Comprising two platforms and four lines, the semiunderground station is the first of its kind in Taiwan and can handle 20,000 passengers daily, up 11.1 percent from the existing facility.
Shaped like an oversized steel and glass “chicken cage”—a nickname for the northern Taiwan port city—the station offers a commanding view of the harbor, one of the nation’s busiest international transport hubs and most important commercial lifelines for over a century.
According to a bureau official, the facility is connected to the old one with a footbridge, allowing easy access to nearby tourist attractions like Miaoko Night Market, as well as the new harbor building and ocean liner terminal.
But the former station will not fall into disuse. Plans are afoot to transform it into a multifunctional venue housing a wide array of cultural events and exhibitions. A highlight is expected to be the recreation of the first-generation Keelung Station (1908-1965), often hailed as the epitome of colonial baroque architecture in Taiwan.
“The railroad switch is scheduled to take place June 27-28, with service suspended on all lines between Keelung and Sankeng stations,” the official said. “The new facility will be fully operational June 29 after the changeover is completed.” (YHC-JSM)
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