TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) and New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) took a test ride on the Wanda-Zhonghe-Shulin MRT line on Monday as the first phase of the project reached 85.6% completion.
The two mayors praised the engineering team for years of work on the project. Officials said the line has entered the system integration and verification stage after completing most of its civil engineering work, per a press release.
Chiang said the new line will significantly reduce travel times between the two municipalities. Once operational, the line will shorten the trip between Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station and Zhonghe Senior High School Station by about 14 minutes, reducing a journey that currently takes more than 40 minutes.
Taipei’s Department of Rapid Transit Systems said testing will expand across the entire route, verifying the performance of trains, power supply systems, signaling, communications equipment, and platform doors. The agency said testing is expected to continue through next year, with the first phase of the line scheduled for completion by the end of 2027.
DORTS also said eight transit-oriented development projects, including those at the Jincheng Depot and Juguang Station, have attracted more than NT$50 billion (US$1.6 billion) in investment. Planning, design, and construction for the joint development projects are underway and are expected to improve surrounding neighborhoods once completed, per a press release.
The department said electric multiple-unit trains have begun arriving at Jincheng Depot, with all 19 trains expected to arrive by the end of the year. Officials are continuing operational and systems testing as additional trains are delivered.
DORTS said it will continue working to keep station construction on schedule while maintaining safety during the gradual removal of construction barriers later this year and minimizing disruptions to traffic.
