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Taiwan has an extremely extensive network of Railways (1496 km as of 2003). Though no longer as dominant as it once was, Taiwan's high population density continues to make rail transport an extremely important form of transportation, especially along the densely populated western corridor.

The Railways of Taiwan can generally be categorized into the following groups:

INTERURBAN RAILWAYS


Long distance railways connecting several major cities and urban areas.

  • ''' system based on Shinkansen technology, running along the western corridor. Currently under final stages of construction, due to be completed in October 2006 .


  • ''' forming a closed loop around the island, as well as three branch lines.




URBAN METRO


With the increasing urbanization of Taiwan, several urban rapid transit systems have been constructed with several more being planned.


  • '''. Scheduled for service in 2006.


  • ''' system in downtown Kaohsiung.


  • '''. Scheduled for service in 2011 .


  • ''' and underground Metro systems throughout the metropolitan Taipei area.



INDUSTRIAL & TOURIST RAILWAYS

Originally built for the transportation of industrial products, these railroads have become tourist attractions.


  • ''' by Meiji Sugar Co., Ltd. during Japanese rule, but also capable of providing limited passenger service. Regular passenger services discontinued in 1982 . In 2003 , some short-distance train services resumed.


  • ''', originally constructed in 1924 for the logging industry, now a popular tourist attraction.



CULTURAL

Because of Taiwan's extensive rail network (including many now defunct industrial narrow gauge lines which provided passenger service to rural areas), railways in Taiwan often have a romantic connotation, especially amongst the older generation who remember growing up when rail travel was the primary means of transportation between cities in simpler (and less prosperous) times. Many remember leaving their hometowns to attend school in far away cities by train or leaving via train to perform their compulsory military service. This Nostalgia has often been capitalized upon in recent years through the introduction of various items such as "nostalgia box lunches" (懷舊便當), claimed to be authentic copies of the box lunches that were once served aboard trains.

There is also a sizable network of Railway Fans in Taiwan which has increased with the recent trend of Taiwanization .


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