Random HSR question (two legs of same train)

So this is a question asked out of laziness.

My employer pays for me to commute once a week for a meeting (let’s say Taipei to Taizhong), but in the morning I want to stop farther on (say Changhua). Can I buy two tickets for the same train? (Taipei–>Taizhong + Taizhong–>Changhua). How does that affect the putting your little paper ticket through? In theory I could get off in Taizhong, buy another ticket and then get on the next train, but obviously I’d prefer to make this faster.

You can take the same train with the 2 tickets. However, in Changhua you probably will not be able to exit through the gate. Show the 2 tickets to the staff at the gate and they will let you out. I think I did it like this once.

1 Like

Yes, that’s how this works. I’ve been doing this frequently.

The tickets for the two legs can be bought at the service counter. For official purposes a "購票證明” certificate is often more convenient for companies/universities/government. The service personnel are usually quite obliging. For example, I have grown accustomed to business class and now only sit in car 6 :sweat_smile:. However, the MOE refunds only regular tickets. I can usually buy a regular ticket, ask the staff to write up a simple 購票證明, then upgrade.

I would think it easier to ask your employer to buy the ticket you really want and you pay back the difference.

In my experience, Taiwanese (well any nationality) pencil pushers cringe at this method. Accounting software would require triple effort to process that “simple” way. A single, official document with a sum total travel expense, on the other hand, halves the data entry.

Yup, I know when in comes to dealing with Finance or HR there are 2 options, easier for the company or easier for the employee, with only 1 possible outcome. HR really means ‘human restriction’

2 Likes

Good one! Or if you really screw up “horrendous retribution” (oh, we forgot your withholding tax rate!).

2 Likes