New Taipei’s Tamsui blue light rail line 35% complete

新北市淡水輕軌第二期工程完成35%。

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As New Taipei City prepares to open the Danjiang Bridge to traffic, the city is also making steady progress on the Tamsui blue light rail line.

Construction on the blue LRT line is currently 36.5% complete and slightly ahead of schedule, reported UDN. The line will comprise six stations and run along the coast of the Tamsui River between Tamsui MRT Station and Fisherman’s Wharf, where it will connect with the red Danhai LRT line.

New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) visited the light rail project near Fisherman’s Wharf and the Danjiang Bridge to inspect progress. He said the city will try to expedite ongoing road construction projects to ensure smooth traffic flow before the Danjiang Bridge opens.

The New Taipei Department of Rapid Transit Systems expects to finish laying the 3.3-kilometer track for the line in the coming week. The city anticipates the blue LRT line will be operational in early 2027, per UDN.

The coastal LRT line will help balance development between the new and old parts of Tamsui. It will serve as an additional attraction and improve accessibility for tourists visiting the popular riverside promenade and Tamsui Old Street.

The next phase planned for the LRT is the green Bali Light Rail, which will connect Tamsui and Bali districts across the Tamsui River and run along the underside of the Danjiang Bridge. The Bali Light Rail has been undergoing feasibility studies for six years, but is still awaiting central government approval.

Mayor Hou said widening roads and adjusting pipeline infrastructure to accommodate the light rail are the most difficult aspects of the project. The city has reportedly invested significant resources in planning both the blue LRT line and the Bali LRT line.

The New Taipei Department of Rapid Transit Systems is prepared to begin construction on the Bali Light Rail line as soon as it receives authorization, per UDN.