TAINAN(TVBS News) — The Transportation Committee (立法院交通委員會) under the Legislative Yuan (Taiwan's parliament) on Monday (Jan. 6) inspected the Tainan railway underground project, revealing the construction progress of the Tainan Station concourse and platform levels for the first time. Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) confirmed the project would open as scheduled by 2026.
Democratic Progressive Party (民進黨) Legislator Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲) emphasized the project's importance in reconnecting Tainan's urban areas and expressed anticipation for the entire line's opening next year. Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) noted that once the first phase opens, level crossings will disappear, and the former railway area will transform into a parkway.
Mayor Huang also stated that the city government fully supports the Railway Bureau's third revision plan and hopes for increased financial backing from the central government. Minister Chen mentioned that the Executive Yuan (行政院) is reviewing the third revision plan. However, this will not affect the current project timeline, which aims to be completed by the end of 2026.
Tainan's Bureau of Transportation (台南市交通局) reported the project has overcome cultural heritage obstacles and that the Railway Bureau has accelerated the construction pace. The underground railway spans approximately 8.23 kilometers and will include two new underground commuter stations: Linsen Station (林森站) and South Tainan Station (南台南站).