Northern Taiwan Gets New Transit! Two Major Routes Opening Soon – 'Connecting Taipei, New Taipei, and Taoyuan with HSR and Airport Access Made Easy' – All Upcoming Transportation Projects This Year

Taiwan’s regional development and transportation infrastructure are entering a new milestone. The National Development Council recently announced that the government is actively strengthening the foundation of regional development through significant public investments. Starting in the second half of 2024, numerous large-scale public works projects across Taiwan will be completed or officially launched. These new facilities extend beyond mass transit networks to include industrial parks and land-sea transportation hubs, greatly enhancing service capacity across regions.

In northern Taiwan, the capital region’s public transportation network will see significant upgrades. The eastern extension of the Taipei Metro Xinyi Line and seven stations on the northern section of the Taoyuan Metro Green Line are scheduled to open progressively in the second half of this year. The launch of these two rail projects will effectively alleviate daily commuter congestion and significantly shorten travel times between regions, offering northern residents more convenient mobility options.

The Taoyuan Metro Green Line serves as a key transportation artery for the Taoyuan Aerotropolis development. Station G15a (Guolin) is located at the core of the aviation industry and is adjacent to A11 Hankou Station on the Airport MRT line. Once operational, it will enable fast connections between Taoyuan International Airport, the Taiwan High-Speed Rail Taoyuan Station, and the Taipei-New Taipei living circle, maximizing the efficiency of the rail network.

Will technology industries gain new momentum? Central Taiwan’s Er-Lin Park and Southern Taiwan’s ‘New Silicon Valley’ accelerate development

Beyond transportation for daily life, industrial infrastructure is also achieving substantial breakthroughs in the second half of the year. According to the NDC, the first phase of standardized factories at the Central Taiwan Science Park’s Er-Lin园区 is expected to officially commence operations in the second half of 2024, effectively boosting R&D and production capacity in the tech sector. To simultaneously improve regional traffic flow, the rerouting project for Provincial Highway 76 west of Provincial Highway 19 will be completed soon, significantly improving regional traffic efficiency and logistics smoothness.

Southern Taiwan’s Chiayi-Tainan-Kaohsiung-Pingtung region continues advancing toward its goal of becoming the 'Greater Southern New Silicon Valley.' In terms of road and rail network upgrades, the addition of the Beiwaihuan Interchange on National Highway No. 1 in the Tainan section is scheduled to open before the end of this year, enabling seamless connectivity between the Southern Taiwan Science Park and the Tainan metropolitan area. The much-anticipated first phase of the Tainan City Railway Underground Project is also planned to open by year-end. This project will resolve long-standing urban division caused by the railway, driving integrated development on both sides.

How will transportation change in Eastern Taiwan and outlying islands? New ports and piers to begin operation from August

Development plans for Eastern Taiwan and outlying islands are equally noteworthy. The government is continuing to advance the extension of Route 62 into Toucheng, Yilan; the connection between National Highway 5 and the Su-Hua Highway Improvement and Su-Hua Safety projects; and improvements to railways and roads in the Hualien-Taitung region. Maritime and air transport facilities in outlying and remote areas are also being upgraded to create a more comprehensive external transportation system.

Regarding maritime nodes, the Kinmen Shuitou Harbor Passenger Center and the Taitung Fugang Harbor ferry pier have already completed trial operations and are scheduled to enter formal service in August and September 2024, respectively. The activation of these port facilities will effectively optimize local tourism transportation services, providing travelers with more comfortable waiting and boarding experiences.

The National Development Council emphasized that moving forward, it will continue to prioritize balanced development across Taiwan and the six major regional industrial and living circles. Through cross-ministerial coordination and oversight mechanisms, it will ensure all related projects are completed on schedule and to high standards, fulfilling the nation’s sustainable development goals.