Too hot waiting for MRT: Taichung City Hall station installs electric fans, plans wider rollout

Taichung Metro is tackling the sweltering heat on its elevated platforms by installing electric fans, starting with a trial at the City Hall station. The move comes in response to growing public complaints about uncomfortable waiting conditions during extreme weather.

Unlike the air-conditioned underground systems in Taipei and New Taipei City, Taichung's Green Line stations are elevated and designed for natural ventilation. While environmentally friendly, this design offers little relief when temperatures soar, leaving passengers feeling overheated after just a few minutes of waiting.

Taichung Metro General Manager Zhu Laishun stated that the company is proceeding with a three-phase plan to install fans across all 18 stations. Following the initial trial at City Hall, the next phase will see fans installed at Shui'an Gong and Taichung High-Speed Rail stations by early to mid-August. If passenger feedback is positive, the initiative will be rolled out to all stations.

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Because the public has reflected that it is hot waiting for the train on the platform, in order to prevent passengers from getting too hot while waiting for the train, the work of installing electric fans at the 18 stations has begun.