| Transportation |
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Sea, land and air transportation links are all available in Kaohsiung. North meets south; east meets west. All places are well linked up. Kaohsiung is located at the hub of Southern Taiwan. Regarding the air transportation, Kaohsiung International Airport is now undergoing great changes and it has 14 airlines flying worldwide via 12 air routes to Tokyo, Hong Kong, Macau, Manila, Subic Bay, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bali, Kota Kinabalu and Phuket Island.
Under planned construction of the road works, Kaohsiung City has enjoyed convenient and rapid out-bound land transportation. As the transport hub, the transport network of Kaohsiung will become an international transport hub after the future urban rail systems, such as Mass Rapid Transit, expressways, and High Speed Rail, are built underground, and the complete and rapid land transportation is combined with the sea and air transportation.
Kaohsiung City is the largest commercial harbor of Taiwan with vessels going all over the world. The cargo throughput of March 2005 has already exceeded 36 million tons.
Containerization is likened to a modern shipping revolution and the container handling capacity of Kaohsiung harbor has already exceeded 3.1 million TEU in April 2005. The berthing of various vessels has led to the prosperity of Kaohsiung City and has given a bright outlook to the future of Kaohsiung harbor. Kaohsiung City is proactively playing an important role in the Asia-Pacific Regional Operations Center plan and it will form a shipping golden triangle with Hong Kong and Shanghai.
| Route 0 North | Yencheng station -> Museum of History ->City Hall-> Kaohsiung Municipal Girls’ Senior High School -> Yencheng station |
| Route 11 | Ruifong station -> Sanhsin High School->Junction of Sz-Wei Road -> Junction of LingYa 1st Road -> Junction of Minchuan Road-> Junction of Da-Jhih Road |
| Route 25 | Ruifong station -> World Trade Center ->City Hall-> Kaohsiung Vocational High School of Commerce -> Museum of History |
| Route 36 | Cianjhen station -> Shih-Jia Elementary School ->City Hall-> Junction of Jhong Jheng Road -> Kaohsiung railway station |
Movement and Speed Rapid Transit
The Face of a Changing City
The mode of transportation determines the face of a city. From labour-intensive manufacturing industries in the past when travelling by bicycle was popular to today’s whopping one million motorized scooters, one of the mainstream transport items of today’s Kaohsiung has been a motorized scooter.
With the arrival of the digital age and the need for city developments, precision and speed have become basic standards for a progressive city. Convenient mass rapid transit systems are even basic indicators of modernized cities. When considering Taiwan’s overall traffic networks and industry needs, Kaohsiung must deal with issues regarding traffic connectivity by land, sea and air, be it the mass rapid transit system, the container conveyance roads connecting different piers, the airport or some outward highways. To become an international metropolitan, Kaohsiung must have multilayered, dense traffic networks.
The New Blueprint of Kaohsiung’s Metropolitan Mass Rapid Transit Network.
Through city planning and public constructions, two new clusters of life have been formed in southern and northern Kaohsiung. To meet demands from these newly founded communities and new city developments, flexible policies and comprehensive traffic networks must be set up to fill the gap between the early planning of the rapid transit system and its current, actual construction.
To balance the mass rapid transit system between southern and northern Kaohsiung, the city government is considering incorporating parts of ‘Kaohsiung Underground Railways’ into the Red, Orange and Light Rail Lines of the rapid transit system. Also, in order to keep up with the city’s development trends, the city has decided to continue pushing for northern Kaohsiung’s Blue Line Light Rail Transport system to connect to Neiweibei’s Art Gallery Park Area, Agricultural 16 Xinduxin, and Harbour-side Light Rail Ring Line; this will expand Greater Kaohsiung’s rapid transit network and increase transfer rates between the Red and Orange Lines.
Red Line’s Partial Transport Service by the End of 2006Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Right on Time
Taking the lengthwise geographical characteristic of Kaohsiung into consideration, the crucifix-like network construct of Kaohsiung’s Rapid Transit system, through the planning of the Red and Orange Lines, connects all the major clusters of life throughout Greater Kaohsiung. The Orange Line originates from Kaohsiung County’s Fengshan City in the east; the Red Line connects towns like Qiaotou and Gangshan. These two lines link all the major financial outlets, services, key commercial areas, train stations, the airport, 2009 World Games’ major field and key tourist sites together; the completion of their construction will revolutionize Kaohsiung’s traffic pattern and the prospects of the municipalities along the lines.
The six-year Kaohsiung Rapid Transit construction project is scheduled to be fully completed and operational by the end of 2007, of which the Red Line from Kaohsiung International Airport to Sanduo Road (R3-R8) is expected to be operational by the end of 2006. All will give the citizens of Kaohsiung a new meaning of speed.
Ride with the Light RailTo maximize the effect of the crucifix construct, the Harbour-side Light Rail Transit Line will travel east from Kaohsiung Station, turn south along the existing Harbour-side Railway (Triumph First – Fourth Road), and, after Zhongshan Third Road, will break away from the Railway and enter into regular roads; it will turn right onto Chenggong Second Road heading north, turn left onto Wufu Third Road and Hedong Road, cross Jianguo Third Road, and head towards Kaohsiung Train Station and connect to Trans-Taiwan Railway. The total length of the Light Rail Line is around 152 km, with 26 stations and one operations room; the total budget (including the revamping of the West Harbour-side Line) is roughly 13.3 billion dollars. The entire surface-level construction project was ratified by the Executive Yuan and is scheduled to be completed, along with Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit System, before the 2009 World Games.
Sparkling Spots on Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit SystemUnfolding the future map of Kaohsiung, striking images of several new landmarks will pop out. Among them is the main building of the O5/R10 Station on Zhongshan Road and Zhongzheng Road traffic circle where the Red and Orange Lines intersect. The four ground-level exits of this especially tremendous construct utilize the ‘Praying’ design by the world-renowned Japanese architect, Shin Takamatsu. The underground concourse level is topped with a structure called ‘The Dome of Light’, which was designed by the highly acclaimed Italian artist, Narcissus Quagliata, whose architectural art glass works have received international fame and recognition. The Dome of Light, 30 meters in diameter, is a piece of artwork consisting of glass, coloured drawing and lighting. Hopefully, when the hard-working citizens of Kaohsiung are on their way home, to the library or to a coffee shop, they will take the time to look up at the kaleidoscope-like dome which will bring the city a wonderful ambiance.
Central Park ReconstructionSituated in the core of Kaohsiung City, on Zhongshan Road and Beautiful Island Boulevard, the 12.27-hectare park has a long history, plagued by problems due to improper environmental planning. The new transit system, however, will give Central Park an opportunity for a makeover.
Situated in the core of Kaohsiung City, on Zhongshan Road and Beautiful Island Boulevard, the 12.27-hectare park has a long history, plagued by problems due to improper environmental planning. The new transit system, however, will give Central Park an opportunity for a makeover.
R16 Station at Old ZuoyingThe future traffic of Greater Kaohsiung hinges on R16 Station, which is located beside Banping Mountain. The long sleeping Old City of Zuoying in northern Kaohsiung will wake up to a breath of fresh air brought about by the revolutionary traffic improvements. R16 consists of two underground floors; Underground Level 1 being the concourse and Underground Level 2 being island platforms. The west side and east side of the “transfers hall” located on the concourse are transfer areas for Taiwan and Kaohsiung Railways respectively, which can be accessed by escalators. R16 will be the transfer centre packed with bustling travellers, from all over, entering into Kaohsiung City.
A Fortress of the South – R8 StationR3 to R8 Stations of the southern stretch of the Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Red Line, expected to be the first ones in service by the end of 2006, are the centre of attention. R8 Station will not only be the first station for travellers from other cities, but also the first impression people get of the KMRT. It is situated in the intersection of Sanduo Third Road and Zhongshan Second Road; apart from the Sanduo traffic circle, the station will be surrounded by key commercial areas and landmarks, such as Far East 21 Mega Department Store, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, Pacific SOGO Department Store, Shin Kong Harbour, Kaohsiung 85-storey Skyscraper, to name just a few. The concourse level of R8 Station will take on a huge elliptic skylight design, have zero-impediment elevators set in the centre of the station, highlight the design theme of ‘The Eye of Rapid Transit’, and present the concentric nature of the entire station to passengers.
Limitless CommunicationsMobilize the City with Wireless Broadband
The internet is the 21st-century communication basis of the world. ‘Taiwan M Plan’ has proposed, within five years, to lay 6000 km of shared cables to set up the wireless infrastructure. By integrating wireless internet and mobile phone networks, Kaohsiung will be the first city in the world to have twin network applications; the city, equipped with the ‘Wireless Network Shared Platform’, will be highly competitive.
No matter where you are on “Wufu International Tourist Boulevard’, be it at the Cultural Centre, Wufu Stroll Passage, Water Park or Urban Spotlight, you can enjoy the fun of shopping, learning, listening to music or keeping in touch with your friends abroad on MSN Messenger while at an outdoor coffee shop.
