Taipei - A Taiwanese civic group and the Taiwan Railway Administration launched a special train Saturday to take students home to their mothers on the eve of Mother's Day.

President Ma Ying-jeou presided over the launch ceremony of the Mother's Day Train event at the Taipei Railway Station.

"Give your mother a hug, a big and strong hug, because love is not only a noun, it is also a verb," he said.

"The older mothers grow, the greater is their need to feel needed. So we should show our love for our mother," Ma said.

The five-carriage train left the Taipei Railway Station about 8:30 am (0030 GMT) on its southbound journey, stopping at four stations to drop off and pick up students.

It arrived at Kaohsiung, in southern Taiwan, at 3 pm.

The Maria Social Welfare Foundation and the Taiwan Railway Administration held the event so that students who live in south Taiwan, but attend universities in north Taiwan, can go home for Mother's Day.

The students who rode the train only had to pay a symbolic fare of 100 Taiwan dollars (three US dollars) each.

During the journey, the Maria Social Welfare Foundation organized singing, cake-making, photograph-taking and other activities to let the students express their love for their mothers. (dpa)