Kaohsiung Main Station


Kaohsiung Main Station is a railway and metro station in Sanmin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan served by the Taiwan Railways and Kaohsiung Rapid Transit. It is one of four special class stations, the highest class with the most services. It is currently undergoing reconstruction, scheduled to be complete in 2025.

History

The main railway station serving Kaohsiung, formerly known as Takau and, was located at Hamasen. It opened in 1900 and served trains to Tainan. The Fengshan line opened in 1907. The station at the current site was built between 1933 and 1941. Towards the end of the century, it was decided that the railway was to be moved underground within Kaohsiung. A temporary station building was used between 2002 and 2018, when the underground station was partially opened. A temporary metro station was also used between 2008 and 2018. Construction on the remaining segments of the project is scheduled to be complete in 2025.
The rebuilt station was designed to accommodate the proposed extension of Taiwan High Speed Rail. However, on 27 September 2019, the Pingtung extension was confirmed to bypass central Kaohsiung.

TRA railway

The TRA portion is a three-level underground railway station with two island platforms. The 1941 station building is planned to be moved back to the original position for display.
The TRA railway in Kaohsiung also serves as a commuter rail. Nevertheless, the railway in Kaohsiung only has the capacity of double-track, making it difficult to allow many such shuttle trains as EMU800 for domestic transportation to run through at once.

Metro

The rapid transit station is a two-level, underground station with one entrance. It is located at Jianguo 2nd Road. On 5 September 2018, it was relocated 100 metres north, making it the first metro station in Taiwan to be relocated. The new platforms are lengthened to allow for six carriages up from three. The former concourse and platforms are closed and reserved for emergency use.

Layout

TRA platforms

KMRT Station

;Taiwan Railway Administration
;Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit

Health concerns

A team from NSYSU examined air quality in Kaohsiung main station on early October 2019 and found that the PM2.5 was 17 times higher than that of standard, putting passengers and workers at risk of getting lung disease. Trains equipped with diesel engine that run through South-Link Line, the only single-track and non-electrified railway in Taiwan, were to blame.

Around the station