A major new £2.8 billion underground railway line is being built in Taiwan to ease pressure on the country’s busiest line.
Construction on the new 15-mile “tube” line between New Taipei City and Taoyuan began in June 2023, but is not expected to be completed until the end of 2030.
The 17.9km route will extends from New Taipei City’s Yingge District to Taoyuan’s Pingjhen District, Railway Bureau Director-General Allen Hu said.
The project involves revamping railway stations at Taoyuan, Neili and Jhungli, and creating five new commuter stations at Fongming, Jhungli, Taoyuan General Hospital, Jhungyuan and Pingjhen, he said.
It will also include a depot, control rooms, and new signalling, lighting, and safety systems.
The Taiwanese central government is paying 75 per cent of the construction costs, with the Taoyuan City Government covering the remainder.
Temporary stations will first be built at Fongming and Pingjhen, by 2026, to allow the commuter route to continue.
The new connection is designed to relieve stress on the Western Trunk Line, which passes through both stations.
The Western Trunk Line is Taiwan’s busiest railway, carrying over 161 million passengers per year.