraged passengers to use multi-function automatic ticketing machines to alleviate congestion at manual service windows.

In light of the holiday travel rush, Hualien County mayoral candidate Wei Jia-xian has called for the acceleration of the Hualien-Taitung Expressway. Wei argued that current infrastructure forces residents in central and southern Hualien townships to rely heavily on Provincial Highway 9, impacting efficiency and safety. He proposed that if elected, he would establish a dedicated office to coordinate with central authorities to advance the expressway project and improve regional connectivity.