Taipei Metro

Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), branded as Taipei Metro, is a metro system serving Taipei and New Taipei, Taiwan, operated by government owned Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation, which also operates Maokong Gondola.

Taipei Metro was the first metro system in Taiwan. The initial network was approved for construction in 1986 and work started two years later. The first line opened in 1996 and by 2000, 62 stations were in service on three main lines. Over the next 9 years the number of passengers had increased by 70%. Since 2008, the network has expanded to 117 stations and the passenger count has grown by another 66%.

The system has often been praised for its safety, reliability and quality. It has become effective in relieving traffic congestion in Taipei, with over two million trips made daily. The system has also proven effective as a catalyst for urban renewal.

History
The idea of constructing the Taipei Metro was first put forth at a press conference on 28 June 1968, where the Minister of Transportation and Communications Sun Yun-suan announced his ministry's plans to begin researching the possibility of constructing a rapid transit network in the Taipei metropolitan area; however, the plan was shelved due to fiscal concerns and the belief that such a system was not urgently needed at the time. With the increase of traffic congestion accompanying economic growth in the 1970s, the need for a rapid transit system became more pressing. In February 1977, the Institute of Transportation (IOT) of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) released a preliminary rapid transport system report, with the designs of five lines, including U1, U2, U3, S1, and S2, to form a rough sketch of the planned corridors, resulting in the first rapid transit system plan for Taipei.

In 1981, the IOT invited British Mass Transit Consultants (BMTC) and China Engineering Consultants, Inc. to form a team and provide in-depth research on the preliminary report. In 1982, the Taipei City Government commissioned National Chiao Tung University to do a research and feasibility study on medium-capacity rapid transit systems. In January 1984, the university proposed an initial design for a medium-capacity rapid transit system in Taipei City, including plans for Wenhu line and Tamsui–Xinyi line of the medium-capacity metro system. On March 1, 1985, the Executive Yuan Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) signed a treaty with the Taipei Transit Council (TTC), composed of three American consultant firms, to do overall research on a rapid transit system in metropolitan Taipei. Apart from adjustments made to the initial proposal, Wenhu line of the medium-capacity metro system was also included into the network. In 1986, the initial network design of the Taipei Metro by the CEPD was passed by the Executive Yuan, although the network corridors were not yet set. A budget of NT$441.7 billion was allocated for the project.

On 27 June 1986, the Preparatory Office of Rapid Transit Systems was created, which on 23 February 1987 was formally established as the Department of Rapid Transit Systems (DORTS) for the task of handling, planning, design, and construction of the system. Apart from preparing for the construction of the metro system, DORTS also made small changes to the metro corridor. The 6 lines proposed on the initial network were: Tamsui line and Xindian line (Lines U1 and U2), Zhonghe Line (Line U3), Nangang Line and Banqiao Line (Line S1), and Muzha (now Wenhu) line (Wenhu line medium-capacity), totaling 79 stations and 76.8 km (47.7 mi) route length, including 34.4 km (21.4 mi) of elevated rail, 9.5 km (5.9 mi) at ground level, and 44.2 km (27.5 mi) underground. The Neihu Line corridor was approved later in 1990. On 27 June 1994, the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC) was formed to oversee the operation of the Taipei Metro system.

The Executive Yuan approved the initial network plan for the system on 27 May 1986. Ground was broken and construction began on 15 December 1988. The growing traffic problems of the time, compounded by road closures due to TRTS construction led to what became popularly known as the "dark age of Taipei traffic". The TRTS was the center of political controversy during its construction and shortly after the opening of its first line in 1996 due to incidents such as computer malfunction during a thunderstorm, alleged structural problems in some elevated segments, budget overruns, and fare prices.

On 4 July 2007, the Maokong Gondola, a new aerial lift/cable-car system, was opened to the public. The system connects the Taipei Zoo, Zhinan Temple, and Maokong. Service was suspended on 1 October 2008 due to erosion from mudslides under a support pillar following Typhoon Jangmi. The gondola officially resumed service as of 31 March 2010, after relocation of the pillar and passing safety inspections.

On 4 July 2009, with the opening of the Neihu section of Wenhu line, the last of the six core sections was completed. Due to controversy on whether to construct a medium-capacity or high-capacity line, construction of the line did not begin until 2002.

The Xinyi section of the Tamsui-Xinyi line was extended on 24 November 2013 to Xiangshan and Songshan section was extended on 15 November 2014.

Prior to 2014, only physical lines had official names; services did not. In 2008, the Tamsui–Xindian–Nanshijiao and Xiaonanmen services were referred to by termini, whereas Bannan and Wenhu services were referred to the physical lines of which they were operated.

Following the completion of the core sections of the system in 2014, the naming scheme for services was set and 'lines' started to referred to services. Between 2014 and 2016, lines were given alternative number names based on the order of the dates the lines first opened. Brown, Red, Green, Orange and Blue lines were named lines 1 to 5 respectively. The planned Circular, Wanda–Shulin and Minsheng–Xizhi lines were to be lines 6 to 8 respectively. In 2016, the number names were replaced by colour names. Today, Chinese announcements use full names while English announcements use colour names.

Stations become extremely crowded during rush hours, especially at transfer stations such as Taipei main station, Zhongxiao Fuxing, and Minquan West Road. Automated station announcements are recorded in Mandarin, English, Hokkien, and Hakka, with Japanese at busy stations.

The system is designed based on spoke-hub distribution paradigm, with most rail lines running radially outward from central Taipei. The MRT system operates daily from 06:00 to 00:00 the following day (the last trains finish their runs by 01:00), with extended services during special events (such as New Year festivities). Trains operate at intervals of 01:30 to 15 minutes throughout the day.

The Taipei Metro provides an obstacle-free environment within the entire system; all stations and trains are handicap accessible. Features include: handicap-capable restrooms, ramps and elevators for wheelchairs and strollers, tactile guide paths, extra-wide faregates, and trains with a designated wheelchair area.

Most stations on high-capacity lines have island platform configurations while a few have side platform configurations, and vice versa for medium-capacity lines (a few stations have island platform configurations but the majority of medium-capacity stations have side platform configurations). All high-capacity metro stations have a 150 m (490 ft) long platform to accommodate all six train cars on a typical metro train (with the exception of Xiaobitan). The width of the platform and concourse depends on the volume of transit; the largest stations include Taipei main station, Zhongxiao Fuxing, and Taipei City Hall. Some other transfer stations, including CKS Memorial Hall, Guting, and Songjiang Nanjing, also have wide platforms.

Each station is equipped with LED displays and LCD TVs both in the concourse and on the platforms which display the time of arrival of the next train. At all underground stations, red lights along the platform edge (or on automatic platform gates at stations where they are installed) flash one minute prior to train arrival to alert passengers. As of September 2018, all stations have automatic platform gates.

Metro Stations

 * Wenhu line: Nanjing Fuxing, Zhongxiao Fuxing, Daan, Technology Building, Taipei Zoo


 * Tamsui-Xinyi line: Tamsui, Beitou (including the Xinbeitou), Qiyan, Shipai, Mingde, Shilin, Zhongshan, Taipei Main, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Daan, Xinyi Anhe, Taipei 101/World Trade Center, Xiangshan


 * Songshan-Xindian line: Songshan, Taipei Arena, Nanjing Fuxing, Songjiang Nanjing, Zhongshan, Taipei Main, Beimen, Ximen, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Xindian


 * Zhongde-Xinlu line: Xingtian Temple, Songjiang Nanjing, Zhongxiao Xinsheng


 * Bannan line: Taipei Main, Ximen, Longshan Temple, Banqiao