TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan High Speed Rail ended its flexible early-boarding policy on Monday, requiring passengers with reserved seats to exchange tickets if taking an earlier train.

THSR introduced the rule after thousands of reserved seats went unused each month because passengers did not pass through the automatic ticket gates, per CNA. Passengers who wish to board a different train more than one hour early must first exchange their ticket.

Previously, reserved-seat passengers could take empty seats or unreserved cars on other trains by passing through manned gates, allowing more flexible travel. This practice became increasingly common during holidays and peak periods.

The situation led to wasted seats on originally booked trains and overcrowding in unreserved sections. The railway will now strictly enforce the rule, enabling freed seats to be sold to other passengers.

During the initial rollout, stations will set up dedicated counters for quick ticket exchanges. Passengers with mobile tickets can exchange them at the counter or cancel and repurchase via their phones.

Bypassing the automatic gates results in an average of more than 2,000 wasted seats per day, according to THSR. That amounts to over 60,000 unused seats per month that could have been available to other travelers.