Taichung may soon become the third city in Taiwan to have a fully functioning metro system. After months of preparation, city authorities were ready to begin the system’s second trial opening on Thursday.
As birthdays go, it doesn’t get much stranger than being serenaded by Taichung City mayor Lu Shiow-yen. On your way to school. On the new metro line. At 6:30am. But life is full of surprises.
Taichung residents got up early on Thursday to take the city’s green metro line, the first line to be opened. One man said he came especially to be part of the historic moment.
But it’s actually the second time this train line has opened. Four months ago, the metro’s first trial opening had to end after a coupling connecting two carriages broke. Now it’s back, after weeks of testing and improvements.
One woman thinks the metro is better than Taipei’s. She says the sound is about the same, but it’s a smoother ride. Another man says that before, the train would squeak as it went round corners.
Engineers have improved safety, too. Two sets of doors prevent passengers from getting stuck, and there are staff on trains to help with boarding. Announcements are louder too, so you won’t miss your stop. Mayor Lu says trial openings like this help engineers identify problems and fix them.
Taichung Metro is free to ride for the next month, with the official opening on April 25. After a brief delay, the city’s metro finally looks like it’s back on track.