New Taipei's Sanying MRT Line to start trial runs on June 30

Taipei, June 26 (CNA) The New Taipei City government announced Friday that the Sanying MRT Line will officially enter trial operations on June 30, with free rides offered through Aug. 31 to passengers using stored-value cards.

According to a news release from the New Taipei Department of Rapid Transit Systems (DORTS), the Sanying MRT Line is a medium-capacity metro system serving Sanxia and Yingge districts.

In the release, New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) said the line completed final inspection on June 7 and received operating approval from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications on June 23, allowing the city government to finalize preparations ahead of the launch.

During the two-month period, feedback will be collected as part of efforts to further improve facilities and services, he said.

The 14.29-kilometer Sanying MRT Line has 12 stations across Tucheng, Sanxia and Yingge districts, with transfer connections to the Bannan Line at Dingpu Station and Taiwan Railway services at Yingge Station, Hou added.

In a separate statement, New Taipei Metro Corp. (NTMC) said trains will run from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on June 30, marking the start of the line's trial period.

Passengers using stored-value cards, including EasyCard, iPASS and iCASH, will be able to enter and exit stations free of charge, while those without such cards will need to purchase single-journey tickets, the company said.

Starting from the second day of trial operations, trains will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, with peak intervals of six minutes rising to eight minutes during off-peak hours. All services will operate along the full length of the line, with frequencies adjusted based on passenger demand, the company added.

The trial operation is intended to conduct real-world load testing and collect passenger feedback. Contractors will use non-operating hours to make adjustments based on feedback and gradually extend service hours to better meet commuter demand, NTMC said.

According to the metro company, after the trial period ends, daily service on the Sanying MRT Line will run from 6 a.m. to midnight, similar to other metro lines.