Taipei Railway Station

Taipei 台北
Exterior of Taipei Railway Station
Other names	Taipei Railway Station (TRA) / Taipei Main Station (MRT)
Location	No. 49, Sec. 1, Zhongxiao W. Rd. (TRA) No. 49, Beiping W. Rd. (Metro) Zhongzheng Dist., Taipei Taiwan
Operated by	Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation Taiwan High Speed Rail
Line(s)	Line 2 (R10)      Line 5 (BL12)      Western Line (100)      Taiwan High Speed Rail (02/TPE)      Taoyuan Airport MRT (A1)
Distance	28.3 km from Keelung
Connections	Bus stop
Construction
Structure type	Underground
Other information
Classification	特等站 (TRA level)
History
Opened	TRA: July 5, 1891 (original) September 5, 1989 (present building) Metro: December 25, 1997 THSR: March 2, 2007
Traffic
Passengers	310,898 daily (2011) (Metro) 138,465 daily (2014) (TRA) 73,059 daily (2013) (HSR)

Taipei Station, also called Taipei Railway Station (臺北火車站, by the Taiwan Railway Administration) or Taipei Main Station (臺北車站, by the Taipei Metro), refers to the old downtown region in Taipei, Taiwan, where different modes of public transport systems converge; the station is at the center of this region. Prior to the opening of the Taipei Metro lines at the station in 1997, the region was simply known as "Taipei Station" or "Taipei Railway Station". The station handles over half a million passengers daily on conventional rail, metro, and high-speed rail.

Taipei Station and its surroundings are currently undergoing intensive renovation and redevelopment. Projects include the construction of the Taoyuan Airport MRT System (slated to begin service in 2016) and the Gate of Taipei.

The station is located in the Zhongzheng District in downtown Taipei. The area south of the station is known as "station front" because the original railway station's main entrance faced south. Accordingly, the area just north of the station is known as "station rear." The station rear area is actually located in the Datong District. The commercial districts around the station are popular with students and commuters, and boast a large collection of bookstores, eclectic businesses targeting students, and cram schools. Because of its location at what is roughly considered the center of Taipei, the station is a popular meeting point for students and tourists.

The station itself is a large building which houses multiple rail services as well as serving as the headquarters of the Taiwan Railway Administration. The railway platforms are located on the B2 level, while the B1 level serves as a waiting area. Ticketing services are on the first floor while the second floor contains a food court and several stores, including the shopping center (Breeze Taipei Station). The upper levels are occupied by TRA offices.

The first rail station in Taipei was completed in Twatutia in 1891, during Qing rule, when the railway to Keelung was opened for service. Initially, a temporary station was built while a permanent station was constructed in 1897, during Japanese rule (1895-1945). In 1901, the station was located to the east of its current location. It was rebuilt in 1940 to accommodate growing passenger traffic.