新北捷運三鶯線正式通車

The MRT Sanying Line, which connects Tucheng （土城）, Sansia （三峽） and Yingge （鶯歌） districts in New Taipei City, officially opened at 2pm yesterday following a ceremony attended by central and local officials.

The Light Blue （LB） Line runs from Yingtao Fude Station （LB12） in Yingge to Dingpu Station （LB01, BL36）, where it connects to the Bannan （Blue） Line.

New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-ih （侯友宜） told the ceremony yesterday morning that ridership on the new line is free through Aug. 31, inviting the public to visit popular cultural attractions in Sanxia and Yingge close to stations on the Light Blue line.

During the two-month trial period, trains are to operate from 10am to 8pm, after which service hours would be from 6am to midnight.

Fares are to follow the tiered pricing system of the Taipei and New Taipei City MRT networks, ranging from NT$20 to NT$35.

The line spans 14.29km with 12 stations, providing convenient access to attractions including the New Taipei City Art Museum in Yingge, Sansia Old Street and Yingge Ceramics Old Street, Hou said.

Construction of the line was exceptionally challenging, as there were eight major obstacles to navigate: two national highway crossings, two railway crossings and four river crossings, including the Dahan River （大漢溪）, he said.

New Taipei Metro Corp said that the new line is a vital link designed to ease congestion in New Taipei City’s southwestern corridor, adding that it cuts the commute from Yingge to Taipei by 20 minutes.

Following a 2012 feasibility study, the medium-capacity elevated Sanying Line commenced construction on July 21, 2016.

Work is planned to begin this year on an extension that runs about 4km westward from Yingtao Fude Station to Taoyuan’s Bade District （八德）, said Lee Cheng-an （李政安）, head of the New Taipei City Department of Rapid Transit Systems.

The extension is scheduled to be completed in 2034, when it would connect to the under-construction Taoyuan MRT’s Green Line, Lee said.