Thanks to the High Speed Rail,
MRT and railway systems,
travelers enjoy easy links
heading north or south.

Taichung Port is an important
gateway to central Taiwan
and has very strong potential
as an international commercial
port. (photo provided by
Taichung Harbor Bureau)

A drawing of Taichung Railway
Station's planned elevated
railway. (provided by Railway
Reconstruction Bureau, Ministry
Of Transportation
and Communications)

Free TTJ bus rides are
designed to encourage
Taichung residents to regularly
use public transportation.

'The Wings of Shalu' is an
overpass and a brand-new
landmark located at the busy
intersection of ZhongQi and
SanMin roads.

The Zhonggang System
Interchange

A World City: Easy travel between Taichung and almost anywhere

Text and photos by Taichung City Goverment
Translated by Angel Pu

When it comes to potential among Taiwan's five special municipalities, Taichung is first in line. A big reason for this is the city's central position astride a well-developed air-land-sea transport network made up of Taichung Port, Taichung International Airport, the High Speed Rail, Taiwan Rail, highways and a mass rapid transit (MRT) system. With these links, the concept of a "one-day living circle" is no longer impossible.

Transportation is of utmost importance for city development. After the Dec. 25, 2010 merger of Taichung city and county, the Taichung Special Municipality has come into possession of ocean/coastal and mountain resources. The first priority will be determining how to firmly link every district and develop a convenient city-wide traffic network. Currently, the Taichung City Government is proposing a public transportation system project that includes convenient and extensive bus routes and the establishment of a MRT network. According to Bureau of Transportation, a MRT is a strong symbol of a modernized city and the goal is to give Taichung city unimpeded transportation via this planned comprehensive MRT/bus system.

Convenient, free TTJ bus rides
Taking the bus transit system as an example: To strengthen the transportation development in rural areas of Taichung city, the government has planned four new free TTJ bus routes. There will be two mountain routes linking Heping, Dongshi, Xinshe, Shigang, Fengyuan, and Shengang districts. Another route will connect the Dajia, Qingshui, Shalu and Longjing coastal districts, while the remaining Feng An route will travel from Fengyuan to Houli, Dajia and Da-an. Previously, public transportation between and within these districts was quite inconvenient due to the low, infrequent number of buses. Therefore, to encourage citizens in coastal and mountain areas to ride public buses, all TTJ buses will be free after they are introduced there. As the Bureau of Transportation is encouraging all citizens, "Take the bus everyday everywhere."

Additionally, starting in 2011, Taichung city's main bus lines will not charge passengers for rides of under eight kilometers. The Transportation Bureau notes that this effectively means that almost every bus passenger will enjoy a free ride with the implementation of this policy.

Another point worth noting is that the six TTJ main-line route buses will continue a frequency rate of 5-10 minutes, making it verry convenient and efficient for students, office workers and others commuting between the rural and downtown areas. This will help complete Taichung city's transportation network, to the point that even residents in Taichung's very remote Heping district can easily get into town by making good use of public transportation.

Stimulating regional development via 3 transportation modes
The function of the bus transit network is to boost convenience for each district, while the MRT network serves as a connection to surrounding counties. The MRT network currently being planned by the Bureau of Transportation revolves around a transport grid designed to link Taichung with Changhua and Nantou counties. According to the bureau, the MRT Green Line (from the Taichung High Speed Rail Station to Dakeng Scenic Area) has already begun construction with completion scheduled for 2015. Its total length will be 16.71 kilometers with 18 stops along the way, and its total cost will be NT$48.393 billion. It is projected that the passengers using this new line will generate significant business opportunities and economic development in surrounding areas.

As work has been initiated on the MRT's Green Line, construction plans for the Blue Line (from ZhongGang [Taichung Port] Road to Taiping and Taichung Port) and Orange Line (from Taichung International Airport to Dali, Wufeng and Nantou county) are also being studied. Taichung city's mass transportation is undoubtedly preparing to enter a new era and to set new milestones. To prepare for the new MRT system, Taichung city is using the above-mentioned free TTJ bus rides to help residents grow accustomed to taking public transportation--a habit that will hopefully extend to the MRT in the future.

In regards to access to surrounding counties, the government is planning on developing highways and expressways that transform Taichung city into central Taiwan's transportation hub. In addition, the government is also trying to promote a Taichung metropolitan elevated railway plan, extending from Daqing to Wuri. In cooperation with the High Speed Rail and MRT system, this will form a traffic network made up of three different transportation modes, completing upgrading the city's connections.

Taichung harbor, airport create an international metropolis
Even before the city-county merger, Mayor Jason Hu was devoted to transforming Taichung city into an internationally competitive metropolis, with the main problem originally being the city's lack of its own harbor and international airport--two elements that are key to becoming integrated and connected with the world. However, following the consolidation with Taichung county, this new supersized city has both of these facilities, providing great potential and more possibilities.

According to the statistics from the Taichung Harbor Bureau, visitor numbers reached new heights following the initiation of cross-strait direct transportation with China. Between January and September, 2010, the total number of passenger ships visiting Taichung was 230, carrying a total of 57,098 tourists. This represents a year-on-year growth rate for passengers and ships of 37.60% and 142.11%, respectively, by comparison with 2009, and sets a new Taichung Port record for passenger traffic. In addition, thanks to marketing efforts by the Taichung Harbor Bureau and tourist agencies, passenger traffic is expected to experience additional growth of 10 to 15 percent in 2011, with this number rising even higher if Taiwan is opened to individual travelers from China.

Equipped with two major assets--Taichung International Airport and Taichung Port--Taichung city is becoming a major entry point for cross-strait transportation, with China-Taiwan business travelers and tourists arriving in Taichung via charter flights and passenger ships before transferring to southern or northern Taiwan. At the same time, Taiwanese from around the island can also travel to central or southern China via Taichung. In the end, no matter where you are and where you want to travel to, you can complete your journey in just one day from Taichung. For China-based Taiwanese businessmen, this is also very convenient and will provide them with many fresh business opportunities.

Central Taiwan's international airport beneficial for economic growth
While Taichung International Airport is not limited to cross-strait flights, its current facilities, including terminal and aircraft parking areas, make it unable to handle larger wide-bodied aircraft. Therefore, most of its flights are presently domestic and cross-strait connections, with occasional international charter flights. Recently, in response to the continuous growth of passengers and cargo at Taichung airport, the Civil Aeronautics Administration initiated an airport expansion plan to address needs. In July this year, Executive Yuan Premier Wu Den-yih will personally host a groundbreaking ceremony for the first stage of the Taichung International Airport expansion plan.

This first stage is scheduled to be finished in 2012 with the completion of a new terminal for international flights, and an airport area expanded from 7,500 to 20,000 square meters. The first stage of the expansion will also include extended runways, new aircraft hangers and five more jet bridges, at a cost of NT$3.89 billion. When total construction is finished, the airport will be able to serve over 1.35 million passengers a year, making this a true international air facility. Taichung's airport will undoubtedly play an increasingly important role in stimulating the city's economy and offering other benefits, even as it offers improved, more efficient services to passengers traveling between Taiwan and China.

Left: Taichung's 'one-day living circle' starts with the High Speed Rail.
Right: A drawing of the Taichung International Airport's planned new terminal.