Riding the New Taoyuan Airport MRT (Taipei, Taiwan)
The Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Access MRT or Taipei Airport MRT / 桃園機場捷運 of the Taoyuan Metro is a rapid transit line that connects the municipalities of Taipei, New Taipei and Taoyuan with the Taoyuan International Airport. The 51.03 km (31.71 mi) line began commercial service on March 2, 2017.
The line offers both Commuter and Express train services, as well as in-town check-in and baggage check at Taipei Main Station. An extension to Zhongli Station is under construction, scheduled for completion by June 2018.
The route starts from Terminal 2 of Taoyuan International Airport and extends eastward, passing through Luzhu, Linkou, Guishan, Xinzhuang, and Sanchong, and before terminating in downtown Taipei. From the airport, it also extends south passing by THSR Taoyuan Station before terminating in Zhongli. The route is 51.03 km (31.71 mi) long with 7 underground stations, 15 elevated stations, and two maintenance depots (Qingpu and Luzhu). Elevated track makes up 40.11 km (24.92 mi) of the total route length. The total budget for the project is NT$93.6 billion. The line is expected to serve over 143,000 passengers per day. The line has a maximum operational speed of 100 km/h (62 mph).
Two types of services are offered: Commuter Trains and Express Trains. While both trains travel the same route, Express Trains stop at fewer stations and are specially provided for airport passengers. Commuter Trains, which stop at every station, operate from Taipei to Zhongli in 70 minutes, while Express Trains run from Taipei directly to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in 38 minutes. During the initial stage of operation, services run with a 10-minute headway for Express and Commuter Trains (or 5 minutes per train), with a target interval of 3.75 minutes between trains.
In-town check in and baggage check services are available at three stations: Taipei Main Station, New Taipei Industrial Park Station (future), and THSR Taoyuan Station, thus extending airline check-ins to downtown Taipei.
One-way ticket prices range from NT$30 to NT$160. Trips within A12-A14a stations (Airport Terminal 1 to Airport Hotel) are free when using an IC card. 30, 60, and 90-day periodic tickets are available, offering up to 40% discounts.