Transportation (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2003-07-21 19:30
External transport links are by air and sea. Railways and highways for
internal communications are well developed. The well-built road networks have a
total length of about 10,000 miles. The principal roads consist of a highway
running around the island and three east-west highways crossing the island in
the northern, middle, and southern regions of Taiwan.
A north-south expressway runs across the island. Passenger-bus transportation
connecting large cities and small towns throughout the island is provided by the
Taiwan Highway Bureau and private transportation companies provide both
passenger and freight service. In large cities there are public buses as well as
private buses and taxis.
Railway is operated by the Taiwan Railway
Administration. The mainlines include those from Jilong, in the north, to
Gaoxiong, in the southwest; from Jilong to Su'ao, in the northeast; from
Gaoxiong to Fangliao, in the south; and from Hualian, in the east, to Taidong,
in the southeast.
The international seaports are Jilong, in the north;
Gaoxiong, in the south; and Hualian, in the east. Jilong is the port for Taipei
city, while Gaoxiong is an industrial port. Both cities have good facilities for
anchoring large ships. Hualian has also been open as an international port since
1963.
Civilian airports include Taipei International Airport, in the
north; Gaoxiong Airport, in the southh; and Hualian Airport, in the east.
Civilian air transports to Tainan, Taizhong, Taidong, and Penghu are permitted
to use the military air bases in those areas. For Taipei International Airport
service is available to many metropolitan cities around the world.
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