TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As of Wednesday (March 11), travelers who arrive from countries that Taiwan has designated as necessitating a quarantine will be fined up to NT$1 million (US$33,214) if they take mass transportation during their quarantine period.

Chi Wen-Jong (祁文中), Deputy Minister of Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC), at a press conference on Tuesday (March 10) said that starting on Wednesday, passengers arriving from high-risk countries who are under quarantine will be fined between NT$100,00 and NT$1 million if they take public transportation, reported CNA. If they do not have private transportation, they must take specially designated taxis for those who are required to begin quarantine immediately.

Travelers from countries that Taiwan has designated as having a Level-3 travel alert must first undergo a 14-day "home quarantine." Currently, these countries and areas include Communist China, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Italy, and Iran.

According to MOTC statistics, at present, nearly 1,000 passengers arrive in Taiwan from these areas every day. Although about 400 of these have relatives or friends who can pick them up, an average of 600 people require the assistance of the special taxis.

Short trips are charged by the meter, while longer trips are twice the price of a high-speed rail ticket. Passengers are required to wear a mask during the taxi ride, and drivers are supplied by the government with rubbing alcohol to disinfect their cabs before and after each journey.