TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Cabinet on Friday (March 1) approved a project to build the Taoyuan Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Brown Line to connect Taipei and New Taipei with Taoyuan City.

In a Facebook post, Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) said that Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) approved the feasibility study and comprehensive planning report for the construction of the Brown Line of the Taipei MRT in Taoyuan City's Guishan District. This metro line will run from Taoyuan Station through Guishan District to Huilong Station in New Taipei City's Xinzuang District, providing an additional commuting option for the northern Taoyuan population.

According to Cheng, the total budget for the Taoyuan MRT Brown Line project is NT$45.65 billion (US$1.44 billion), with the central government contributing NT$23.84 billion, and local governments shouldering NT$21.81 billion. Taoyuan City Government is striving for the line to be operational eight years from now.

Cheng stated that upgrading the light rail infrastructure to handle a higher volume of passengers will cost NT$8.12, while NT$11.17 billion will be expended on building the line underground. He said that these additional costs were incorporated into the overall budget and distributed proportionally.

The Taoyuan MRT Brown Line spans 11 kilometers with seven stations, connecting from Taoyuan Station to Huilong Station, which is one of the termini of the Zhonghe–Xinlu or Orange line. The new line will connect the Taoyuan Station, Taoyuan Green Line, Zhonghe-Xinlu Line, and Wanda-Zhonghe-Shulin Line, creating a new mass transit network for northern Taoyuan.