Western Line, Taiwan

The Western Line (Chinese: 西部幹線) is a railway line of the Taiwan Railway Administration running along Taiwan's densely populated western corridor. As a result of this, it remains the busiest rail line in Taiwan. In 2009, the line served over 164.3 million passengers, averaging 450,244 passengers per day.^[1] The concept "Western Line" is actually a combination of line sections as the following:

• Taiwan Trunk Line (縱貫線):
  • Northern section: From Keelung Station to Zhunan Station
  • Coastal Line (海線): From Zhunan Station to Changhua Station, through Taichung Harbor and the seaside areas of Miaoli County and Taichung City.
  • Mountain Line or Taichung Line (山線, 台中線): From Zhunan Station to Changhua Station, through the inland areas of Miaoli County and Taichung City.
  • Chengzhui Line (成追線): A small section of railway connection Chenggong Station on the Mountain Line, and the Zhuifen Station on the Coastal Line.
  • Southern Section: From Changhua Station to Kaohsiung Station
• Pingtung Line (屏東線): From Kaohsiung Station to Fangliao Station

The total length of the combined line of Taiwan Trunk Line is 408.5 km, of which 361.6 km is double track.^[2]

History

The original railroad between Keelung and Dadaocheng was completed in 1891. The section between Dadaocheng and Hsinchu was finished in 1893. However, these sections were all rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century. The Western Line was completed in 1908. The Coastal Line, which was finished in 1922, was used to relieve congestion near Taichung.

Stations on the Northern Section

Northern Section of Western Line, Taiwan

Legend km Station 0.0 Keelung 1.3 Sankeng Connecting to the Yilan Line 3.7 Badu 6.0 Qidu 8.7 Baifu Keelung City - New Taipei City border 11.7 Wudu 13.1 Xizhi 14.6 Xike New Taipei City - Taipei City border 19.1 Nangang 21.9 Songshan 28.3 Taipei 31.1 Wanhua Taipei City - New Taipei City border 35.5 Banqiao 38.0 Fuzhou 40.9 Shulin 44.8 Shanjia 49.2 Yingge New Taipei City - Taoyuan County border Connecting to the Linkou Line 57.4 Taoyuan 63.3 Neili 67.3 Zhongli 73.1 Puxin 77.1 Yangmei 83.9 Fugang Taoyuan County - Hsinchu County border 87.1 Beihu 89.6 Hukou 95.8 Xinfeng 100.6 Zhubei Hsinchu County - Hsinchu City border Connecting to the Neiwan Line 105.0 North Hsinchu 106.4 Hsinchu 114.4 Xiangshan Hsinchu County - Miaoli County border 120.8 Qiding 125.4 Zhunan Connecting to the Taichung Line, and the Coastal Line

Station Name			Transfers and Notes	Location
Hanyu	Tongyong	Chinese
Keelung		基隆		Ren'ai District	Keelung City
Sankeng		三坑
Badu		八堵	→ Connecting to the Yilan Line	Nuannuan District
Qidu	Cidu	七堵		Qidu District
Baifu		百福
Wudu		五堵		Xizhi District	New Taipei City
Xizhi	Sijhih	汐止
Xike	Sike	汐科
Nangang		南港	Taipei Metro Blue Line: Nangang Taiwan High Speed Rail: Nangang (planned)	Nangang District	Taipei City
Songshan		松山	Taipei Metro Green Line: Songshan (planned)	Songshan District
Taipei		台北	Taipei Metro Red Line: Taipei Main Station Taipei Metro Blue Line: Taipei Main Station Taoyuan Airport MRT: Taipei (planned) Taiwan High Speed Rail: Taipei	Zhongzheng District
Wanhua		萬華	Taipei Metro Blue Line: Longshan Temple (exterior)	Wanhua District
Banqiao	Banciao	板橋	Taipei Metro Blue Line: Banqiao Taipei Metro Yellow Line: Banqiao (planned) Taiwan High Speed Rail: Banciao	Banqiao District	New Taipei City
Fuzhou	Fujhou	浮洲		Shulin District
Shulin		樹林
Shanjia		山佳
Yingge		鶯歌		Yingge District
Taoyuan		桃園	→ Connecting to the Linkou Line	Taoyuan City	Taoyuan County
Neili		內壢		Zhongli City
Zhongli	Jhongli	中壢	Taoyuan Metro Blue Line: Zhongli (planned)
Puxin	Pusin	埔心		Yangmei City
Yangmei		楊梅
Fugang		富岡
Beihu		北湖		Hukou	Hsinchu County
Hukou		湖口
Xinfeng	Sinfong	新豐		Xinfeng
Zhubei	Jhubei	竹北		Zhubei City
North Hsinchu		北新竹	→ Connecting to the Neiwan Line	East District	Hsinchu City
Hsinchu		新竹	→ Connecting to the Neiwan Line
Xiangshan	Siangshan	香山		Xiangshan District
Qiding	Ciding	崎頂		Zhunan	Miaoli County
Zhunan	Jhunan	竹南	→ Connecting to the Taichung Line → Connecting to the Coastal Line

• The Linkou Line is in limited passenger service, only two trains on week days.

Stations on the Coastal Line

Lines between Zhunan and Changhua

Legend Connecting to the Northern Section 0.0 Zhunan Connecting to the Mountain Line 4.5 Tanwen 11.2 Dashan 15.0 Houlong 18.6 Longgang 26.7 Baishatun 29.8 Xinpu 35.6 Tongxiao Miaoli County - Taichung City border 41.7 Yuanli 49.4 Rinan 54.0 Dajia Connecting to Taichung Port Line 59.3 Taichung Port 65.3 Qingshui 68.5 Shalu 73.1 Longjing 78.1 Dadu 83.1 Zhuifen Connecting to the Chengzhui Line Taichung City - Changhua County border 90.2 Changhua Connecting to the Southern Section

There are two routes between Zhunan Station and Changhua Station. They are typically referred as the Coastal line and the Mountain line.

The coastal line is designated as the main line while the hill line is officially called Taichung Line. Nonetheless, the traffic and operation standard in the mount line is much heavier than that in the coastal line, because it passes largest city Taichung in central Taiwan and all section are double tracks.

Stations on the Mountain Line (Taichung Line)

Stations on the Southern Section

Southern Section of Western Line, Taiwan

Legend Connecting to the Taichung Line, and the Coastal Line 210.9 Changhua 217.5 Huatan 222.1 Dacun 225.6 Yuanlin 229.1 Yongjing 232.8 Shetou 237.1 Tianzhong 242.9 Ershui Connecting to the Jiji Line Changhua County - Yunlin County border 251.0 Linnei 255.8 Shiliu 260.6 Douliu 268.2 Dounan 272.1 Shigui Yunlin County - Chiayi County border 276.7 Dalin 282.5 Minxiong Chiayi County - Chiayi City border 289.2 Jiabei Transfer to the Alishan Forest Railway 291.8 Chiayi Chiayi City - Chiayi County border 298.4 Shuishang 301.0 Nanjing Chiayi County - Tainan City border 307.0 Houbi 314.7 Xinying 318.0 Liuying 321.9 Linfengying 327.4 Longtian 329.6 Balin 334.2 Shanhua 337.1 Nanke 341.8 Xinshi 346.8 Yongkang 350.5 Daqiao 353.2 Tainan 360.8 Bao'an 362.3 Rende 364.8 Zhongzhou Connecting to the Shalun Line Tainan City - Kaohsiung City border 367.7 Dahu 370.6 Luzhu 378.4 Gangshan 382.0 Qiaotou 386.2 Nanzi 391.3 Xinzuoying 393.2 Zuoying 399.8 Kaohsiung Connecting to the Pingtung Line

Station Name			Transfers and Notes	Location
Hanyu	Tongyong	Chinese
Changhua		彰化	→ Connecting to the Taichung Line → Connecting to the Coastal Line	Changhua City	Changhua County
Huatan		花壇		Huatan
Dacun		大村		Dacun
Yuanlin		員林		Yuanlin
Yongjing		永靖		Yongjing
Shetou		社頭		Shetou
Tianzhong	Tianjhong	田中		Tianzhong
Ershui	Ershuei	二水	→ Connecting to the Jiji Line	Ershui
Linnei		林內		Linnei	Yunlin County
Shiliu	Shihliou	石榴		Douliu City
Douliu	Douliou	斗六
Dounan		斗南		Dounan
Shigui	Shihguei	石龜
Dalin		大林		Dalin	Chiayi County
Minxiong	Minsyong	民雄		Minxiong
Jiabei		嘉北		East District	Chiayi City
Chiayi		嘉義	Alishan Forest Railway Chiayi Bus Rapid Transit	West District
Shuishang	Shueishang	水上		Shuishang	Chiayi County
Nanjing		南靖
Houbi		後壁		Houbi District	Tainan City
Xinying	Sinying	新營		Xinying District
Liuying	Liouying	柳營		Liuying District
Linfengying	Linfongying	林鳳營		Liujia District
Longtian		隆田		Guantian District
Balin		拔林
Shanhua		善化		Shanhua District
Nanke		南科		Xinshi District
Xinshi	Sinshih	新市
Yongkang		永康		Yongkang District
Daqiao	Daciao	大橋
Tainan		臺南	The westernmost railway station in Taiwan	East District
Bao'an	Bao-an	保安		Rende District
Rende		仁德
Zhongzhou	Jhongjhou	中洲	→ Connecting to the Shalun Line
Dahu		大湖		Luzhu District	Kaohsiung City
Luzhu	Lujhu	路竹
Gangshan		岡山	KMRT Red Line: RK1 Gangshan (Planned)	Gangshan District
Qiaotou	Ciaotou	橋頭	KMRT Red Line: R23 Ciaotou Station	Qiaotou District
Nanzi	Nanzih	楠梓		Nanzi District
Xinzuoying	New Zuoying	新左營	KMRT Red Line: R16 Zuoying/THSR Taiwan High Speed Rail: Zuoying	Zuoying District
Zuoying		左營
Kaohsiung		高雄	→ Connecting to the Pingtung Line KMRT Red Line: R11 Kaohsiung Main Station Taiwan High Speed Rail: Kaohsiung (planned)	Sanmin District

Stations on the Pingtung Line

References