Taipei’s Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system yesterday unveiled a new coding system for its metro lines and stations aimed at helping foreigners to navigate the system more easily.
The new system, which was announced by the Taipei City Government in November last year and underwent public consultation, introduces a color-coded system for each line to replace the number-coded system in use since November 2014.
Line 1 (Wenhu Line), the first line that entered service, is to be officially called the “Brown Line,” as it has been known throughout the MRT system’s 20-year history. The other four lines are also to be renamed in the same manner.
An alphanumeric code is to be assigned to each station, which currently is only distinguished by the station’s name in Chinese and English, MRT operator Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC) said.
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and TRTC president Yen Pang-chieh (顏邦傑) pledged to introduce a coding system for the stations after Democratic Progressive Party Taipei City Councilor Lee Chien-chang (李建昌) said during a council session in November last year that foreigners are often confused by the station names, since many of them are romanizations of Chinese names.
Lee cited the metro systems in Seoul and Mexico as examples of how station codes makes it easier for foreigners to find their way around.
According to the new system, New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店), the terminal station on the “Green Line” (Songshan-Xindian Line), is to be coded “G01,” a combination of a prefix to indicate the line color and a number.
Two codes are to be assigned to stations where two lines meet, such as Taipei Main Station, which will be coded “R10” and “BL12,” as the “Red Line” (Tamsui-Xinyi Line) and the “Blue Line” (Bannan Line) intersect.
The codes for the stations on the “Orange Line” (Zhonghe-Xinlu Line are to have the prefix “O,” while those on the Wenhu Line (Brown) will have the prefix “BR.”
The number of each station would increase from south to north and from west to east, TRTC said.
Once the new coding system is approved by Ko, TRTC said it plans to complete updating the maps and signage in the stations, which will cost NT$30 million (US$926,268), before the Summer Universiade opens on Aug. 19 next year.
The new coding system is the same as the one adopted by Kaohsiung’s metro system since it began operations in 2008.
It is also used for all metro and tram lines in Taiwan during planning stages, when no station names have been designated.
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