TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Tainan City Government on Monday presented its construction plans for the first phase of the city’s inaugural metro line.
During a meeting convened by the National Development Council (NDC) to review the proposal for Phase 1 of the Tainan Metro Blue Line, the city government outlined a timeline targeting the start of construction in late 2026, CNA reported. With the NDC’s support, the plan will be revised based on feedback from relevant agencies before being submitted to the Cabinet for final approval.
Wang Ming-te (王銘德), head of the Tainan Bureau of Transportation, said Phase 1 of the Blue Line will run along Zhonghua Road in Yongkang District, Zhonghua East Road and Dongmen Road in East District, and Zhongshan Road in Rende District. The route passes through the core of Tainan’s high-density development and connects major hospitals, schools, entertainment venues, cultural landmarks, and transportation hubs.
The line will span 8.39 kilometers, feature 10 elevated stations and one maintenance depot, and use an elevated monorail system.
To fast-track construction, Wang said basic design work has progressed in parallel with the comprehensive planning review. Interim results have already been completed, and final design approval is expected by year-end. The design will then be submitted to the Public Construction Commission to enable contract bidding and groundbreaking in 2026.
Wang added that a feasibility study for the Blue Line extension is under Cabinet review, and a comprehensive plan has been submitted to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) to align with overall project timelines.
In addition to the Blue Line, four other proposed Tainan MRT routes are at different stages of development:
- Red Line: Feasibility study submitted to the MOTC.
- Dark Green Line: Feasibility study to be submitted soon.
- Green Line: Revisions to feasibility study nearing completion.
- Yellow Line: Undergoing the bidding process for a feasibility study.
Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) noted that Tainan is the only one of Taiwan’s six major cities without a metro system. He expressed gratitude to the central government for supporting the project and meeting public expectations.
Huang said the metro would improve public transportation, spur urban growth, and help transform Tainan into a cultural and tech-driven city. Final Cabinet approval of the Blue Line would mark a major milestone in the city’s development, he added.
