Taipei Metro Faces Peak Hour Chaos: Councilor Demands Extended Service Amidst Overcrowding Fears

Taipei City Councilor Hung Wan-chen has voiced strong concerns over the persistent overcrowding on the MRT Bannan Line, citing Longshan Temple Station as a prime example where commuters frequently struggle to board trains during peak hours. Despite trains running every two minutes, the current schedule only offers this enhanced frequency for a limited window between 7:45 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. on weekdays.

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Taipei City Councilor Hung Wan-chen said that currently, passengers on the Bannan Line at Longshan Temple Station often cannot board during peak hours, and she is worried that after the San-Ying Line opens and passenger traffic increases, the situation will worsen in September when school starts.

Hung warned that the situation is poised to deteriorate significantly with the impending opening of the San-Ying Line. She anticipates an influx of approximately 1,500 additional transfer passengers at Dingpu Station during morning peak hours, exacerbating the already critical boarding issues. To address this, she is demanding that Taipei Metro extend the two-minute service frequency to cover the entire 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. period.

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It's not enough to just announce the purchase of new trains; there must be an improvement plan that citizens can actually experience.

Furthermore, Hung called for transparency regarding the deployment of new trains, urging the metro company to release its plan for introducing new rolling stock and its implementation timeline. "It's not enough to just announce the purchase of new trains; there must be an improvement plan that citizens can actually experience," she stated, emphasizing the need for tangible benefits for commuters.

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The current train frequency is already two minutes, and extending the peak hour period is technically feasible, but whether it can be extended to two hours requires effort, and the key is to increase the number of trains.

Taipei Metro General Manager Huang Ching-hsin acknowledged the technical feasibility of extending the peak hour service but noted that it requires more trains. He confirmed that out of ten new trains ordered, two have arrived and are undergoing a year-long testing phase. Once operational, these new trains will be allocated to support the Bannan Line, aiming to alleviate the congestion.

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We have bought 10 trains, 2 have arrived, and they need to be tested for a year. After the vehicles can be put into service, they will be transferred to support the Bannan Line.