The Taipa to Cotai section of Macau’s light rapid transit (LRT) system should be ready “between October and November”, says the city’s Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário.
The launch date of the LRT system and the fares for the transit ride will be disclosed at a later stage, Mr Rosário added. He was speaking to reporters on Thursday on the sidelines of a public event.
The Taipa portion of the LRT project, which includes stops serving the Cotai casino resorts, will be 9.3-kilometres (5.8-miles) long and have a total of 11 stations. That stretch of the system will also connect to Macau International Airport, the Pac On ferry terminal located near the airport, and the Lotus Border Checkpoint.
On Friday, the Macau SAR government is signing an agreement with the government-owned entity Macao Light Rapid Transit Corp Ltd for a 10-year concession. The company will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the LRT system. MTR Railway Operations (Macau) Co Ltd – a fully-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong’s MTR Corp – is also engaged in the operations and maintenance assistance services for the city’s LRT Taipa to Cotai section.
Macau’s Chief Executive-elect Ho Iat Seng has pledged to local press on August 25 that during his term, his government would strive to build the segment that connects the LRT Taipa line to the Barra station on Macau peninsula, and another separate link between the Taipa line to the north side of the Macau peninsula. Mr Ho will start his 5-year term from December 20, 2019.
