The Sanying Metro Line:

Old Streets, River Views, and New Connections in New Taipei City

Cathy Teng 　/　photos by Kent Chuang

August 2026

中文

Running through areas where New Taipei’s mountain towns meet its urban districts, the Sanying Line links cultural sites and public spaces along the route, becoming part of the cityscape.

In 1996, Taiwan’s first metro line—then called the Muzha Line—opened to traffic. Since then, urban mass rapid transit systems have become more than a means of transportation; they have gradually become part of how people in Taiwan move through, live in, and explore their cities. In 2026, the Sanying Line joined this ever-expanding urban transit network, spanning Tucheng, Sanxia and Yingge. It does more than connect three districts: It also gives different people a more convenient means to renew their acquaintance with various aspects of New Taipei City.

Connecting the city, one stop at a time

Running 14.29 kilometers with 12 stations, the Sanying Line begins at Dingpu Station in Tucheng and ends at Yingtao Fude Station near the boundary between New Taipei and Taoyuan. It officially opened on June 30, 2026.

A train waits at the platform, ready to depart for its next stop. The Sanying Line links Tucheng, Sanxia and Yingge—and the everyday lives of people along its route.

For residents who commute daily between Taipei and Sanxia or Yingge, the Sanying Line offers a new option. Bruce Cheng-an Lee, commissioner of the New Taipei City Department of Rapid Transit Systems, says the line is expected to cut travel time from the Sanxia-Yingge area to Taipei City by about 20 minutes.

But for international visitors, the change the Sanying Line brings may amount to more than saving 20 minutes. Several destinations whose transit options once took time to research can now be explored along this single metro line.

Getting to Sanxia and Yingge once meant taking a train or bus, or working out transfers for yourself. The Sanying Line offers a more straightforward way to travel to them. Its stations link venerable urban districts with the National Taipei University Special District, bringing the old and new scenery of traditional neighborhoods and modern residential communities together within just a few stops.

A Sanying Line train crosses a freeway on elevated tracks between mountain towns and urban areas. (courtesy of the Department of Rapid Transit Systems, New Taipei City Government)

In Sanxia, visitors can stroll down Sanxia Old Street, visit Sanxia Qingshui Zushi Temple, and learn about Li Mei-shu, an artist closely tied to the city. Continue to Yingge, and the journey can include ceramic culture and contemporary art. At the New Taipei City Art Museum, designed by architect Kris Yao, the architecture draws inspiration from reeds swaying along the Dahan River and the local riverbed topography. Visitors can also browse the pottery shops along Yingge Old Street and shape clay by hand—turning a trip from simply “seeing the scenery” into “making the scenery.”

From Sanxia Qingshui Zushi Temple, Yingge Old Street and the New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum to the New Taipei City Art Museum, the Sanying Line brings together the Sanxia–Yingge area’s history, faith and contemporary art in a cultural landscape spanning eras.

New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum (photo by Lin Min-hsuan)

Sanying scenery, right outside the window

Step aboard a Sanying Line train and the scenery is right outside the window. Unlike most metro routes that run through downtown Taipei, which travel underground, the Sanying Line is entirely elevated. Its trains feature large windows, making the landscape part of the journey. This is a very different kind of metro ride: As the train moves forward, the view keeps opening out.

As the train moves forward, the view keeps opening out.

Departing Dingpu Station in Tucheng, the train crosses National Freeway No. 3 twice en route to Sanxia and Yingge, as well as the Hengxi, Dahan, Sanxia and Yingge rivers. As it rolls onto the elevated bridge over the Dahan River specially built for the line, the windows frame a landscape of the riverbed, river terraces, and rock strata, with layered mountain ridges undulating in the distance.

Outside the train window, river terraces along the Dahan River stretch into the distance; faintly visible beyond them is the Sanying Line’s Dahan River Bridge, its three steel arches spanning the water.

As the metro crosses the Sanxia River, keep an eye on the graceful bridges outside the window. Lee explains that the distinctive Sanjiaoyong Bridge was already there before the Sanying Line opened. To avoid disrupting this scenic landmark, his department placed the Sanying Line’s new steel arch bridge alongside it, forming what Lee describes as a “mother-and-child” pair. One carries everyday road traffic, while the other carries trains across the river. Together, the old and new bridges have become an intriguing feature of the Sanxia River landscape.

The Dahan River Bridge, meanwhile, spans the water with three arches. By day, it complements the surrounding river and mountains; after dark, lighting gives it another character, making it a striking feature along the Sanying Line.

Sanjiaoyong Bridge and the steel arch bridge running parallel to it resemble a “mother-and-child” pair: one carries everyday road traffic, while the other carries trains; together, they span the Sanxia River side by side. (photo by Cathy Teng)

Extending the city’s reach

Pointing to the metro map on the wall, Lee outlines the Sanying Line’s next-stage vision: a planned extension to Bade, Taoyuan, where it would connect with the Taoyuan Metro Green Line and could eventually provide an onward link to Taoyuan International Airport.

Today, the Sanying Line brings Tucheng, Sanxia and Yingge closer, further integrating the Greater Taipei metropolitan area. Tomorrow, it may connect with more than just a few places within New Taipei City, but form a larger network for daily life and travel between New Taipei and Taoyuan.

From one station to the next, the city’s boundaries extend outward, step by step.

Bruce Cheng-an Lee, commissioner of the New Taipei City Department of Rapid Transit Systems, stands before a map of New Taipei’s metro network and discusses the Sanying Line and his vision for the city’s future.