Circular light rail

Quality 0.50 · 1 view · Updated 2 months ago

Light rail loop line in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

title: "Circular light rail" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["light-rail-transit-in-kaohsiung", "kaohsiung-metro-lines", "railway-lines-opened-in-2016", "2016-establishments-in-taiwan", "light-rail-in-taiwan", "standard-gauge-railways-in-taiwan"] description: "Light rail loop line in Kaohsiung, Taiwan" topic_path: "general/light-rail-transit-in-kaohsiung" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_light_rail" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Light rail loop line in Kaohsiung, Taiwan ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox rail line"]

FieldValue
color
logoKaohsiung LRT Circular Line.svg
logo_width38px
imageC3 Star of Cianjhen Station.JPG
captionCAF Urbos 3 trams parked at Cianjhen Star
typeLight rail
systemKaohsiung Metro
localeKaohsiung, Taiwan
endcircular
stations38
daily_ridership10 000
ridership23,360,000 (2018)
planopen
open16 October 2015
yearcommenced(phase 1)
yearcompleted
ownerKaohsiung City Government
operatorKaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation
characterAt-grade, elevated
depotCianjhen Depot
stockCAF Urbos 3
Alstom Citadis 305
linelength22.1 km
tracks2
gauge
electrificationElectric capacitor
speed70 km/h maximum
websitekrtco.com.tw
map
map_nameMap
map_statecollapsed
::

| box_width = | name = | other_name = | native_name = | color = | logo = Kaohsiung LRT Circular Line.svg | logo_width = 38px | logo_alt = | image = C3 Star of Cianjhen Station.JPG | image_width = | image_alt = | caption = CAF Urbos 3 trams parked at Cianjhen Star | type = Light rail | system = Kaohsiung Metro | status = | locale = Kaohsiung, Taiwan | start = | end = circular | stations = 38 | routes = | daily_ridership = 10 000 | ridership2 = 3,360,000 (2018) | planopen = | open = 16 October 2015 | yearcommenced = (phase 1) | yearcompleted = | event1label = | event1 = | event2label = | event2 = | event3label = | event3 = | owner = Kaohsiung City Government | operator = Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation | character = At-grade, elevated | depot = Cianjhen Depot | stock = CAF Urbos 3 Alstom Citadis 305 | linelength = 22.1 km | tracklength = | tracks = 2 | gauge = | old_gauge = | load_gauge = | minradius = | racksystem = | routenumber = | linenumber = | electrification = Electric capacitor | speed = 70 km/h maximum | signalling = | elevation = | website = krtco.com.tw | map = | map_name = Map | map_state = collapsed | embedded = | t = 環狀 | s = 环状 | hp = Huánzhuàng Qīngguǐ | tp = Huánjhuàng Cingguěi | w = Huan²-chuang⁴ Chʻing¹-kuei³ | poj = Khoân-chōng Kheng-kúi/Khin-thih | phfs = Fàn-chhong Khiâng-kuí ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/機電調整作業中的C1車站.JPG" caption="[[Lizihnei Station]] (9 March 2015)"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/KMRT_Cianjhen_Star_Station_2016-08-27.jpg" caption="Cianjhen Star Station (27 August 2016)"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/KLRT_LovePier_Station.jpg" caption="Love Pier Station (22 July 2017)"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Kaohsiung_LRT_C8_Station_IMG_2010.jpg" caption="Kaohsiung Exhibition Center Station and the [[85 Sky Tower"] ::

The Kaohsiung Circular Light Rail () is a light rail loop line in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, operated by the Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation. The line stretches over a length of 22.1 kilometers and has 38 stations. The southern part of this line makes use of the defunct tracks of the Kaohsiung Harbor Railway Line. Construction cost was forecasted to be 16.5 billion New Taiwan dollars.

Phase I consists of the section of the line from Station C1 to Station C14, of which Stations C3 and C14 are transfer stations to the KMRT and , respectively. Construction of Phase I began on 4 June 2013. Stations C1 to C14 were open on a test-basis (free for the public) from August 2015, and commenced formal operations in September 2017.

Phase II construction of the northern section partially began on 12 January 2021 after the underground relocation of the Kaohsiung urban railway. The northern part of Phase II was scheduled to be opened in June 2021 along with the rest, but was delayed until 1 January 2024 due to local opposition.

History

::data[format=table title=""]

PhaseSegmentCommencementLength (km)Stations
ILizihnei - Hamasen4 July 20168.714
II Phase 1Hamasen - Gushan District Office
Lizihnei - Kaisyuan Park12 January 20214.19
II Phase 2Gushan District Office - TRA Museum of Fine Arts16 December 20211.83
II Phase 3TRA Museum of Fine Arts - Heart of Love River5 October 20222.44
II FullHeart of Love River - Kaisyuan Park1 January 202457
::

Stations

::data[format=table]

CodeStation NameConnectionDistrictEnglishChinese
— ↑ Loop line towards Depot ↑ —
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C1籬仔內Cianjhen
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C2凱旋瑞田
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C3前鎮之星via (R6)
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C4凱旋中華
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C5夢時代
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C6經貿園區
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C7軟體園區
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C8高雄展覽館
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C9旅運中心(planned)Lingya
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C10光榮碼頭
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C11真愛碼頭Yancheng
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C12駁二大義
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C13駁二蓬萊Gushan
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C14哈瑪星via (O1)
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C15
(ALIEN Art Centre)壽山公園(金馬賓館當代美術館)
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C16文武聖殿
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C17鼓山區公所
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C18Gushan鼓山
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C19馬卡道
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C20TRA Museum of Fine Arts Station臺鐵美術館
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C21A內惟藝術中心
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C21美術館
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C22聯合醫院
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C23龍華國小
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C24愛河之心via (R13)
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C25新上國小Zuoying
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C26大順民族Sanmin
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C27灣仔內
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C28高雄高工(planned)
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C29樹德家商
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C30Science and Technology Museum科工館
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C31聖功醫院Lingya
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C32凱旋公園via (O8), via (O7)
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C33衛生局
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C34五權國小
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C35凱旋武昌
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C36凱旋二聖Cianjhen
Kaohsiung MetroC}};"C37輕軌機廠
— ↓ Loop line towards ↓ —
::

Rolling stock

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/KMRT_CAF_train_at_C7_2016-08-27.jpg" caption="[[CAF Urbos"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/Kaohsiung_Light_Rail_Alstom_Citadis,Pier-2_Art_Center(20240316a)(53607047337)-_cropped.jpg" caption="Citadis 305"] ::

The line's fleet consists of nine CAF Urbos trams that are powered by supercapacitor banks. The tramway cars are 34 m in length, and are able to transport a total of 250 passengers (seated, and standing).

15 Alstom Citadis 305 tramway cars entered service in November 2020.

Ticket

Unlike the Kaohsiung Metro Red and Orange Lines, the Kaohsiung Light Rail is charged at a lower rate. As of January 2019, the fare for each light rail is NT$30. There is special rate of NT$10 by using a digital wallet (such as iPass, EasyCard, icash, etc). Card readers are available at each station and inside of tramway. When paying the fare by the e-ticket (digital wallet), passengers are only charged one of them at each time. When paying by cash, passengers can purchase tickets at the ticket vending machines at each station for the ticket inspector to check.

Previous light rail demonstration project

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Ddm_2004_007_Kaoshiung_Cable_Car_on_Rail.jpg" caption="Central Park, Kaohsiung]] in 2004."] ::

In 2004, the Kaohsiung City Government and Siemens built a temporary two-station circular light rail line in Central Park, operated by a single trainset, to demonstrate the feasibility of building a light rail system in Kaohsiung City. It was meant to alleviate some residents' concerns that light rail would negatively impact their surroundings by producing excessive noise and hindering normal traffic flow. This Siemens Combino vehicle would later become the D2 Class operated in Melbourne, Australia.

References

References

  1. "Kaohsiung Light Rail".
  2. "Transport statistics".
  3. (4 July 2016). "領先全台 高雄輕軌4日正式通車 {{!}} 社會".
  4. (7 January 2013). "Kaohsiung picks CAF to build catenary-free trams". [[Railway Gazette International]].
  5. (4 September 2018). "The 1st tram for Kaohsiung arrives in Taiwan".
  6. "KAOHSIUNG LRV". CAF.
  7. (17 August 2012). "Light Rail System - Project Content". Mass Rapid Transit Bureau, Kaohsiung City.
  8. (8 January 2015). "Trams: Kaohsiung Launches Taiwan's First Light Rail Service". Kaohsiung City Government.
  9. (4 June 2013). "Kaohsiung begins circular light rail construction". Focus Taiwan News Channel.
  10. Tim Berge. (16 October 2015). "Kaohsiung LRT Opens to Public".
  11. (17 March 2014). "About Taiwan". Info Taiwan.
  12. James Chuang. (8 June 2015). "Kaohsiung light rail line set to go full circle".
  13. (12 January 2021). "New light rail stop - Focus Taiwan".
  14. (10 November 2020). "Kaohsiung light rail system to be completed by 2023: mayor - Focus Taiwan".
  15. (6 January 2021). "New Kaohsiung circular light rail section to go into service Jan. 12 - Focus Taiwan".
  16. "Trams: KAOHSIUNG TRAMWAY". [[Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles.
  17. (13 January 2021). "Alstom Citadis X05 trams enter service on South Circular LRT in Taiwan". Railway Technology.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

light-rail-transit-in-kaohsiungkaohsiung-metro-linesrailway-lines-opened-in-20162016-establishments-in-taiwanlight-rail-in-taiwanstandard-gauge-railways-in-taiwan