Originally Posted by
bzcat
The construction time is pretty reasonable by first world standards. Taiwan is not some banana republic where the Govt can just take your property and start digging a hole in the ground and ignore any environmental issues. It's also standard to run the train for several months at full schedule for testing before you start revenue service.
I haven't pay that much attention to the design of the Airport line... but from what you described, it has express tracks that allow trains to bypass some stations? That would be good.
The advantage of the airport train would be of course that you are already in the MRT system so it will make transfer to other parts of Taipei much easier. The highway bus does take you to various destinations in the main city area but if you want to go to the suburbs (e.g. Tianmu), you still have to take the MRT or taxi once you get off the highway bus.
Well, there is a long long long story to the Airport Express and it is really typical of public projects in Taiwan - delays, political influences, contractor disputes, delays and corruption.
No one could have followed this closely as that would have been a full time job. The Taiwanese media generally do exposes on easy targets but really don't get down to the bottom of anything. So, who knows.
My understanding is that:
1 - multiple changes in approach - BOT/government/semi-government...
2 - station = higher property value. So, it was a long long time before they settled all the stations/route - plenty of behind the scenes stuff
3 - they ended up with too many stations
4 - there are only 2 tracks
5 - somehow they will have both local and express trains
6 - was supposed to be done in 2013 (and I think that was already a delayed date). Now end of 2015
7 - some stuff need to be re-worked and there is dispute with the contractor
Like all these new things in Taiwan, there is a lot of skeptism in the beginning. Many (like the Taipei MRT and TSHR) work out and now people can't do without them. So, hopefully this one works out too.
The Taipei Main Station complex is a huge maze and there are a lot of ups and downs. I hope this part will be easier for dragging suitcases. If it is not anything like Hong Kong, and it won't be, people will not be happy.