The Taipei Metro is to run for 42 hours non-stop from Dec. 31 to provide transport for the huge crowds expected to attend the city’s New Year’s Eve countdown party and fireworks display, the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC) said on Thursday.
Except for Xiaobitan and Xinbeitou stations, the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system is to operate from 6am on Dec. 31 to 11:59pm on Jan. 1, TRTC said.
To cope with the crowds expected for the Taipei 101 fireworks display, the shortest wait time between trains after 5pm on Dec. 31 is to be 2 minutes and 28 seconds on the MRT’s Bannan Line (Blue Line) and 3 minutes on the Tamsui-Xinyi Line (Red Line), with all trains on the Red Line to proceed to Xiangshan, the terminal station, TRTC said.
However, due to the Taipei City Hall and Taipei 101/World Trade Center stations being near the celebrations, some trains might not stop at those stations, depending on the crowd situation, TRTC added.
Therefore, Blue Line passengers are advised to get off one stop before Taipei City Hall Station — at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Station — and Red Line users should alight one stop before Taipei 101/World Trade Center Station, at Xinyi Anhe Station, TRTC said.
Bicycles are to be banned from the Metro system from 3pm on Dec. 31.
People leaving the celebrations are advised to avoid the Taipei City Hall and Taipei 101/World Trade Center stations, TRTC said, adding that travelers should proceed to Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Yongchun, Xinyi Anhe, Xiangshan or Nanjing Sanmin stations.
Traffic restrictions are to be in place throughout Xinyi District (信義) starting at 7pm on Dec. 31, the Taipei City Government’s Department of Transportation said.
In related news, virtual images of pop divas A-mei (張惠妹) and Anna (安那) are to be featured on Taipei 101’s LED display during the building’s traditional New Year’s Eve fireworks show, organizers said.
A-mei and Anna have prerecorded their performances and when the firework display starts, the T-Pad — a 140,000-LED display that covers the 35th to 90th floors on the north side of the building — is to feature virtual performances by the two artists, said Michael Liu (劉家豪), spokesman for Taipei Financial Center Corp, which operates the landmark building.
This is the first time that Taipei 101 has collaborated with Taiwanese pop stars for the New Year’s Eve fireworks display, Liu said.
The fireworks display is to integrate traditional Taiwanese music, Western orchestra sounds and A-mei’s and Anna’s music, presenting the nation’s diverse sounds to the world, Liu said.
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