Taipei's Maokong cable car system in Muzha (
"We've spared no effort to solve the problems during the test-run period, and we are evaluating the possibility of adding air conditioners in the cabins," Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (
The city government will form an emergency response team to solve any problems that the 4km-long cable car system might run into.
The cable car runs from the Taipei Municipal Zoo to Maokong with a stop at Chihnan Temple (指南宮).
delay
The starting date of the system was pushed back for a month because of mounting concerns about the system's safety and noise pollution.
Many of the passengers who took a ride during the 12-week test-run period complained about the heat and humidity.
The city government's New Construction Department said it had added more holes and window shades in all 144 cabins to improve ventilation, but acknowledged that they might not be enough to keep the heat at bay during summer.
Hau said the emergency response team will continue to monitor the system and work to solve any problems in future.
The system, which cost more than NT$1.3 billion (US$39.3 million) to build, is the only cable car system in the country that travels in a mountainous region along its entire route.
It will operate from 9am to 10pm Monday to Friday, and from 8:30am to 10pm on weekends and holidays.
Passengers can use their mass rapid transit (MRT) system EasyCards to pay for their tickets. Prices are set at NT$30, NT$40 and NT$50.
crowds
As the system is expected to attract huge crowds during the summer break, Taipei Smart Card Corp is issuing "321" ticket packages starting today at a price of NT$180 at the MRT's Taipei Zoo Station and all cable car stations.
The "321" ticket allows passengers to take three cable car rides, two bus transfers and one visit to the Taipei Zoo, the company said.
The company is also issuing EasyCards with Mickey and Minnie Mouse pictures at a price of NT$390 to mark the system's opening.
The Mickey and Minnie Mouse EasyCards allow passengers to take two cable car rides.
While encouraging visitors to take the cable car to enjoy the scenery and drink tea in Maokong, the city government also reminded the public to expect long queues during the system's opening weekend.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong effective from 5:30pm, while local governments canceled school and work for tomorrow. A land warning is expected to be issued tomorrow morning before it is expected to make landfall on Wednesday, the agency said. Taoyuan, and well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties canceled work and school for tomorrow, as well as mountainous district of Taipei and New Taipei City. For updated information on closures, please visit the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration Web site. As of 5pm today, Fung-wong was about 490km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan's southernmost point.
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
Almost a quarter of volunteer soldiers who signed up from 2021 to last year have sought early discharge, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center said in a report. The report said that 12,884 of 52,674 people who volunteered in the period had sought an early exit from the military, returning NT$895.96 million (US$28.86 million) to the government. In 2021, there was a 105.34 percent rise in the volunteer recruitment rate, but the number has steadily declined since then, missing recruitment targets, the Chinese-language United Daily News said, citing the report. In 2021, only 521 volunteers dropped out of the military, the report said, citing
Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
RSS