TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taichung's Rapid Transit System Bureau said Monday that construction of the city’s MRT Blue Line will begin in the second half of this year.

The bureau said Singapore’s ST Engineering Urban Solutions, Alstom Transport S.A. Taiwan Branch, CTCI Corporation, and Hyundai Rotem Company will carry out the construction. Contracts with these firms are expected to be signed in May, per CNA.

The Blue Line is set to be Taichung's second metro line, spanning 24.78 kilometers. The route will run from Taichung Port in the west, passing through Shalu Station, Providence University, Taichung City Hall, and Taichung Station.

According to the bureau, the Blue Line will form a cross-shaped metro network with the existing Green Line, with operation expected to begin in 2034. The line will consist of 20 stations, including eight elevated stations, 12 underground stations, and one depot.

The line will utilize a fully automated, driverless system with advanced train control technology, the bureau said. The depot in Longjing District will feature Taiwan’s first hillside depot with a stepped design.

The bureau added that soil and water conservation projects, plant transplantation, site exploration, and land preparation work are set to begin in the second half of this year.

The bureau said it will procure 28 medium-capacity trains for the Blue Line, each capable of carrying 530 passengers. Each train will consist of three to four carriages that will be narrower and longer than those on the Green Line, providing passengers with more spacious seating.

Taichung Mass Rapid Transit Corporation said the average daily ridership for the Green Line was 42,800 passengers last year, a 17% increase from 2023. The corporation estimates this year's average daily ridership will reach 49,000, with an annual ridership of approximately 17.89 million.