By KHT Staff. Images via Facebook.
KAOHSIUNG — Two more pieces of the long-running Kaohsiung Station (高雄車站) redevelopment appear to be moving forward, with restoration funding reportedly secured for the historic 1941 Imperial Crown-style station building and planning advancing for underground pedestrian links north and south of the station block.
The civic Facebook page 高雄好過日 (@takaogooday) reported that NT$150 million has been secured for the restoration of the Imperial Crown-style old station building (帝冠車站), with the Kaohsiung City Bureau of Cultural Affairs (高雄市政府文化局) expected to handle the project on behalf of Taiwan Railway Corp. The project is expected to be tendered as early as July, with restoration taking about 18 months to two years and possible completion in 2028, according to the post. The restoration funding and timeline were also reported by Yahoo News, citing local reporting.
The old station building is one of Kaohsiung Station’s most visible historic elements, but it has remained closed because of its condition and the complexity of the wider station redevelopment.
The same post said the Railway Bureau (鐵道局) has begun preparing tender review work for design and supervision services for new underground passages at Bo-ai Road and Jiuru Road (博愛路、九如路) to the north, and Jhongshan Road and Jianguo Road (中山路、建國路) to the south. The goal would be to let pedestrians move underground beyond the station block and connect more directly with the surrounding commercial areas.
The developments come as the station’s commercial side is also taking shape. Global Mall (環球購物中心) signed with Taiwan Railway Corp. in April to operate the Kaohsiung Station commercial building and related retail space, with the project expected to become TRA’s first major landmark-style station mall and to open around late 2027. Reports said the commercial space covers about 16,000 ping and is part of the broader station redevelopment tied to the city’s railway undergrounding project.
