Taipei’s Ankeng LRT to start trial service

A month-long preview service for Taipei’s Ankeng Light Rail Transit (Taiwan) is to begin on 10 February, following certification of the 7.6km (4.7-mile) system by Taiwan’s Ministry of Transportation and Communications on 2 February. 

 

The new line runs from Shuangcheng south to Shisizhang, providing end-to-end journey times of 21 minutes and 15-minute headways (7.5 minutes Ankeng – Shisizhang). The route features 4.3km (2.7 miles) of elevated alignment and 400m in subway; five of the nine stops are also elevated. Designated line K, Ankeng LRT provides interchange with the Yellow (Circular) line of the Tapiei Metro at Shisizhang. 

 

Proposals for a rapid transit connection to Ankeng in the southern part of greater New Taipei were made during the construction of the MRT metro in the early 1990s. Discounted on economic grounds at the time, studies were revived in 1999 to reduce travel times between Ankeng in the south and other areas of New Taipei by 15-20 minutes. 

 

Work on the TWD21.8bn (EUR693.6m) scheme began in April 2016; the new line is to be operated by the New Taipei Metro Corporation, as is the 7.3km (4.5-mile) Danhai LRT, which opened in stages from 2018. 

 

A fleet of 15 five-section double-ended LRVs have been delivered by the Taiwan Rolling Stock Company, a China Steel subsidiary that has also supplied the Danhai LRT project. The first was delivered to the depot at Ankeng on 30 September 2021. 

 

When full revenue service begins, journeys under 5km (three miles) will cost TWD20 (EUR0.60), rising to TWD25 (EUR0.78) for longer trips. This fare structure is similar to the Danhai LRT system in New Taipei's Tamsui District.