Sanying Line Opens to Crowds on First Day, With Wait Times Up to 1 Hour

(CNA, reporter Wang Hong-guo, New Taipei, June 30) The Sanying Line of New Taipei Metro officially opened today. Free trial rides will be offered for two months starting at 2 PM, but crowds began forming before 1:30 PM, with some waiting up to an hour to board. Issues such as a detached pull strap inside a carriage and problems with card swiping for entry/exit were also reported.

After an extended period of dynamic testing, the Sanying Line held its opening ceremony this morning amidst sweltering heat. Trial rides commenced at 2 PM, which the New Taipei City Government's Department of Rapid Transit Systems stated was the true start of stress testing.

Queues formed at stations around 1 PM. Particularly at Dingpu Station, which connects to the MRT Bannan Line, a long line of trial riders stretched from Exit 1 to the transfer escalator. On-site personnel observed that the wait time to reach the platform could be as long as one hour, followed by another wait to board the train, with each carriage nearly full.

New Taipei Metro Corporation announced that starting tomorrow, trial operations will run from 10 AM to 8 PM. The original plan was for a peak headway of 6 minutes and an off-peak headway of 8 minutes, but to alleviate congestion, the headway is being adjusted dynamically, with the shortest interval reaching 3 minutes.

Ms. Liu, a resident of Tucheng District, New Taipei, told CNA that transportation was inconvenient before, and taking trains or buses via the highway took too long. She rarely visited Sanxia or Yingge districts on weekends. With the opening of the Sanying Line, she feels it is very convenient and increases her willingness to visit.

However, some passengers uploaded videos online of detached pull straps encountered during rides. Other travelers experienced issues with their cards not being accepted for entry or exit, and sought assistance from station staff.

The Department of Rapid Transit Systems stated that a preliminary inspection indicated a loose fixing for the pull strap and that they will investigate the fastening status of all train facilities, strengthening inspections and verification. New Taipei Metro stated that electronic ticket holders can ride for free by swiping their cards for entry and exit. Those without electronic tickets must purchase single-journey tickets, and any issues can be resolved by station staff.

New Taipei Metro stated that the purpose of the free trial operation is to conduct "stress testing" through actual passenger loads and to understand the passenger experience. The general contractor will use non-operational hours to optimize based on feedback, review the comfort and automation parameters of the driverless system, and make adjustments one by one. Subsequently, operating hours will be gradually extended to meet the needs of commuters. (Editor: Li Ming-zong) 1150630

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