TAOYUAN (TVBS News) — Taoyuan Metro Corporation (桃園大眾捷運公司), the transit authority operating the rail link to Taiwan's main international gateway, revealed plans on Wednesday (July 16) to expand service with two additional train runs on its Airport MRT line beginning next week. The expansion comes in response to surging ridership numbers across the system. Transit officials confirmed the supplementary services will feature an early-morning connection from the suburban Zhongli district to downtown Taipei and a new late-night train to Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan's primary aviation hub, with both routes commencing regular operation the following Monday.
The service expansion follows a sustained post-pandemic recovery in transit usage. Official figures show the Airport MRT's average daily passenger count climbing from 90,210 riders in 2023 to 114,472 in 2024. The upward trajectory has continued into the current year, with June 2025 statistics revealing a further increase to 126,931 daily passengers traversing the critical transportation artery. Corresponding airport traffic data demonstrates parallel growth patterns, as daily passenger averages at Taoyuan International Airport have swelled from 25,690 travelers in 2023 to 36,649 in 2025, representing a robust annual growth rate of 7.5 percent.
Transit officials note the growing integration between air and rail travel, with 40.34 percent of Taoyuan International Airport passengers now continuing their journeys via the Airport MRT as of May measurements, representing a 3.9 percent increase from the previous year's connectivity rate. The newly scheduled early-morning train will commence its route from A22 Laojie River Station (老街溪站) at 5:33 a.m., making strategic stops at A21 Huanbei Station (環北站) and A18 Taoyuan High Speed Rail Station before reaching its final destination at A1 Taipei Main Station, the capital's central transit hub. For late travelers, the additional nighttime service will depart A22 at 11:50 p.m., reaching A13 Airport Terminal 2 at 12:22 a.m. and A12 Airport Terminal 1 one minute later at 12:23 a.m.
The forthcoming schedule enhancement represents the second service adjustment implemented by the transit authority in 2025. The company previously introduced a northbound direct train in February, which transitioned to permanent regular operations on May 3 following successful passenger adoption. Transportation officials have also completed infrastructure improvements to accommodate growing passenger volumes, particularly at A12 Airport Terminal 1 station. This station experienced a 10.8 percent surge in daily entry and exit traffic during the previous year, prompting an expansion of its passenger gates from seven to ten access points. ◼
