TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Hsinchu light rail system is expected to begin operations in 2033, the Hsinchu City Government said on Wednesday (April 13).

According to a press release issued by the city government on Wednesday, the Hsinchu Science Park has a working population of 140,000, and traffic congestion has posed a long-lasting problem on the roads connecting the downtown area and the science park, which calls for the introduction of an urban railway transport system.

The city government said that the Hsinchu light rail network will have four lines that cover the city’s downtown area, the science park, Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) Hsinchu Station, Zhubei City, Hsinchu Science Park X, and the Hsinchu Fish Harbor, per CNA. The light rail network will have a total length of 46.3 kilometers and 51 stations.

According to the city government, the construction of the red line takes priority over other lines as it will connect important nodes of the city. The line will start at Hsinchu Train Station, run along Guangfu Road, and enter the science park along Xin'an Road before connecting with Xinzhuang Train Station and THSR Hsinchu Station.

The red line will be 14-km long and have 15 elevated stations, the city government said, adding that after construction, the line will have a daily transportation capacity of about 125,000 passengers.

Hsinchu Mayor Lin Chih-chien (林智堅) said the red line will connect the Taiwan Railway and THSR stations as well as National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, National Tsing Hua University, and the Industrial Technology Research Institute.

The city’s Department of Transportation said a study into the feasibility of the light rail system is expected to be approved by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications before the end of this year, and comprehensive planning for the project will be kicked off as soon as the study is approved, CNA reported.