The Red line () is a metro line of Kaohsiung Metro which runs north–south through the city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. At , it is the fourth-longest metro line in Taiwan, after Taoyuan Airport MRT, Tamsui-Xinyi line and Zhonghe-Xinlu line.
There is a plan to extend the line north to Hunei District. This would add eight stations to the line, and also a plan to extend the line south to Linyuan through the Siaogang Linyuan Line and to Donggang. This would add 12 stations to the line.
History In the 1988 Kaohsiung Metropolitan Metro System Feasibility Study, the Red line was amongst the four lines planned. In January 1991, it was one of the two lines categorised to open as Phase 1 in period 1. Progress was halted in March 1995, due to the city council's skepticism for the need of it, citing traffic congestion within the city to be not critical. In June 1998, the executive board revived the plans under the BOT initiative. Together with the approval from relevant city councils, the metro department began conducting feasibility studies of the Red line in February 1999. Three months later, priority was given to China Steel Corporation and Siemens on construction contracts. The contracts were finalised in January 2000.
On 24 October 2001, ground works were initiated at the Siaogang station site. The first phase from Siaogang station to Sanduo Shopping District station had its machinery and tunneling works completed in November 2006. Test riders were invited for operational trial for this milestone. By February 2008, most of the construction had been completed. At this stage, a soft opening was launched, with free rides in the first phase. The entire line from Siaogang to Ciaotou stations opened on 9 March 2008, and was free to commuters until 7 April the same year.
The line opened for service on 9 March 2008 and was free for one month, until 6 April.
The new EMUs for the six expanded stations will be manufactured by South Korea's Hyundai Rotem and Singapore's ST Engineering.
Stations
CodeStation nameSectionTransferLocationEnglishChineseRK8DahuGangshan-LuzhuHuneiKaohsiungRK7LuzhuLuzhuRK6Luzhu SouthRK5Taiwan Steel University of Science and TechnologyRK4Kaohsiung Science ParkRK3Benjhou Industrial ParkGangshanRK2Kangshan Agricultural & Industrial Vocational Senior High SchoolGangshan Station GangshanKaohsiungKaohsiung Medical University Gangshan HospitalMainCiaotou Station CiaotouCiaotou Sugar RefineryCingpu(NKFUST)[A]()Metropolitan ParkNanzihHoujing(NKMU) [B]()Nanzih Technology Industrial ParkOil Refinery Elementary SchoolWorld Games/National Sports Complex／Zuoying/THSR／ ZuoyingEcological DistrictKaohsiung Arena(Sanmin Household & Commercial High School)()ZuoyingGushanAozihdi HouyiSanminKaohsiung Main Station Formosa Boulevard SinsingCentral ParkSinsingLingyaSanduo Shopping DistrictLingyaCianjhenShihjia(Labor Park)()CianjhenKaisyuan Cianjhen Senior High School(Wujia)()Caoya(KRTC)[C]()Kaohsiung International Airport KHHSiaogangSiaogangRL1China Steel East PortalSiaogangKaohsiungRL2Linhai Industrial ParkRL3FongbitouRL4JhongkengmenLinyuanRL5GangzihpuRL6LinyuanRL7Linyuan Industrial ParkRD1WufangSinyuanPingtungCountyRD2WulongRD3DonggangDonggangRD4Dapengwan National ScenicDistrict Management HallRD5Dapengwan Bay
Notes A^ The full name is National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology. B^ The full name is National Kaohsiung Marine University. C^ The full name is Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation.
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