The Taoyuan Airport MRT () is a rapid transit line of the Taoyuan Metro that connects Taipei, Taoyuan and New Taipei with Taoyuan International Airport in northern Taiwan. The line has 22 stations, from Taipei Main Station to , and began commercial service on 2 March 2017.
Commuter and Express services operate on the line, which features in-town check-in and baggage check at Taipei Main Station and at .
An extension to Zhongli railway station via from the current terminus at is under construction. The Laojie River metro station opened in July 2023 and the full extension is scheduled for completion in 2028.
Route
The Taoyuan Airport MRT route starts from Taipei Main Station and heads west, passing through Sanchong, Taishan, Xinzhuang, Guishan, Linkou, and Luzhu before reaching Taoyuan International Airport, after which the route turns south to Taoyuan HSR station before terminating at in Zhongli. with 22 total stations, approximately of the line is underground while the remaining is elevated. While nearly all Express Train services only run between Taipei Main Station and TPE, a few services during weekday rush hours and weekend afternoons run to Huanbei with only one additional stop at Taoyuan HSR station, with an end-to-end travel time of 64 minutes. Commuter Trains have a 15-minute headway at all times and serve the full route to Laojie River in 82 minutes. Both services feature free wi-fi as well as flight information display systems showing status of departing flights at TPE, although there are more displays on Express Trains.
In-town check-in
In-town check-in and baggage check services are available at Taipei Main Station Baggage is transported from the check-in counter into containers, which are loaded onto Express Trains. Checked baggage is delivered to Terminal Two, where it is scanned and directed to the appropriate airline.
Flight information
Flight information display systems, which also carry information on Taiwan Railway and THSR services from transfer stations, are installed at all stations served by Express Trains from Taipei Main Station to TPE, as well as at Taoyuan HSR station.
Fares
Fares on the Taoyuan Airport MRT are based on distance traveled and there is no fare difference between Commuter and Express services. Published one-way fares range from NT$30 to NT$160, with fares from Taipei Main Station to TPE priced at NT$160 and fares from Taoyuan HSR station to TPE priced at NT$30.
30, 60, 90, and 120-day periodic tickets allowing unlimited rides on the Taoyuan Airport MRT within specified station pairs are available, priced at a 30, 35, 40, or 50% discount, respectively, on the price of 21 published round-trip fares between the specified station pairs per 30-day period (21 being the approximate average number of weekdays per month).
Rolling stock
Passenger electric multiple units
Kawasaki manufactured all Express trains and seven Commuter train sets in Japan, while Taiwan Rolling Stock Company (TRSC) manufactured the remaining Commuter train sets. The car body is constructed from stainless steel
Of the 41 train sets, 18 are Express trains while 23 are Commuter trains. Four-car configurations are used for Commuter Trains, while Express Trains have five-car configurations due to an extra baggage car. rail inspection vehicles, and 60-ton rescue locomotives.
In April 2017, Taoyuan Metro borrowed an ultrasonic flaw detection vehicle from Taipei Metro to conduct comprehensive inspections on its rail tracks after a crack was discovered on a track point at the emergency halt between and . At that time, Taoyuan Metro only had a hand-pushed ultrasonic inspection device for such purposes.
History
A rail system to connect Taoyuan International Airport with existing transportation hubs was proposed as early as the 1980s and reemphasized over the years in government proclamations such as the New Ten Major Construction Projects.
The metro route was originally planned to be constructed as a BOT project; in 1998, the project was auctioned to Evertransit International Development Corp. (), a subsidiary of Ever Fortune Industrial Co. (). However, the company failed to begin the construction, and in 2003, the government cancelled the contract. After the BOT project failed to go through, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) decided to build the line directly from the government budget.
MOTC originally planned for the line to be transferred to the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) to operate; President Ma Ying-jeou had also proposed the Bureau of High Speed Rail (BOHSR) to operate the line with the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC) and the TRA. Later, the TRA announced they would not be able to operate the line so the MOTC asked TRTC to operate the line or have the Taoyuan City Government create the Taoyuan Rapid Transit Corporation to operate the line.
Taipei terminus change and design
The terminus in Taipei was originally planned for but was changed to Taipei Main Station to facilitate transfers to TRA, THSR, and Taipei Metro, as well as other transportation modes including bus services at the adjacent Taipei Bus Station. However, there were disagreements between MOTC and the Taipei City Government over the precise location of the station platform within the Taipei Main Station area; MOTC preferred an elevated platform just north of Taipei Main Station while the city wanted an underground platform just west of the main station, across Chengde Road. The MOTC's elevated platform proposal was less expensive and faster to construct, but the city objected as the platform and track would have obstructed the scenery of the surrounding area. The two sides eventually compromised, agreeing to the underground platform proposal but with the Taipei City Government covering the additional cost. The revised project was approved in September 2004. and was designed by architect Fumihiko Maki. The station itself extends five stories underground. China Engineering Consultants, Inc. (CECI) won the contract for construction of the Taipei City section of the Taoyuan Airport MRT, including construction of the station and platform at the Taipei terminus, through public appraisal on 8 July 2005.
Construction and development
thumb|right|Airport MRT under construction under the future site of Taoyuan Airport Terminal 3 (2009).The BOHSR of the MOTC oversaw construction, which began in 2006 and was scheduled for completion in 2013 but was plagued by multiple delays. The entire system was budgeted at NT$113.85 billion.
Land acquisition for the Sanchong City section totaled and cost NT$1.4 billion, including land and buildings.
In addition to tracks and stations, joint development projects have been constructed to boost development around stations. A special industrial zone was planned around the THSR Taoyuan Station area. In April 2011, Kingdom Construction Corp. signed a contract to construct a 16-story residential and commercial building near Linkou Station.
Civil engineering
The design of core E&M systems (including rolling stock, power supply, signaling, communications, depot equipment, platform screen doors, etc.) and the design and construction of two depots (Qingpu and Luzhu) were awarded as part of a contract worth NT$25.5 billion. and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, won the bid for the E&M systems and signed the contract on 12 January 2006. The groundbreaking ceremony for the power supply system was held on 1 October 2010 on behalf of five contractor companies including Hitachi. Motorola supplied the digital radio communications system for the line.
The power supply for the system is drawn from two Taiwan Power Company 161 kV supplies at three Bulk Supply Substations (BSS); one incoming line serves as the main power supply while the other serves a backup. One substation (A8) is located between Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Linkou. The main RC structure was completed in March 2011, while civil engineering was finished at the end of October. The automatic fare collection system contract was awarded to Mercuries Data Systems (MDS) on 22 October 2010 for NT$355 million.
Platform screen doors are installed at all underground stations, while elevated stations are equipped with automatic platform gates. The Bureau of High Speed Rail responded that due to a base that penetrates into the ground, the tracks could withstand earthquake shake intensity over 5 without a problem.
RAIL.ONE Group provided the ballastless track system for the line. 150,000 modified bi-block type B 355 ties were delivered for the line. The first set arrived between July and December 2010, while the last set began production in March 2011.
A section crossing over National Highway No. 1 employs a V-shaped support system (instead of the usual vertical supports) and began construction in July 2009.
thumb|right|Construction near A1 Taipei Main Station (2009)
Taoyuan Airport section
The airport section consists of four underground stations (, , , and the future station) and is long.
<!--- Consists of both CU02A and CU02. Numbers are the sum of the two sections. --->
Five shield tunneling sections totaling and of cut-and-cover sections were excavated. Arrival areas near the MRT departure areas were constructed.
Tunneling under the Tamsui River
The section passing below Tamsui River (about in length) employed the shield-tunneling method. The double-O-tube (DOT) shield tunnel machine was used for the first time in Taiwan. The -long tunnels took 1 year to dig, and were completed in December 2010.
Chingshan Road section
This section was built along a steep roadside slope. Traditional construction methods would greatly increase the difficulty, cost, and excavation area necessary to build an elevated line through the area. A total of 15 bamboo-cut foundations were constructed, ranging from a height of .
Route extension and future stations
Zhongli railway station extension
In December 2008, the MOTC announced that the system would be extended to Zhongli Sports Park, but was later changed to Zhongli Station in order to facilitate transfers to TRA services. After the Zhongli Sports Park station was canceled, MOTC changed it to having the Taoyuan Metro Green Line to extend to Zhongli Station via Zhongli Sports Park. The extension also includes one intermediate station, , which opened in July 2023.
Erchong station (A2a)
Erchong station is a planned station along the existing Taoyuan Airport MRT line between the and stations, near Erchong Riverside Park. While the Taoyuan Airport MRT was in proposal stages, Sanchong residents living in the Boai New Community requested an additional station be added to the route, at the time presumptively named Boai (station code A2a). In order not to delay opening of the rest of the Taoyuan Airport MRT, space along the line was reserved for future construction of the proposed station. The total cost of the station has been estimated at NT$2.24 billion, with NT$1.94 billion for the station itself and NT$300 million for a necessary extension to the Erchong flood diversion wall, with an estimated completion in 2016. As of 2020, the planned station is named Erchong and is in the final approval stages with the Taoyuan City Government.
Fu Jen University Hospital station (A5a)
Fu Jen University Hospital station is a planned station along the existing line between the and stations. While the Taoyuan Airport MRT track passes just by Fu Jen Catholic University Hospital, the location of the proposed eponymous station is approximately a half-mile from the hospital.
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%; margin:auto; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Code
! rowspan="2" | Station name
! colspan="2" | Station type
! rowspan="2" colspan="2" | Locale
! colspan="2" | Sta. distance <small>(km)</small>
! rowspan="2" | Opened date
! rowspan="2" | Transfer
|-
! Structure
! Platform
! Previous
! Total
|-
| colspan="11" bgcolor=# style="color:white" | Taoyuan Airport MRT
|-
| style="color:#" | A1
| Taipei Main Station<br>
| Underground
| Double Island
| Zhongzheng
| Taipei
|
| align="right" | 0.00
| rowspan="2" | 2017–3–2
| align="left" | File:AB-Kreuz.svg (Taipei)<br>File:AB-Kreuz.svg (Taipei)<br>File:AB-Kreuz.svg (R10)<br>File:AB-Kreuz.svg (BL12)<br>File:AB-Kreuz.svg (G13)
|-
| style="color:#" | A2
| <br>
| rowspan="7" | Elevated
| Island
| rowspan="2" | Sanchong
| rowspan="7" | New Taipei
| 4.236
| align="right" | 4.236
| align="left" | File:AB-Kreuz.svg
|-
| A2a
|
|
| 1.600
| align="right" | 5.836
| Planning
|
|-
| style="color:#" | A3
| <br>
| Double Island
| rowspan="2" | Xinzhuang
| 2.193
| align="right" | 7.729
| rowspan="3" | 2017–3–2
| align="left" | File:AB-Kreuz.svg
|-
| style="color:#" | A4
| <br>
| rowspan="5" | Side
| 1.369
| align="right" | 9.098
| rowspan="2"
|-
| style="color:#" | A5
| <br>
| rowspan="3" | Taishan
| 0.931
| align="right" | 10.029
|-
| A5a
|
| 1.100
| align="right" | 11.129
| Planning
|-
| style="color:#" | A14a
| <br>
| Island
| 37.232
| rowspan="8" | 2017–3–2
|-
| style="color:#" | A15
| <br>
| rowspan="6" | Elevated
| rowspan="2" | Side
| 1.898
| 39.130
|-
| style="color:#" | A16
| <br>
| 2.250
| 41.380
| align="left" | File:AB-Kreuz.svg
|-
| style="color:#" | A17
| <br>
| Double Island
| 1.580
| 42.960
|
|-
| style="color:#" | A18
| Taoyuan HSR Station<br>
| rowspan="3" | Side
| rowspan="6" | Zhongli
| 1.610
| 44.570
| align="left" | File:AB-Kreuz.svg
|-
| style="color:#" | A19
| <br>
| 1.740
| 46.310
| rowspan="2"
|-
| style="color:#" | A20
| <br>
| 2.960
| 49.270
|-
| style="color:#" | A21
| <br>
| rowspan="3" | Underground
| rowspan="3" | Island
| 1.540
| 50.810
| align="left" | File:AB-Kreuz.svg
|-
| style="color:#" | A22
| <br>
| 0.950
| 51.760
| 2023–7–31
|
|-
| style="color:#" | A23
| Zhongli Railway Station<br>
| colspan="2"
| 2028–7
| align="left" | File:AB-Kreuz.svg Zhongli extension line<br>File:AB-Kreuz.svg
|}
<gallery>
Image:New Taipei Industrial Park Station 2.jpg|A commuter train leaving New Taipei Industrial Park
Image:機場捷運長庚醫院站月台.jpg|Chang Gung Memorial Hospital platform
Image:機場第二航廈站 閘門與詢問處 20170222.jpg|Airport Terminal 2 faregates and information booth
</gallery>
Ridership
Table below shows the average daily ridership per month.
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! width=55 |
! width=55 | Jan
! width=55 | Feb
! width=55 | Mar
! width=55 | Apr
! width=55 | May
! width=55 | Jun
! width=55 | Jul
! width=55 | Aug
! width=55 | Sep
! width=55 | Oct
! width=55 | Nov
! width=55 | Dec
! width=55 | Year
|-
! 2017
| －
| －
| 66,715
| 57,431
| 53,075
| 52,485
| 53,358
| 57,981
| 52,379
| 57,652
| 53,890
| 63,706
| 56,867
|-
! 2018
| 57,791
| 60,313
| 60,643
| 60,929
| 58,498
| 61,665
| 62,701
| 67,357
| 64,353
| 65,941
| 67,647
| 75,058
| 63,575
|-
! 2019
| 69,360
| 71,525
| 70,824
| 72,810
| 72,080
| 75,929
| 77,830
| 79,805
| 76,235
| 83,208
| 79,969
| 89,204
| 76,565
|-
! 2020
| 82,810
| 58,868
| 40,737
| 33,621
| 37,933
| 43,162
| 48,160
| 53,257
| 51,550
| 51,720
| 51,668
| 53,423
| 50,576
|-
! 2021
| 46,793
| 41,855
| 49,168
| 50,673
| 27,172
| bgcolor="green" | <span style="color:white;">14,197</span>
| 18,872
| 29,476
| 33,598
| 42,215
| 46,668
| 51,258
| 37,662
|-
! 2022
| 40,012
| 39,098
| 47,692
| 39,609
| 30,877
| 36,888
| 44,951
| 48,921
| 48,863
| 53,097
| 61,492
| 72,154
| 46,971
|-
! 2023
| 69,207
| 74,697
| 78,160
| 79,755
| 80,102
| 84,347
| 92,396
| 100,574
| 100,648
| 104,648
| 107,033
| 109,808
| 90,115
|-
! 2024
| 107,359
| 107,957
| 113,774
| 109,348
| 111,176
| 112,685
| 108,788
| 117,122
| 115,527
| 113,230
| 125,923
| 130,532
| 114,418
|-
! 2025
|117,976
|bgcolor="red" | <span style="color:white;">148,634</span>
|125,347
|125,655
|122,382
|123,543
|122,431
|127,509
|
|
|
|
|
|}
See also
- Taipei Metro
- Taoyuan Metro
- Rail transport in Taiwan
Notes
References
External links
- Taoyuan Metro Corporation
- Department of Transportation, Taoyuan