By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — Three major Kaohsiung MRT projects are running ahead of schedule, as the city continues expanding its rail network beyond the completed Circular Light Rail, the Kaohsiung MRT Bureau said.
As of early July, the second phase of the Gangshan-Lujhu extension (岡山路竹延伸線) was 28.53% complete, 2.94 percentage points ahead of schedule.
The Yellow Line was 12.71% complete, 1.64 percentage points ahead of schedule, while the Siaogang-Linyuan Line (小港林園線) was 15.43% complete, 1.9 percentage points ahead of schedule.
The city’s current four-line rail expansion includes the Circular Light Rail, which began full-loop service on Jan. 1, 2024, along with the three MRT projects still under construction.
The second phase of the Gangshan-Lujhu extension is scheduled to open in stages between 2029 and 2031.
The Yellow Line is targeted for partial opening in 2032 and full opening in 2034, while the Siaogang-Linyuan Line is scheduled to open in 2034.
The MRT Bureau said the projects had previously been affected by rising raw material prices and other broader construction pressures, but work at the sites has continued to move forward.
Officials said the progress shows that major transport projects have not slowed during Mayor Chen Chi-mai’s (陳其邁) final year in office.
Ridership on completed rail sections has also continued to grow.
The Circular Light Rail carried more than 13 million passengers last year, setting a new annual record. In the first half of this year, it carried 7.21 million passengers, also a record for the same period.
Chen has said the light rail was once criticized as a project few people would use, but rising passenger numbers have now forced the city to consider purchasing additional vehicles.
The first phase of the Gangshan-Lujhu extension, including RK1 Gangshan Station, opened in June 2024.
The station recorded 737,000 passenger trips in the first half of this year, up more than 10% from 666,000 during the same period last year, the city said.
