Is Spending $40 Billion on Extending the High-Speed Rail to Yilan Really Necessary? Former DPP Aide Supports Chang Ching-sen: This Alternative Plan Saves Half the Cost and Is Faster

The Executive Yuan recently approved the plan to extend the high-speed rail (HSR) to Yilan. Former Minister without Portfolio Chang Ching-sen strongly criticized the decision, calling it 'spending nearly NT$400 billion to build a useless dead-end rail line,' and even threatened to leave his party. His outspoken remarks have sparked debate among DPP supporters.

In response, former DPP aide Chou I-cheng posted on Facebook supporting Chang's position, going against the prevailing political wind. He stated that the Executive Yuan has confused policy goals with implementation tools, using the 'four 90-minute connections' vision as a shield to justify the HSR extension while avoiding a substantive comparison with alternative solutions. A reevaluation is necessary, he emphasized.

The Executive Yuan recently approved the HSR extension to Yilan, with a total budget of NT$352.1 billion. Construction is expected to begin as early as 2029, with completion targeted for 2036. The travel time from Nangang to Yilan is projected to be just 20 minutes. In response, Chang Ching-sen recently posted on Facebook, criticizing the Executive Yuan for approving a nearly NT$400 billion budget to build a 'useless dead-end HSR line' for electoral gains, and even hinted at leaving the party.

The Executive Yuan Confuses Policy Goals with Tools: '90 Minutes from Taipei to Hualien' Doesn't Require HSR

Chou I-cheng stated that he supports Chang Ching-sen's position and believes the Executive Yuan should reexamine its decision on the HSR extension to Yilan. From a national-level planning perspective, the Executive Yuan promotes the so-called 'four 90-minute connections' as a broad vision. However, Chou argues that even if one accepts this goal, achieving '90 minutes from Taipei to Hualien' does not necessarily require HSR extension. Direct rail upgrades and speed improvements could also achieve the 'four 90-minute' targets.

Chou pointed out that the Executive Yuan has packaged the 'HSR extension to Yilan' as part of the 'Four 90-Minute Island-Wide Efficient Rail Network' vision. This vision includes: Taipei to Kaohsiung in 90 minutes, Kaohsiung to Taitung in 90 minutes, Taitung to Hualien in 90 minutes, and Hualien to Taipei in 90 minutes. Among these, 'Hualien to Taipei in 90 minutes' has been used to justify the HSR extension to Yilan. However, Chou emphasized that even if one accepts the 'four 90-minute' goal, achieving '90 minutes from Taipei to Hualien' does not have to rely solely on HSR extension.

Taiwan Railway Realignment Could Cut Costs by Two-Thirds: Taipei to Hualien in 70 Minutes—Faster Than HSR

Chou mentioned that Chang Ching-sen previously pointed out that during former Premier Yu Shyi-kun's tenure, the division of railway roles between western and eastern Taiwan was already established: the western corridor should be served by HSR, while the eastern corridor should be improved through TRA speed upgrades. The specific approach involves realigning the Taipei-Yilan section, eliminating level crossings (via viaducts), and structurally reserving space for international standard gauge (broad gauge), enabling train speeds to exceed 160 km/h. This could shorten the travel time from Taipei to Hualien to 70–80 minutes—faster than the currently planned 90 minutes—while the cost would be only one-half to one-third of the HSR project.

Chou emphasized that while the 'four 90-minute' vision may be a good policy goal, it does not necessarily require an HSR construction project. The goal is '90 minutes from Taipei to Hualien,' but whether to achieve it via HSR or TRA speed upgrades is a matter of choosing the right tool. The Executive Yuan has conflated goal with means, using the 'four 90-minute' vision as a shield to justify the HSR extension to Yilan, thereby avoiding a substantive comparison with alternative options. Reexamination is necessary.

More notably, even the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) has subtly shifted its messaging. Chang observed that 'now even the MOTC no longer strongly claims that the HSR can solve Yilan's transportation problems,' instead reframing it as 'part of the Four 90-Minute Island-Wide Efficient Rail Network.' This shift in narrative strategy precisely indicates that the HSR extension to Yilan is insufficient in addressing the original goal of 'solving northern Yilan transportation issues,' forcing a change in justification. Reexamination is necessary.