Transportation

Taipei Metro’s New Red Line Terminal Opens After 10-Year Build

Published

By Patrick Chen/Irene Lin

Open in App

Taipei Metro’s Red Line has officially extended one stop past Xiangshan Station as the new Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station welcomes its first passengers. Built over a decade through challenging underground terrain, the 10-story deep station offers improved transit connectivity for residents and visitors heading to the nearby temples and hills.

A new Taipei metro station... packed with first-time riders on Sunday...

They’ve come to check out the new red line terminal... Guangci Fengtian Temple station... connecting popular destinations such as Taipei 101, Taipei Main Station and Tamsui district.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an says it was the most difficult metro line construction yet in the city’s history.

CHIANG WAN-AN, TAIPEI MAYOR: "No matter how hard construction was we never gave up. We overcame all challenges. While progress couldn’t wait we never skipped on construction quality. Now, we hand over the station to our citizens. The credit doesn’t belong to any single person. It belongs to everyone who took up the baton."

The team says construction for the 10-story underground terminal faced unforeseen challenges.

The earth above it was too soft... and underneath it was a layer of hard bedrock.

It was also built under a busy and narrow street in the area.

It took years of negotiating with nearby residents for work to even begin.

But after a decade of construction and months of final testing... the station is finally ready to welcome passengers.

24 hours after the Guangci Fengtian Temple Station opened … riders are coming in and out. Locals had waited 10 years for the extended line to reach their neighborhood.

People from around the city say they’re enjoying the convenience it offers.

TAIPEI HIKER:
"I go hiking every morning. I thought, because this station just opened yesterday just one stop away from Xiangshan Station we would go check out a hiking trail near Fengtian Temple."

TAIPEI RESIDENT:
"It’s more convenient for nearby residents. Before, the line only reached Xiangshan. Because Guangci Charity Park Social Housing is here there’s a need for better transportation links so I think this is going to benefit people."

Taipei Metro said it expects heavy passenger traffic on Monday... as students go back to school.

HU CHENG-LUN, TAIPEI RAPID TRANSIT CORPORATION:
"On the first day of school we’ve prepared to deploy additional personnel around the station to help manage passenger flow."

With the new station now in full service... Taipei officials and locals hope it will improve daily commutes and help welcome more visitors to this hilly neighborhood.