Text by / MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network Editorial Team
The Taoyuan Airport MRT, originally scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2015, has now been confirmed to miss its deadline. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced on the 18th that the MRT line will not open as planned by year-end, and is now expected to begin service after the Lunar New Year in 2016 but before the end of March. The exact opening date will be announced after discussions among experts and scholars.
Taoyuan MRT trains will come in blue and purple, distinguished as express and regular services. (Image source / My New Taipei City)
Recently, the Airport MRT project has faced setbacks due to Typhoon Soudelor, including water accumulation at Taipei Main Station’s A1 platform and a construction vehicle derailment on the 17th. Out of safety concerns, Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Jian-yu, during an inspection of the Chaozhou Rolling Stock Depot, confirmed that the Airport MRT will not open on schedule. The line still requires system integration testing, pre-operational running tests, and simulation drills. Both phases must achieve a reliability rate of over 99% for seven consecutive days before preliminary and final inspections can take place. Currently, due to water accumulation and the vehicle derailment, a task force is conducting a full inspection. The official opening date can only be assessed after identifying and resolving the issues.
Taoyuan MRT network map. (Image source / Taoyuan MRT)
Airport MRT
The Airport MRT runs from Taipei Main Station southward through Taoyuan International Airport to Taoyuan Zhongli Railway Station. Along the way, it stops at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Airport Terminals 1, 2, and 3, Airport Hotel, and High-Speed Rail, among others, totaling 22 stations over a 51-kilometer route. Trains come in two colors and types: purple express trains and blue regular trains. Express trains depart from Taipei Main Station and make only select stops in urban areas and at the airport, reaching Terminal 1 in just 35 minutes. Blue regular trains stop at every station and take about 70 minutes to reach Terminal 1. In the future, both types of trains will operate alternately, with an average frequency of one train every five minutes.
Proposed cap on duty-free cigarettes: max 19 per pack, none allowed otherwise
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