Network grows with opening of Seac Pai Van Line on Nov. 1

Macau’s Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system is set to expand its reach, with the official opening of the Seac Pai Van Line on Nov. 1. This new line will connect the Seac Pai Van community to the existing LRT network, providing residents and visitors with improved access to the Union Hospital and the Barra area.

The Seac Pai Van Line, approximately 1.6 kilometers long, features two stations: Union Hospital Station and Seac Pai Van Station. The first train will depart from Seac Pai Van Station at 1:11 p.m. on its opening day. Passengers are advised to arrive early and follow staff instructions to board the trains in an orderly manner.

With the launch of the Seac Pai Van Line, the Macau LRT network will, for the first time, offer line transfers. The fare calculation will be based on the Chief Executive’s Dispatch No. 188/2023, which was published in the Macau Special Administrative Region Official Gazette. Passengers starting or ending their journey at Seac Pai Van Station or Union Hospital Station will have Union Hospital Station included as a stop when calculating the fare, while those using other stations will not.

The opening of the Seac Pai Van Line is expected to further facilitate public access to the Union Hospital and provide more options for residents and visitors traveling between Taipa, the Seac Pai Van community, and the Barra area. Additionally, the government is anticipating the opening of the Hengqin (extension) line, which will connect the Taipa line to the Hengqin Border Post, to increase LRT passengers and users.

According to data from the Labor Affairs Bureau, in the second quarter of this year, there are still dozens of non-resident technical employees in the LTR Macau and the LRT companies. Lawmaker Ella Lei has called on the government to continue encouraging locals to pursue careers in the LRT service.

Ella Lei has also called on the government to closely monitor and investigate recent LRT system malfunctions. The government has been urged to strengthen the LRT’s emergency response, improve information transparency, and enhance crowd control plans, especially as the network and passenger numbers continue to grow. According to statistics mentioned by Ella Lei from the “General Planning of Traffic and Land Transport of Macau (2021-2030),” the rail network is expected to increase to 21 stations, spanning a total of 24 kilometers, and the daily flow of passengers is projected to increase to 137,000 by 2030. Victoria Chan