Tainan MRT Blue Line approved by Cabinet

台南捷運藍線獲行政院核准

TAINAN (Taiwan News) — The Cabinet on Tuesday approved Tainan’s first MRT system, the Blue Line, with construction slated to begin by the end of 2026 and take about six years to complete, per CNA.

Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) said the Blue Line marks a turning point for the city’s transportation network and will usher Tainan into a new era of modern public transit.

According to the Tainan Rapid Transit Office, the route will run 8.39 kilometers from Yongkang’s Daqiao area to the Tainan Cultural Center, with a branch connecting to Rende. It will pass through the city’s busiest districts and link with other planned MRT lines.

The project will cost NT$32.7 billion, with the central government funding NT$19.3 billion and the city covering the remainder. The city government plans to contract out construction as soon as possible, per the Tainan City Government.

The city’s Bureau of Transportation said the Blue Line will use a straddle-beam monorail system, the first of its kind in Taiwan. The bureau said the system should shorten construction time, lower costs, and reduce visual impact, per CNA.

According to Hitachi Review, a straddle-beam monorail places trains on top of a single concrete beam, with wheels gripping the sides for stability, allowing faster construction and reduced land and visual impact in urban areas.

For years, Tainan was the only one of Taiwan’s six major cities without a metro system. The Blue Line is a milestone for the historic city’s modernization, per UDN.