# Taiwan High Speed Rail opens (5 January 2007)

URL: https://allhistories.com/taiwan/timeline/2007-taiwan-high-speed-rail-opens
Location: Taipei to Kaohsiung
Themes: Memory politics, Transitional justice

Taiwan High Speed Rail began service on 5 January 2007 between Banqiao and Zuoying, with full service from Taipei Station to Kaohsiung beginning in May. The route runs about 350 kilometres along the western plain. Trains reach 300 kilometres per hour and the fastest Nangang–Zuoying trip takes about 1 hour 45 minutes. The system is based mainly on Japan's Shinkansen, and its THSR 700T trains derive from the 700 Series, the first export of Shinkansen technology. Construction began in 1999 and the cost was NT$513.3 billion in 1998 terms. Ridership started below forecasts: fewer than 40,000 passengers a day early on, against projections of 240,000 for 2008. The operator ran up heavy debts, and the government raised its stake from about 37 to 64 percent, extended the concession from 35 to 70 years and arranged a NT$382 billion refinancing in 2010. Ridership rose to over 129,000 a day by June 2013, and the line integrated Taiwan's west coast into one commuting zone. At this point in the timeline (2007), the Republic of China government in Taipei was headed by President Chen Shui-bian (20 May 2000 – 20 May 2008), with Vice President Annette Lu (20 May 2000 – 20 May 2008), while Premier Su Tseng-chang (25 January 2006 – 21 May 2007) headed the Executive Yuan.

## Why it matters
The line compressed the west coast into a single commuter region and became a model, and cautionary tale, for large public-private projects.

Ruler at the Time: [Chen Shui-bian](https://allhistories.com/taiwan/rulers/chen-shui-bian)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Taiwan High Speed Rail](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan_High_Speed_Rail)
- [Wikipedia — Economy of Taiwan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Taiwan)