Construction of the Taoyuan Brown Line metro in Taiwan has officially begun, following a groundbreaking ceremony and the award of a major systems and rolling stock contract to a consortium of Singapore’s ST Engineering and South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem.

According to railwaygazette.com, preliminary works started on July 9 with a ceremony marking the launch of the project. These early activities include earthworks, the demolition of the Jisheng road overpass, and the relocation of trees.

The 11.4 km Brown Line will serve seven stations, connecting the Huilong terminus of the Orange metro line in the west of New Taipei with the Pingzhen area in central Taoyuan.

On July 28, the consortium was awarded a S$840m turnkey rail services contract. ST Engineering will lead overall integration and delivery of key project components, including the signalling system, trackwork, and some civil works.

The company will also manage overall project management and systems integration, and supply rail electrical equipment such as SCADA, communications, automatic fare collection systems, and platform screen doors.

Hyundai Rotem will provide rolling stock and power supply systems.

The systems and rolling stock contract is scheduled to take effect in the fourth quarter of this year, with delivery expected by late-2034.

The Brown Line is a key addition to Taoyuan’s growing metro network, improving connectivity between New Taipei and central Taoyuan. The project is expected to enhance regional mobility and support urban development along the corridor.

With the contract now in place, the consortium will proceed with detailed design and integration planning, while construction activities continue on site.

The groundbreaking marks a significant milestone for the Taoyuan MRT system, which continues to expand to meet the demands of one of Taiwan’s most populous regions.