Many of you are looking forward to traveling abroad again once the COVID-19 crisis subsides. However, even in the best of times, travel can sometimes be stressful. For example, the experience of losing a ticket or having to buy a ticket in a hurry for public transportation in a foreign country is quite common. Sudden schedule changes can also be frustrating whether you’re travelling for business or leisure. Imagine a handy service that lets you to purchase tickets and reserve seats, and also helps you smoothly manage sudden schedule changes. Having such a service would certainly make your foreign trip more relaxing and enjoyable.
#Taiwan is a popular tourist destination known for its delicious local food and rich nature. Where would you like to visit in Taiwan? Wherever it is, Taiwan High-Speed Rail (HSR) can probably help to get you there. Taiwan HSR is a must-use convenient means of transportation for traveling between Taiwan’s major cities: gateway city Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, and Taiwan’s second-largest city Kaohsiung. Taiwan HSR comfortably connects these cities at high speed, traveling 350 km between Taipei and Kaohsiung in just 1.5 hours. It operates at high frequency with almost no delays, and holds a perfect safety record with not a single passenger fatality since opening 13 years ago. Taiwan HSR is definitely a means of transportation that you will want to use when you visit Taiwan.
Taiwan HSR tickets can be easily purchased and modified through Taiwan HSR’s app and website. Not only is it possible to flexibly change reservations on your mobile phone before payment is made, when reservations are made through Taiwan HSR's app, you can board the train by simply showing a QR code on your mobile phone to enjoy a fast, convenient and environmentally-friendly travel experience. Since there is no need to issue a printed ticket, passengers can ride the train easily and conveniently with no risk of losing their ticket. You can check out the details of the Taiwan HSR ticket-less service, "TExpress", on the following website:

Japan is another popular tourist destination known for its fascinating mix of traditional and modern culture. If you are traveling around Japan’s major cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima, it is comfortable, convenient and efficient to travel on the Tokaido Sanyo Shinkansen HSR, which connects all these destinations. This world's first HSR, inaugurated in 1964, operates up to 17 trains per hour and offers extremely punctual service with an impeccable safety record.
Tickets for the Tokaido Sanyo Shinkansen can be easily purchased through the "#SmartEX" app or website*. When you do so, you can change your reservations as many times as you like at no additional charge**. Frequent travelers know this is very different from traveling by air, where passengers are constrained by flight schedules and changes in reservations usually carry a steep fee. However, when you book a trip on the Tokaido Sanyo Shinkansen, you can flexibly change your schedule due to the Shinkansen’s high frequency and can do so for free using the Shinkansen’s easy and efficient reservation service. You can also get a discount for early booking! More details can be found on the Central Japan Railway Company "Smart EX” Online Reservation Service website:
* The Smart EX app is available in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan and Japan. (Note: In Taiwan, the app name is EXpress Ride).
** Reservations can be changed until four minutes prior to the departure time of your reserved train, provided that you have not picked up your ticket or passed through the ticket gate with an IC card.
*** A ticketless service using QR codes will start in spring 2021.

There are many interesting and appealing cities in Japan besides Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima. Most popular tourist destinations can be reached quickly and conveniently by using Shinkansen HSR. Ticket reservation services for various regions in Japan are as follows.
East Japan Railway Company: JR-East Train Reservation
West Japan Railway Company: JR-West Online Train Reservation
Kyushu Railway Company: JR-Kyushu Train Reservation

Traveling to new places provides the opportunity for fresh discoveries and makes life richer. HSR services in Taiwan, Japan and other countries will continue to be enhanced so that more people can enjoy convenient and comfortable travel. We hope the day comes soon when we can all freely enjoy traveling once again.