The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) on Thursday approved plans for the Tainan MRT, which is slated to start construction in 2026 and commence operations in 2031.
The ministry’s committee convened to review the initial phase of the Tainan MRT Blue Line — which would connect the city’s railway network and technology park — and approved the MRT system design, cost, route, evacuation planning and other details, the Tainan Bureau of Transportation said, adding that the Tainan City Government would revise the plans and submit a final proposal to the ministry, which it then would submit to the Executive Yuan for further assessment.
The Blue Line would be a cornerstone of the city’s MRT network, with future lines connecting key areas, bolstering Tainan’s status as a technological hub, Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) said.
Photo courtesy of the Tainan Style Facebook group
It is to span 8.93km and traverse Yongkang (永康), East (東區) and Rende (仁德) districts, featuring 10 stations and a maintenance facility, Bureau Director-General Wang Ming-te (王銘德) said, adding that the project also passed a review by a Ministry of Environment task force on Feb. 23.
He also said that the ministry plans to hold a review meeting to discuss the future development of the Dark Green, Red and Green lines in the city, aiming to enhance Tainan’s MRT infrastructure.
Foreign tourists who purchase a seven-day Taiwan Pass are to get a second one free of charge as part of a government bid to boost tourism, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. A pair of Taiwan Passes is priced at NT$5,000 (US$156.44), an agency staff member said, adding that the passes can be used separately. The pass can be used in many of Taiwan’s major cities and to travel to several tourist resorts. It expires seven days after it is first used. The pass is a three-in-one package covering the high-speed rail system, mass rapid transport (MRT) services and the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle services,
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