Department of Rapid Transit Systems

The Wanda line Phase I, scheduled to be completed in 2025, has reached a construction progress of 53.24%. Following its completion, Phase II of the same line will be contracted out for construction. DORTS, on April 20, 2021, held a press conference to announce the initiation of a general promotional campaign for the Wanda line, where the winner of the EMUs' exterior painting will be selected through a general online poll. The poll is due to close on May 16, 2021, and those who participate will have the opportunity to win rewards valued up to tens of thousands NTD, including an APPLE MacBook 13", DORTS said. Furthermore, to enhance the public’s knowledge of the Wanda line, several events have been organized, such as themed showcase areas, a parent-child Lego building camp, and highly sought-after guided tours to introduce the Wanda line construction. These events serve the purpose of providing an impressive experience to citizens about how their daily lives will be impacted following the completion of the line.
 
In his speech, Mayor Ko said that the Wanda line is expected to play an important role in facilitating the development of both Taipei City and New Taipei City. The capital living circle serves not only residents in Taipei City but also those in New Taipei City, and the latter contribute to 58% of the monthly pass users in the Taipei MRT. By holding Wanda line-themed activities, the public can learn more about its construction status and start to link their lives with the line.
 
DORTS explained that the poll provides six versions of EMUs' exterior painting for the public to vote on. All six are designed with colors that break with tradition and local scenic sites along the Wanda line. For instance, "Enthusiasm" (No.1) and "Bravery (No.2)" illustrate the coexistence of the past and the present in the Wanhua District; "Tranquility (No.3)" and "Confidence (No.4)" use bamboo as a design concept, representing the green imagery along the line from Taipei Botanical Garden Station to Shulin District in the Wanda line Phase II; "Vitality (No.5)" and "Maturity (No.6)" feature a water flowing design, symbolizing Xindian River and Dahan River along the Wanda line. The design of the EMU in the Wanda line was provided by Alstom, a French manufacturer, and the emergency exits are designed on both sides of the cars and incorporated into the full-view windshields, for the sake of both safety and aesthetics.
 
DORTS also said that this series of events related to the Wanda line is expected to be well-attended. A Wanda line-themed showcase area will be set up at Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall Station Exit No.7 and Zhonghe Station Exits/Entrances during the events period. In addition, there is a parent-child Lego building camp, where children in participation can imagine themselves serving in the Wanda line support team, building their own powered technic vehicles, and learning construction knowledge related to the Wanda line.
 
Moreover, the well-acclaimed “Open House Taipei” activity and related tours inside the construction sites have also been arranged to take participants down to the shield tunnel at Taipei Botanical Garden Station, which is eight stories underground, to introduce them to the difficulties encountered during construction as well as to cultural relics preservation on-site. In addition to these events, Jinchen Depot on the Wanda line is also going to be made public for the first time. These are events and activities that the Taipei MRT fans would never want to miss. For those who would like to get connected with the Wanda line, don't miss this opportunity to register for the above-mentioned events on the official event website.
 
In the press conference, DORTS also announced that Mr. Nien-hsien Ma will be the event ambassador for the polling of the Wanda line. Ma said that his day-to-day life is closely related to the area where the Wanda line is located. He spent most of his childhood in this area, and the Taipei Botanical Garden is a place where he used to visit to go for a walk. This time taking the role of an event ambassador provides him with opportunities to gain a better understanding of how the convenience he experiences travelling on the Taipei MRT was built on the contributions of the MRT masters. Thus, Ma would like to use this poll to convey a message to the public that his daily living is connected with the Wanda line, as well as to call on the public to learn more about this line.
 
DORTS indicated that the poll for the EMUs' exterior painting is taking place online and on-site simultaneously, from April 20 to May 16, 2021. People who would like to take part can log onto the event website (www.wandaline.com.tw) through their Facebook account and cast their vote. One Facebook account is allowed per vote each day, and each vote counts for a chance to win a prize from the raffle, where the awards include a MacBook 13" from Apple, a noise cancellation headset from SONY, and 100 other awards such as the limited-edition Wanda line products and EasyCards. For those who would like to vote on-site, the ballot boxes are available from 11:00 to 19:00 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall Station Exit No.7 and Zhonghe Station Exits/Entrances where the themed showcase areas are located. The specially designed and limited-edition Wanda line masks are made available to those who share a photo of themselves and the event trust on-site and complete tagging and voting. Check the event website or DORTS's website for further information, and let the Wanda line be a part of your daily life.