TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — From now on, passengers can purchase single-journey MRT tickets from a voice-operated ticketing machine at Zhongshan MRT Station.

“Passengers only need to follow on-screen instructions and say the Chinese name of the station they wish to travel to or the station’s code in English to purchase the ticket,” according to a press release published by the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC) on March 16.

The ticketing machine will operate on a trial basis for six months, after which passengers' feedback will be collected for future reference and application.

The voice-operated machine features precise speech recognition and microphones with noise-canceling technology to minimize ambient noise.

According to the TRTC, it’s easy to operate the machine by simply following the on-screen instructions. "First, touch the 'Purchase Ticket' option on the screen, and the system will enter the voice ticketing mode. Next, speak your desired station name clearly into the black microphone above the screen; follow the instructions and say the number of tickets you wish to purchase. Then confirm your purchase, and insert the money required to complete the procedure.”

For example, if foreign travelers wish to buy two tickets to Ximen MRT Station, they simply say “BL Eleven, two tickets, confirm."

For additional details, please contact the TRTC’s 24-hour customer service hotline at 02-218-12345 or the 1999 Taipei Citizen Hotline. For callers outside of Taipei, please dial 02-272-08889, or refer to the company’s official website.