Browsing: HSR south Taiwan

The planned extension would run 26.2 kilometers south from Zuoying Station through Kaohsiung and into Liukuaicuo (六塊厝) in Pingtung. Most of the route would be built using shield tunneling, with other sections using cut-and-cover tunnels and elevated structures.

The proposed “Kaohsiung Solution” (高雄方案) for the High-Speed Rail (HSR) southward extension will generate an average of 160 gravel truck trips per day through Sanmin District (三民區). While the exact duration of the project remains undetermined pending a second-stage environmental impact assessment, Kaohsiung City Councilor Cheng Meng-ju (鄭孟洳) warned Tuesday that the scale of excavation will create a multi-year logistical burden for the city.

The new fleet, known locally as the N700ST, is expected to begin rolling out from July. To support the transition, THSR said it is expanding and reconfiguring its core maintenance hub, which handles bogie inspections, major overhauls, and train assembly.

The bureau pointed to international comparisons, noting that traffic fatality rates in South Korea are roughly half of Taiwan’s, while Japan’s are significantly lower — outcomes often linked to consistent investment in road engineering and pedestrian infrastructure.

The selected route largely follows the former surface rail corridor that was placed underground during Kaohsiung’s decade-long railway undergrounding program.

Concerns have focused on the construction impacts, particularly a planned 5.78-kilometer open-cut section through central Kaohsiung, which is longer than earlier estimates. Residents and business owners worry about extended traffic disruptions, noise, dust, and road closures.

Under the plan, the new line will stretch approximately 26.2 kilometers and include two new stations: an underground HSR Kaohsiung Station and an elevated HSR Pingtung Station. Both will be co-located with Taiwan Railways (台鐵) stations, allowing passengers to transfer between systems within the station concourse without going outside.