Taiwan's transportation network is entering a new era of transformation. With the Danjiang Bridge set to officially open in May 2026 and the Sanying Line approaching its inauguration, the most anticipated project — the HSR extension to Pingtung — has also cleared a major hurdle, formally entering its second-phase Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The Railway Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has designated the "Kaohsiung Route" — running through the city center — as the sole preferred alignment. The extension is projected to cost over NT$100 billion (approximately USD 3.1 billion), with a target opening date of 2039 if assessments and planning proceed on schedule.
Project Timeline: Where the Extension Stands
Taiwan's HSR has fundamentally changed travel along the island's west coast since its 2007 launch. The southward extension has long been identified as a national-level strategic priority — the final gap in southern Taiwan's rail network.
According to the Railway Bureau's latest planning framework, environmental review is targeted for completion by end-2027, with Executive Yuan approval expected in 2028. Because the full route includes underground construction through dense urban areas, the total construction period is estimated at approximately 11 years, putting the target completion date at 2039.
Why the Kaohsiung Route Was Chosen Over the Alternatives
Planners evaluated multiple alignment options before settling on the Kaohsiung Route, which follows the existing Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) corridor through Kaohsiung's city center.
Three alternatives were assessed and set aside on safety or feasibility grounds. The Zuoying Route was dismissed due to public safety concerns related to petrochemical industry proximity along the Houjing River corridor. The Xiaogang-Chaozhou Route was ruled out because it would require demolishing more than 200 structures in the city center and navigating highly complex underground utility networks.
The Yanchao Route was similarly assessed but set aside on safety and feasibility grounds. The Kaohsiung Route was selected as the preferred option: Bureau officials note it makes maximum use of existing TRA right-of-way, minimizes urban disruption, and is positioned to catalyze commercial redevelopment around Kaohsiung's historic main station district.
Two New Stations: Kaohsiung Underground, Pingtung Elevated
The extension spans approximately 26.2 kilometers and will add two new HSR stations — the aspect of the project attracting the most public attention.
The new HSR Kaohsiung Station will be built underground on the north side of the existing TRA Kaohsiung Station, enabling a triple-rail co-located interchange — integrating HSR, TRA intercity rail, and the Kaohsiung MRT Red Line within a single unified station structure. Planners say this configuration is expected to restore Kaohsiung's city center to its role as the region's primary transportation hub, accelerating urban renewal and industrial upgrading in the surrounding area.
The new HSR Pingtung Station will be elevated, located in the Liukuaicuo area of Pingtung City, and connected to a relocated TRA Liukuaicuo Station. Surrounding development plans include expansion of the Pingtung Science Park, a technology industrial zone, and a sports and recreation precinct — collectively intended to establish an emerging industrial cluster in southern Taiwan.
Engineering Constraints: Speed Caps and 11.8 Kilometers of Tunnel
The extension presents substantial engineering challenges. The full route includes approximately 17.6 kilometers of underground section, of which 11.82 kilometers will be bored using tunnel boring machines (TBM), running directly through central Kaohsiung's densely built urban core.
To reduce land acquisition requirements and relocation costs, portions of the route follow existing TRA alignments with minimum curve radii of just 300 meters. As a result, HSR operating speeds within the Kaohsiung metropolitan section will be capped at 160 kilometers per hour — comparable to the Banqiao-Taipei segment — rather than the 350 km/h standard on open-line sections. Conducting large-scale underground excavation without disrupting active MRT and TRA operations above and alongside the construction zone is identified as the defining technical challenge of the coming decade.
The Southern Semiconductor Corridor: HSR as Industrial Infrastructure
Beyond passenger convenience, officials and policy observers frame the extension as critical infrastructure for Taiwan's broader industrial strategy in the south — specifically, the government's push to develop what it has branded the "Greater South New Silicon Valley" semiconductor corridor.
With semiconductor investment accelerating in northern Kaohsiung, capacity at the existing HSR Zuoying Station is approaching saturation. The addition of Kaohsiung and Pingtung stations would redistribute passenger demand and reduce travel times across the Chiayi-Tainan-Kaohsiung-Pingtung corridor. The new rail axis is intended to connect the Asia New Bay Area 2.0 development zone with the Pingtung Science Park — a configuration proponents argue will improve the region's ability to attract and retain high-technology talent and inject long-term growth momentum into southern Taiwan's economy.
Source: Railway Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications
