The last memory of the century-old railway track at Tainan Station is open for a limited time only for 8 days, and the surrounding housing prices are soaring.

The undergroundization of Tainan Railway will help increase the value of the land on both sides, but the surrounding development is mature and there is a lack of large-scale development hinterland. (Provided by Tainan City Government)

Tainan Station’s century-old ground rail will become a historical memory! With the opening of the first phase of Tainan Railway undergrounding, the Tainan City Government has opened the tracks between the 1st and 2nd platforms of the old station for a limited time, allowing the public to walk into the previously forbidden track area to take photos and leave their last memories. The century-old station has ushered in a new look, and the surrounding real estate market has also received attention. The highest transaction price of a new project has reached the prefix 6.

The first phase of undergrounding the Tainan Railway was officially opened to traffic. Trains that originally ran on the ground were moved underground, and the above-ground rail tracks that had accompanied Tainan people for many years were decommissioned. The Tainan City Government, in coordination with the Taiwan Railways and the Railway Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation, will temporarily open the rail track between the 1st and 2nd platforms of the old Tainan Station before the start of the next phase of the project, allowing the public to leave their last memories of the century-old railway.

The Tainan City Transportation Bureau stated that it will be open until the 26th and the site will only be used for static photography. People must enter and exit according to the designated movement lines and are not allowed to run, jump or move railway facilities. With the opening of the new Tainan underground station, the east and west sides of the station, which were originally blocked by the railway, are expected to be reconnected through surface roads and green corridors in the future. In addition to improving traffic routes, the development value of the land on both sides of the railway has also received attention.

She Guangzong, chairman of the Tainan Sales Agency Association, said that the east side of Tainan Station is adjacent to the National Cheng Kung University business district, with mature transportation, commercial and living functions. In recent years, the transaction prices of new projects have reached the prefix 5, and the unit price of some high-floor units has exceeded 600,000 yuan. The surrounding historic houses are still relatively low-priced. The unit price of buildings 10 to 20 years old is about 300,000 to 350,000 yuan. The transaction price of apartments over 30 years old is 250,000 to 290,000 yuan. The price difference between old and new houses is obvious.

She Guangzong said that after the railway is undergrounded, the urban space that was originally blocked by the railway will have the opportunity to be reconnected. The transportation and living environment will be improved, which will have a positive effect on the value of the land on both sides of the railway and has the potential to increase in value in the future. However, She Guangzong said: "The development around Tainan Station is quite mature, the land is intensively used, and there is a lack of large hinterland for development. Even if the environment improves, it is not easy for a large number of new projects to appear."