Neihu Line (TRTS)

Neihu Line, Taipei Metro
Neihu Line 內湖線
The Xihu Station platform
Overview
Type	Rapid transit
Locale	Taipei, Republic of China
Termini	Songshan Airport Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center
Stations	12
Operation
Opened	July 4, 2009
Operator(s)	Taipei Rapid Transit System
Character	Elevated and underground
Depot(s)	Neihu Depot
Rolling stock	Bombardier INNOVIA 256, VAL 256 2 cars per set, 2 sets per train
Technical
Line length	14.8 km (9.2 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	1,880 mm (6 ft 2 in)
Electrification	Third rail (750 volts DC)
Operating speed	80 kilometres per hour (50 mph)
Route map  Muzha Line to Nanjing East Road Zhongshan Junior High School Songshan Airport Keelung River Dazhi  Circular Line to National Palace Museum Jiannan Road  Circular Line to Xiatayou Xihu Gangqian Wende Neihu Dahu Park Huzhou Donghu Keelung River Nangang Software Park  Nangang Line to Nangang Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Neihu Depot This diagram:

The Taipei Metro Neihu Line is a medium-capacity rapid transit system and runs on an elevated corridor except near Songshan Airport and Dazhi. The line's service length is 14.8 kilometres (9.2 mi) and it is joined to the Wenshan Line at Zhongshan Junior High School Station, providing direct service through Neihu, Nangang, and Wenshan.

The Neihu Line is a Phase 1 Brown Line extension that brought rapid transit into the Neihu District (the last of Taipei's districts to have rapid transit). The line has 12 stations: 10 elevated and 2 underground stations. Construction was completed in late 2008, and trial operations began in early 2009. The line officially began service on July 4, 2009.

The long-awaited Neihu Line has had many delays prior to its opening. Since the Neihu Line was planned as an extension to the Wenshan Line, the original plan called for a similar elevated medium-capacity line. However, due to the growth of the Neihu District, many residents and politicians called for an underground, high-capacity line instead (similar to the Blue Line).

The initial cost estimate of the elevated line was NT$42.6 billion, but due to delays the price-adjusted cost estimate rose to over NT$60.3 billion. A shift to underground construction would have increased the cost to as high as NT$134.4 billion. However, the Central Government stated that if construction for the Neihu Line did not start immediately, they would withhold the grant money for the line. In addition, due to the narrow streets and numerous turns in Neihu, construction of an underground high-capacity line would have been infeasible. Thus, the plan to build an elevated line continued after much delay.