Not too long ago, Taiwan unveiled the world’s first Cartoon Network-themed train featuring some of the adorable characters from the famous cartoons such as “Adventure Time”, “The Powerpuff Girls”, and so on.
However, the cartoon characters on the train will be saying goodbye to the world soon as the service for the Cartoon Network-themed train aka Cartoon Express will stop in September this year.
A Taiwanese online media outlet has reported that Cartoon Express will be taken down as the one-year contract will expire on 9th September this year.
Cartoon Express is a collaboration between Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation and Cartoon Network that transformed the latest THSR700T train into a train decorated with children’s favourite characters from series including “Adventure Time”, “The Amazing World of Gumball”, “Oggy and the Cockroaches”, “Ben 10”, and “The Powerpuff Girls”.
Regarding the collaboration, Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation’s Communication Manager Li-Wei Ou said:
Most of the train riders chose to sleep or play with their phones in the quiet passenger train; whereas Cartoon Express is constantly filled with laughter from the kids who were reluctant to leave after they saw their favourite cartoon characters in the train. Thus, this has becomes one of the most exciting moment during a train ride.
The train featured a special on-board mailbox for train riders to send Cartoon Express postcards to their loved ones. Some of the train riders would buy a cup of coffee to collect the cute coffee cup; whereas others would request to buy the train ticket where they can sit in a specific coach.
Cartoon Express has previously gained recognition in international media after a video on the making of the train was uploaded on YouTube. The video gained more than 60,000 views and some Japanese subway fans even made trips down to Taiwan to take the train ride. Seattle’s EMP Museum has even jokingly said that those who managed to buy the Cartoon Express-related merchandise will be given free tickets to visit their museum.
Before taking off the decorations, the corporation will be releasing limited edition postcards of Cartoon Express for the train riders. Train riders will be receiving the last train announcements from the voice of Adventure Time’s Jake the Dog as well.
If you think you’re going to miss out the last Cartoon Express train ride, fret not! The corporation said they might unveil a different theme for the trains due to popular demand. Plus, the Cartoon Network-themed waterpark just had its soft launch in Thailand last month!
If you can’t make it to Taiwan, the Cartoon Network-themed waterpark will always be the best alternative!
