The Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line began trial runs yesterday, with free rides being offered to the public in two phases over the course of one month before commercial operations begin on March 2, Taoyuan Metro Corp said.
In the first phase, which is to run through Feb. 15, group passengers who apply in advance are to be allowed to travel for free between 8am and 4pm, the company said
During this phase, passengers are to be restricted to boarding and disembarking at only six of the 21 stations, which do not include the two stations serving Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, it added.
Photo: Lee Jung-ping, Taipei Times
The six stations are Taipei Main Station (A1), New Taipei Industrial Park Station (A3), Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Station (A8), Shanbi Station (A10), Taoyuan High Speed Rail Station (A18) and Huanbei Station (A21), or north link, the company said.
In the second phase, which is to start on Feb. 15 and run through March 1, a daily maximum of 40,000 free rides between 8am and 4pm will be offered to individual passengers who obtain numbered tags at the stations at 7:40am, 9:40am, 11:40am and 1:40pm, the company said, adding that passengers will have access to all 21 stations during this phase.
Although luggage check-in services for airport passengers will be available at Taipei Main Station during the second phase, outbound passengers are advised not to use it until the line’s commercial operations begin on March 2.
Photo: Lee Jung-ping, Taipei Times
The first trial run traveled from Huanbei Station to Taipei Main Station, with Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) and Taoyuan City Council Speaker Chiu Yi-sheng (邱奕勝) leading about 160 local officials and residents aboard the new train.
Some people who rode the line described it as “the pride of Taoyuan,” while expressing hope that it would be profitable.
However, others said they felt uncomfortable during the journey on a windy section between Huanbei Station and Airport Terminal 2.
After the MRT starts commercial operations, passengers will be offered a 50 percent discount on all trips during the first month, the company said, adding that the trains will run from 6am to 11pm every day.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
RSS