Keelung MRT: NT$69.7bn budget approved, systems contract awarded

The Keelung MRT, a planned 15.6 km metro line with 13 stations linking Keelung to New Taipei and Taipei in northern Taiwan, has cleared two key hurdles on the same day. On 13 October 2026, the New Taipei City Department of Rapid Transit Systems announced that the project's total budget of NT$69.689 billion had passed review by the Public Construction Commission, and that the design-build contract for its electromechanical systems and track had been awarded. Malaysian group Gamuda said the next day that its joint venture with Taiwan's MiTAC Information Technology won this contract, worth NT$29.22 billion (about RM3.72 billion). The target is completion in 2033.

One train from Keelung to central Taipei

The Keelung MRT is part of a longer through-route. It will use the same system as the planned Xizhi–Donghu Line and Taipei's Minsheng Line. Passengers will be able to ride one train from Badu in Keelung to Xizhi, Nangang or Dadaocheng in Taipei without changing trains.

According to the city, the line will offer transfers to Taiwan Railway, Taiwan High Speed Rail, and the Bannan and Wenhu lines of the Taipei metro. New Taipei City will build and operate it. The Executive Yuan approved the comprehensive planning report on 31 January 2024, and the city first submitted the budget for central review on 16 December 2024.

What the systems contract covers

The contract covers all the "systems" of a metro, as opposed to tunnels, viaducts and stations. Based on the city's announcement and Gamuda's filing with Bursa Malaysia, the scope includes:

• rolling stock (the trains);
• signalling and communications;
• power supply and central monitoring;
• track;
• platform screen doors, automatic fare collection and depot maintenance equipment.

The contract value of NT$29.22 billion represents about 42% of the project's total budget. Gamuda holds 72.84% of the joint venture, a share of about NT$21.28 billion (RM2.71 billion); MiTAC holds 27.16%. The contract period is 2,820 days, about 7.7 years. Gamuda said the work is awarded as designated additional works under the Xizhi–Donghu MRT project, which it secured in October 2024.

Civil works still to be tendered

The city says detailed design has moved into its final stage and preliminary works are ahead of schedule. Keelung City Government puts their progress at about 43%, according to the national news agency CNA. The design-build tender for the underground section has been published and is in progress. The systems contract must now be signed before work can start.

TrainsNews analysis

Through-running across three lines is the main technical choice here. It means trains, signalling and communications must be identical, or at least fully compatible, from Keelung to Dadaocheng. Awarding the Keelung systems as an extension of the Xizhi–Donghu contract is a logical way to get there: one supplier, one train design and one signalling system along the whole corridor. The city has not yet said which signalling technology will be used, or whether trains will run without drivers.

The schedule is the main risk. The systems contract is awarded before the underground civil contract. Systems suppliers depend on tunnels and stations being handed over on time, so any civil delay passes straight into testing and commissioning. In addition, 2,820 days counted from a signing in late 2026 would end in 2034, after the 2033 target. The contract period may include work after opening, such as warranty or support, but this has not been specified.

Finally, the one-seat ride to Taipei depends on the Xizhi–Donghu and Minsheng lines. If they open late, so will the full benefit for Keelung.

Further reading: Hitachi Rail's CBTC for the separate Xidong–Keelung MRT, our directory of Asia-Pacific rail infrastructure managers and our train travel guides.

Sources: New Taipei City Department of Rapid Transit Systems, press release (13 October 2026); Gamuda filing with Bursa Malaysia, reported by The Star (14 October 2026); Central News Agency, CNA (13 October 2026).

Photo: Suicasmo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Written with AI assistance from the official sources cited. Spotted an error? contact@trainsnews.com — Our AI policy