By KHT Staff. Image shows proposed future rail network discussed by 高雄好過日, with English added by AI.
KAOHSIUNG — Proposals associated with Democratic Progressive Party mayoral candidate Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆) envisage three additional rail lines that would eventually give Kaohsiung a seven-color transit network.
In a Facebook post discussing Lai’s transport policies, civic group 高雄好過日 outlined purple, cyan and blue routes intended to complement the existing Red and Orange lines, the circular light rail and the Yellow Line now under construction.
The group described the proposals as a “rainbow” network and suggested that the three additional lines could shape development over the next 20 to 30 years. That is a long-term vision, rather than an approved construction timetable.
The Purple Line would receive priority under the proposal. The group described an initial route of approximately 25.35 kilometers with 23 stations, running from the Yellow Line’s planned Y9 station to Shu-Te University (樹德科技大學).
The city’s Mass Rapid Transit Bureau project tracker lists the Purple Line at the feasibility-study stage, under review by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. It is not yet under construction.
The proposed Cyan Line would connect Fongshan (鳳山), the Chengcing Lake area (澄清湖), Renwu (仁武) and Zuoying (左營), including a transfer to Taiwan Railways at Fongshan Station. The Blue Line would connect Zuoying’s high-speed rail station with central Kaohsiung through the Jhonghua Road corridor (中華路), continuing toward Yisin Road (一心路) and Rueilong Road (瑞隆路).
Those descriptions come from the group’s account of the proposals. They differ from the routes carrying the same colors in the bureau’s published long-term network plan. The group said alignments could change, including the possibility of combining the cyan and blue routes into a larger loop.
The civic group estimated that building all three as medium-capacity metro lines could cost more than NT$600 billion. It did not present that figure as an approved government budget.
Lai has separately proposed a public transport development fund to coordinate central and local resources. The group suggested that transit-oriented property development, urban renewal and government allocations could help finance the expanded network.
For now, the bureau lists the Yellow Line, the Siaogang–Linyuan extension (小港林園線) and northern Red Line extension works as ongoing projects. The additional routes remain proposals requiring further planning and funding decisions.
