Taipei MRT Red Line Extension Targets Late June Opening After Nearly a Decade of Construction

A New Eastern Terminus Nears Its Final Checks

Taipei's Metro Red Line is targeting a late June 2026 opening for a 1.4 kilometer extension from Xiangshan Station to Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station, after nearly a decade of construction. The addition will bring metro service to the Guangci Boai Park area and improve access for residents of eastern Taipei.

The Taipei Department of Rapid Transit Systems said this week that construction had reached 90.6 percent completion by late March. The main station structure is largely finished, and underground construction and track installation are complete. Crews are now testing trains and equipment while continuing work on bus connections and streets above the station.

Late June is the earliest possible opening target, rather than a confirmed start date. Department director Cheng De-fa said the Ministry of Transportation and Communications must inspect the extension, any required improvements must be completed, and an operating permit must be issued before the opening date can be finalized.

The project had previously aimed to begin service in the first quarter of 2026. Shortages of crews handling electrical and mechanical systems, along with other specialized technical workers, pushed that timetable back by several months.

The Tamsui-Xinyi Line, commonly called the Red Line, currently runs 29 kilometers from Tamsui in the north to Xiangshan in the east. It is the longest line in the Taipei Metro network and serves the historic Tamsui waterfront, downtown commercial areas and the Xinyi business district. The extension adds a new passenger destination and space to store trains near the eastern end of this busy route.

How the Project Reached This Stage

Construction began in October 2016. The project has lasted longer than many other infrastructure initiatives in the region, with difficult underground conditions followed by staffing shortages during the final installation stages.

Taiwan's major construction projects are competing for a limited pool of specialized workers. For this extension, the recent shortage affected the crews needed to install and complete the electrical and mechanical equipment that allows a railway to operate.

The remaining approval process has several steps. A preliminary committee meeting is scheduled for May 10 to discuss inspection protocols, followed by the ministry's final inspections in June. Cheng said any changes required by that review must be addressed before the permit is granted.

The project's timeline runs from the start of excavation to the proposed passenger opening:

• October 2016: Construction began on the eastern extension.
• First quarter of 2026: The original opening target passed as shortages of specialized crews slowed the final work.
• Late March 2026: Construction reached 90.6 percent completion.
• May 10, 2026: A preliminary committee meeting is scheduled to discuss inspection protocols.
• June 2026: Final inspections by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications are expected.
• Late June 2026: The earliest possible opening target, subject to required improvements and an operating permit.

The station's largely completed structure is a major construction milestone. The work still taking place includes testing below ground and building bus stops and transfer facilities on Fude Street, where passengers will connect between the railway and surface transport.

Why a Short Extension Required Difficult Engineering

City engineers have described the extension as one of the most technically demanding projects in Taipei Metro's history. Although the new passenger route measures just 1.4 kilometers, construction crews had to deal with sharply different ground conditions at different depths.

Near the surface, the tunnel route passed through shallow layers saturated with water. Crews needed extensive cement reinforcement before tunnel boring machines could advance safely. Injecting cement stabilizes the surrounding ground and helps keep water from entering the excavation.

Deeper underground, the machines encountered solid rock. Cutting through those formations required different work from moving through the wet, shallower layers, complicating both excavation and the structural support needed around the tunnels.

The combination required specialized tunnel boring equipment and cement injection techniques suited to the changing conditions. The challenge was to excavate the route while keeping the ground stable and controlling water infiltration.

The completion of underground construction and track installation has allowed the project to move into dynamic testing. In this stage, trains run along the new railway so crews can check how its systems behave under operating conditions before passengers board.

Testing Must Fit Between the Last and First Trains

The Red Line continues its regular daytime operations, serving millions of passengers, so testing on the extension takes place at night after the final train leaves Xiangshan Station. Crews have a limited window to complete checks and return the existing railway to normal service.

Teams from the Department of Rapid Transit Systems and the Systemwide Electrical and Mechanical Project Office begin with an inspection on foot. Power to the tracks is disconnected while workers check the route for obstacles. Temporary fences separating the operating railway from the new section are then removed for testing.

Chang Yu-chia, chief of the Systemwide Electrical and Mechanical Project Office, explained that crews first carry out track verification at 10 kilometers per hour. Moving slowly allows them to confirm that the route is clear before proceeding with other checks.

Later tests examine braking distances at 40 kilometers per hour. These checks verify whether trains can stop within the required distance, an essential part of preparing the extension for passenger service.

Chang also described the time needed for each testing cycle and the deadline for returning trains to the existing terminus:

Comprehensive testing operations take about two hours, and the tested trains must be returned to Xiangshan Station by 4:30 a.m. to allow normal service to resume before 6 a.m.

Other tests check that trains receive the correct speed codes from the signaling system. Those codes tell the train the speed permitted along the route. Crews also verify that trains stop automatically at the correct platform position, aligning their doors with the station doors.

Each cycle takes approximately two hours. Tested trains must clear the tracks by 4:30 a.m. so the first morning departure toward Tamsui can proceed on schedule and normal service can resume before 6 a.m.

Street Construction Will Continue After Trains Begin Running

Fude Street remains an active construction area as crews build bus stops and transfer facilities around Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station. These connections will serve people whose homes or destinations are beyond walking distance of the new metro stop.

The surface work also includes restoring roads, backfilling excavated areas and installing utility ducts. Officials estimate that these activities will continue for more than a year after the railway opens, while saying that the continuing street construction will not affect train operations.

The different schedules mean the start of metro service and the completion of the surrounding street work will be separate milestones. Passengers will be able to use the railway while crews continue finishing the infrastructure above it.

Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station is designed to manage passenger movement and provide access for all users. Like other Red Line stations, it will include elevators, escalators and clear signs to help passengers navigate the underground space.

The new station will maintain the existing Red Line's standards for a railway carrying large numbers of passengers. Its underground facilities are designed to accommodate the heavy passenger volumes associated with the corridor, while its bus connections will extend its reach into nearby neighborhoods.

Four Trains Can Be Stored Near the Eastern End

Yucheng Park is part of the extension's operating infrastructure. A dedicated track connection will provide access to a facility capable of housing four trains overnight, adding storage space near the Red Line's eastern terminus.

Placing trains near the end of the route reduces the need to send empty trains back to distant depots during quieter hours. It also gives the operator more flexibility when positioning trains for service.

The additional storage is intended to help the Red Line maintain consistent intervals between trains during the morning and evening peaks. Keeping trains nearby can reduce delays associated with moving them into the right place to begin their journeys.

Guangci/Fengtian Temple therefore serves two purposes within the wider project. It extends passenger access east of Xiangshan, while the connection to Yucheng Park provides operating support for the existing line.

A Month of Free Rides Is Under Discussion

Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation, which operates the metro, is considering promotional arrangements for the extension's opening. Company president Huang Ching-hsin confirmed that preliminary discussions include the possibility of one month of free rides specifically on the new section.

One option would waive the additional fare for passengers traveling onto the extension. Existing Red Line users could then try the new section without paying extra, while people living nearby would have an incentive to explore the service.

The aim is to encourage ridership and help passengers become familiar with the station's location before regular fare arrangements take full effect. A trial period would also give residents time to work the new route into their daily journeys.

Huang said the company would follow city government policy once officials finalize the promotional plan. The free ride proposal is still under consideration, and the operator has not confirmed the final arrangement.

The company has used similar trial periods when launching previous extensions. Those periods have helped identify remaining operating issues while encouraging residents to make the new services part of their travel routines.

June Plans Extend Beyond Taipei's Red Line

The National Development Council has announced that New Taipei Metro's Sanying Line, also known as the Light Blue Line, will open in June alongside the Red Line extension. The two projects are part of a coordinated infrastructure rollout across the Taipei metropolitan region.

The Sanying Line is a 14.29 kilometer elevated railway connecting Tucheng and Yingge through Sanxia District. Its route will improve connections within New Taipei City and eventually link to Taoyuan's Green Line.

A further 4 kilometer extension to Danan on the Taoyuan Green Line has received approval. Construction on that section has not yet begun, so the future connection remains a later stage of the network's development.

Other transport projects are also scheduled to reach major milestones in 2026. The Danjiang Bridge is due to open in May. The bridge, supported by cables, is expected to cut travel time between New Taipei's Tamsui and Bali districts by 25 minutes and divert approximately 30 percent of traffic from the congested Guandu Bridge.

The northern section of the Taoyuan Metro Green Line and the first phase of the Tainan Railway Underground Project are expected to begin operations by the end of the year. These projects extend the year's planned transport improvements beyond the capital.

The National Development Council maintains an annual public infrastructure budget of NT$800 billion, approximately US$25 billion. By late February, NT$97.3 billion had been allocated, equivalent to about 12.2 percent of that annual budget.

The investment covers transport, energy and cultural facilities. The Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts and the Southern Branch of the National Central Library are both scheduled for completion this year.

New Routes Support a Wider Regional Strategy

The transport improvements align with the Ministry of Economic Affairs' Capital Region Golden Corridor initiative. The initiative aims to strengthen the industrial advantages of Taipei and New Taipei while supporting development in Keelung and Yilan.

Better transport connections form the foundation of that regional revitalization strategy. Metro extensions provide links across municipal boundaries, helping connect places where people live with employment and commercial areas elsewhere in the region.

New Taipei Metro Corporation president Kuo-Chi Wu has described new lines as feeder routes to the existing Taipei Metro network. A feeder route brings passengers from surrounding areas to the main railway lines, giving residents of less densely populated districts access to a larger transport system.

Wu's explanation connects the new routes with efforts to encourage residents to move from private vehicles to public transport. The Sanying Line and Red Line extension will give commuters additional options for journeys between Taipei and surrounding districts.

More railway projects are planned beyond this year's openings. The Wanda-Shulin Line, linking central Taipei with southern districts of New Taipei City, is scheduled to open in phases through 2031. The Xizhi-Donghu Line and a potential Keelung connection are planned for completion in the early 2030s.

What Changes for Eastern Taipei Commuters

Residents around Guangci Boai Park will gain direct metro access for the first time when the extension opens. They will be able to enter the Red Line locally instead of relying on buses or private vehicles to reach Xinyi District and the wider railway network.

The line already serves Taipei Main Station, the Xinyi commercial district and connections to the Tamsui waterfront. Bringing those links closer to eastern neighborhoods offers an alternative to road congestion and could shorten journeys for thousands of residents.

Bus stops and transfer facilities on Fude Street will help people beyond the station's immediate walking area reach the metro. Elevators, escalators and signs will guide passengers through the new station, while the underground design will support the corridor's heavy passenger demand.

The project also changes how the operator can prepare trains for service. Space for four trains at Yucheng Park will provide additional flexibility near the eastern terminus, supporting train positioning and consistent service intervals during busy periods.

As of April 24, the next steps are the May 10 committee meeting, June inspections and completion of any required improvements before an operating permit is issued. Late June remains the earliest opening target, with street restoration continuing beyond the start of train service and the proposed fare promotion awaiting a final decision.

The Essentials

• The Red Line extension adds 1.4 kilometers from Xiangshan to Guangci/Fengtian Temple, serving the Guangci Boai Park area.
• Construction began in October 2016 and reached 90.6 percent completion by late March 2026.
• Shortages of specialized electrical and mechanical crews delayed the original opening target of the first quarter of 2026.
• A May 10 committee meeting and June ministry inspections precede the earliest possible opening in late June.
• Nighttime testing includes checks at 10 and 40 kilometers per hour, with trains returned to Xiangshan by 4:30 a.m.
• A track connection to Yucheng Park provides space to store four trains overnight.
• Street work will continue for more than a year after opening, without affecting train operations, officials say.
• The operator is considering one month of free rides on the new section, including an option to waive additional fares.
• The Sanying Line is also scheduled to open in June as part of the region's transport expansion.