Taiwan’s Executive Yuan has authorized a 60.6 km extension of the island’s standard-gauge high speed rail from Nangang station, located east of Taipei, to Yilan on the northeast coast. This project includes the construction of a new station adjacent to Yilan County Hall, and a depot plus maintenance facility southeast of the Yilan terminus. The Railway Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation & Communications has estimated the extension cost at NT$222 billion (€5.95 billion), rising to NT$352.2 billion (€9.44 billion) when factoring in depot and rolling stock expenses.
The extension aims to alleviate congestion on the existing 1,067 mm gauge
conventional line running between Shulin, southwest of Taipei, and Qidu, south of Keelung, which is currently operating at full capacity. Evaluation of this high speed rail extension commenced in 2019, with the Railway Bureau projecting completion by 2037.
Related Infrastructure Upgrades in Yilan
Alongside the main extension, a separate project will rebuild a 15.6 km segment of the existing conventional rail line in central Yilan on an elevated alignment, aiming to reduce conflicts with surface traffic. This undertaking entails reconstructing four stations and creating a new interchange to connect with the high speed line. The Yilan extension is an integral component of Taiwan’s plan to
establish a high-efficiency round-island rail network, intended to promote more balanced development of the traditionally less developed east coast region relative to the western corridor.
Other Railway Projects Across Taiwan
Additional ongoing works include double-tracking the conventional rail line between Hualien and Taitung on the east coast, as well as bottleneck relief and double-tracking efforts on sections of the South Link line between Fangliao and Taitung. At the southern end of the high speed rail system, a 25.9 km extension from Zuoying station through Kaohsiung main station to Pingtung received approval in December 2024.
New Bullet Train Incorporating Japanese Shinkansen Technology
Taiwan has also approved a new bullet train project capable of
speeds up to 300 km/h, which will incorporate Shinkansen technology from Japan to modernize and upgrade the island’s high speed rail system. This initiative complements the rail extension programs and forms part of Taiwan’s strategy to improve travel times and increase rail capacity across the entire island.
