Taiwan is set to enhance its high-speed rail network with the approval of two significant expansion projects by the Executive Yuan, targeting better connectivity across the country. A new line will extend to Yilan County, while another will connect Kaohsiung to Pingtung County, with both projects expected to transform travel in these regions. Premier Cho Jung-tai has given the green light to the 60.6-kilometer extension from Nangang to Yilan, a development projected to cost NT$352.2 billion (US$10.9 billion). This extension promises to cut travel time between Taipei and Yilan to just 28 minutes, a considerable improvement over the current rail services.
The planned route will originate at Nangang HSR Station in Taipei and traverse multiple districts in New Taipei City, including Sijhih, Pingsi, Shuangsi, and Gongliao. It will enter Yilan through the townships of Toucheng and Jiaosi, concluding at a newly proposed HSR station near the Yilan County Government complex. This station will offer seamless connections to Yilan Railway Station, providing a strategic boost to local and regional transport links.
Construction of the Yilan extension is anticipated to finish by 2037, with the Railway Bureau estimating weekday ridership to reach approximately 27,000 passengers, escalating to 60,000 on weekends by 2051. Meanwhile, the Executive Yuan has also sanctioned a 26.22-kilometer HSR extension from Zuoying HSR Station in Kaohsiung to a future station in Lioukuaitso, Pingtung City, via the Kaohsiung Railway Station. Authorities are set to complete the second-stage environmental impact assessment of this project next year.
These ambitious railway expansions are integral to the government’s comprehensive strategy to establish a nationwide rail network, facilitating swift travel across Taiwan through four interconnected 90-minute segments. Additionally, the plan includes the modernization of the Hualien–Taitung railway into a double-track electrified line and enhancements to the South Link Line between Taitung and Pingtung. Such upgrades aim to increase capacity, bolster resilience against severe weather, and elevate the island’s overall transportation infrastructure.