Taiwan’s Executive Yuan has sanctioned two significant high-speed rail expansion projects, aiming to enhance national connectivity with new routes to Yilan County and a connection between Kaohsiung and Pingtung County. Premier Cho Jung-tai has greenlit the 60.6-kilometer Nangang–Yilan high-speed rail extension, with an estimated cost of NT$352.2 billion (approximately US$10.9 billion). This new line is set to reduce travel time between Taipei and Yilan to about 28 minutes, offering a much faster alternative to existing rail services.
The proposed route will originate from Nangang HSR Station in Taipei, traversing several districts in New Taipei City such as Sijhih, Pingsi, Shuangsi, and Gongliao, before reaching Yilan through Toucheng and Jiaosi townships. It will conclude at a newly planned high-speed rail station near the Yilan County Government complex, providing seamless connectivity to the existing Yilan Railway Station. Construction aims for completion by 2037, with the Railway Bureau estimating weekday ridership at around 27,000 passengers and weekend ridership reaching approximately 60,000 by 2051.
Additionally, the Executive Yuan has approved a 26.22-kilometer high-speed rail extension from Zuoying HSR Station in Kaohsiung to a proposed station in Lioukuaitso, Pingtung City, passing through the Kaohsiung Railway Station. Authorities are targeting to finalize the second-stage environmental impact assessment for this project by next year.
These railway developments are part of a broader governmental strategy to establish a comprehensive rail network across Taiwan, enabling travel across the island in four interconnected 90-minute segments. This ambitious plan also includes upgrading the Hualien–Taitung railway to a double-track electrified line and enhancing the South Link Line between Taitung and Pingtung. These improvements aim to increase capacity, bolster resilience against extreme weather, and advance Taiwan’s transportation infrastructure.