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Our experts provided Independent Verification and Validation services throughout the construction of Taiwan’s 350km high-speed route, a project that was also notable for being the first international use of Japanese Shinkansen technology. Our impartial audits and assessments provided reassurance to the project’s owners and travelling public that the new system would be safe, reliable and built to the highest possible standards.

Engineering Resilience at High Speed

Taiwan’s high-speed railway is a 350km north-south line running along the west coast of the country.

Opened in January 2007, it reduced journey times between the country’s two main economic centres—Taipei and Kaohsiung—from around four hours to just over 100 minutes, with some services also calling at intermediate stations. It was also notable as the first international application of Japanese Shinkansen technology, with trains capable of reaching speeds of 300 km/h (186 mph).

Much of the route is constructed on viaducts or through tunnels, crossing terrain prone to summer typhoons and frequent earthquakes. Despite these challenges, the railway maintains a perfect safety record, supported by a sophisticated safety system that reduces speeds or halts trains during significant seismic events.

The railway was constructed, and is operated, by the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC), who first appointed our assessors in 2001 to perform independent assessments throughout the system's construction, helping to ensure system functionality, quality, maintainability and safety met requirements.

In 2012, we were chosen to perform similar services for a four-kilometre extension of the route to Taipei City’s Nangang District, plus the construction of three new stations along the original route in the counties of Miaoli, Changhua and Yunlin.

body-taiwan-high-speed-railway-2
North-South Line (km)
350
Speed (km/h)
300

Location

  • Taiwan

Client

  • Taiwan High Speed Railway

Project Status

  • Completed

End to End Verification and Validation

We led the team responsible for delivering verification and validation throughout the route’s construction, overseeing the integration of all major sub-systems from initial concept design through to operation. This process involved structured audits and assessments to ensure all required checks were completed and that the necessary evidence was collated as the project progressed.

Areas continuously assessed by our team included trackwork, signalling upgrades, control rooms, station construction, traction power, and communications systems.

At the peak of the project, more than 30 engineers were based on site.

body-taiwan-high-speed-railway

Proven Performance, National Recognition

Our assessments - the first independent verification and validation of a railway in Taiwan - demonstrated to THSRC and the national railway authorities that the railway was built, designed and fit to operate as per the original specifications.

A key challenge, particularly for the 2012-2015 extension, was the restricted time windows for possession and for the mixed traffic trial run demonstrations during normal revenue service. This required the team to work closely with key stakeholders to agree a flexible approach.

Now a national icon the railway is seen as a leading example of high-speed technology fulfilling its operational purpose and performance expectations. By 2023, annual ridership had grown to more than 80 million passenger journeys—over twice the 30 million carried in its first year. Further extensions to the network are currently under consideration.

 

Note: This assignment was originally undertaken by Lloyd’s Register, having been first appointed to the project in 2001. Lloyd’s Register’s rail assurance activities transferred to Ricardo Certification in 2015. Ricardo Certification transitioned to become WSP Assurance in 2026 and operates as an independent entity.

Michael Newman
Michael Newman
Practice Director, Rail/Global Managing Director, Rail
Australia
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