Taipei, April 4 (CNA) Following the introduction of a "no mask, no ride" rule amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) and Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. (THSRC), the two major rail transport services providers in the country, have decided to stop selling meal boxes on train starting Sunday.

THSRC, the sole high speed rail operator in Taiwan, said Saturday that it will stop offering meal boxes, beverages and other food items on trains from Sunday, while automated vending machines on trains will also stop operations the same day.

The announcement followed a similar decision by TRA, which said Friday night that it will stop selling meal boxes, beverages and other food items on trains from Sunday.

The decisions came after the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Friday afternoon that all users of public transport must wear face masks or face a fine of up to NT$15,000 (US$496) as part of efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Under the new rules, people are advised to wear a surgical mask if they are unable to maintain a safe distance, in particular when using public transport such as buses or metro trains.

According to TRA, passengers who have booked and paid for their tickets and meal boxes on trains departing Sunday or later will be able to seek a refund for the meal.

For its part, THSRC said it will not provide its in-train magazine -- Tlife -- to minimize contact between passengers, while no hot beverage services will be offered to passengers in business class as they have to wear face masks all the way.

However, THSRC said a single snack pack and bottle of water will still be available in business class, adding passengers are advised to take the snack and bottle water with them when they leave the train.

Both TRA and THSRC said the new measures aim to observe the "no mask, no ride" rules. In addition, the two operators said they will urge passengers to follow social distancing rules which ask people to stay one meter apart outdoors and 1.5 meters indoors.

In response to the new measures, Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung told reporters that no eating on rail services will be requested in principle, but as train journeys can be long, some passengers will need to eat for health reasons.

As long as passengers who have to eat on trains complete their meals as quickly as possible, flexibility will be permitted, Lin said.

Taiwan has extended its efforts to battle the COVID-19 contagion from air to land transport so the government is paying close attention to how best to contain the spread of the virus through rail and freeway transport, Lin added.

For example, all visitors to freeway service stations have had their temperatures taken and be asked to wear masks when entering the stations, Lin said.