The annual ridership of the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system is expected to top 6 billion passengers today, marking a new chapter in MRT services since the system’s inception in 1996, the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC) said yesterday.
As of Friday, the Taipei MRT system posted a ridership total of 5.99 billion passengers this year, according to the TRTC, operator of the MRT.
Expanding from one route in March 1996, the Taipei MRT system now encompasses 10 routes connecting many districts in the greater Taipei area.
To mark the new record, the TRTC will hold celebration activities at five major stations — Taipei Main, Zhongxiao Xinsheng, Zhongxiao Fuxing, Minquan W Road and Guting — at 2pm today.
A color-matching lucky draw activity will ask participants to recite the password “Celebrating 6 billion MRT passengers” before taking a colored ball from a box.
Those who guess the right color will receive a limited edition flash drive bracelet. Both the balls and bracelets are in the red, orange, blue, green and brown of the MRT lines.
All participants will receive a commemorative silicone bracelet TRTC public relations division director Leo Ling (凌啟堯) said.
The TRTC will also celebrate the milestone with a concert next week on Saturday afternoon in front of MRT Jiannan Station, with passengers wearing the bracelets enjoying unlimited free rides throughout the day, he said.
The company is seeking to complete the construction of MRT Xinyi Line by the end of this year.
The 6.4km Xinyi Line, the city’s second east-west route after the Bannan Line, is set to include seven stations: Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Dongmen, Daan Park, Daan, Xinyi Anhe, Taipei 101-World Trade Center and Elephant Mountain.
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