TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. (THSRC) plans to extend its southern route to Pingtung County, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) announced on Sunday (Jan. 10).

As part of an effort to boost competitiveness in southern Taiwan, THSRC will extend service from Kaohsiung to Pingtung as well as set up a science park around the new high-speed rail station, CNA cited Su as saying. The premier added that bidding will begin in April for construction of the 17.5-km line to Pingtung, which will replace Kaohsiung’s Zuoying station as the last southbound stop and connect with Liukuaicuo Station on the Taiwan Railways Administration's (TRA) Pingtung line.

The extension is expected to be ready for operations in 2029. Travel time between Taipei and Pingtung will be pared from 124 minutes to 104, with no transfers needed, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

In addition to the new high-speed extension, a 273-hectare zone will be established around the future Pingtung station for the development of technology. The science park will focus on agriculture, health, and software engineering, according to Science and Technology Minister Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠).