Kaohsiung completes circular tramline

The first tramway opening of 2024 took place just after midnight on 1 January when the city of Kaohsiung (population 2.8M) in Taiwan completed its circular tramline by extending passenger service over the missing east side segment from Hearts of Love River to Kaisyuan Park. 

 

Service was extended to 02.00 to assist with New Year celebrations. Completion of the 23km standard-gauge line concludes a phased development that started with the opening of the first 8.7km in the south side port district on 4 July 2016 using the disused tracks of the harbour railway. Further extensions followed in 2021 and 2022. 

 

The tram fleet consists of nine 34m double-ended CAF Urbos dating from 2016 and 15 Alstom Citadis XO5 delivered in 2020. All are equipped with super capacitors and batteries as the line is not equipped with overhead. Recharging takes place at individual stops equipped with overhead conductor rails to feed the pantograph. There are interchange stations to the Kaohsiung metro Orange and Red lines.