Taipei, Aug. 11 (CNA) New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) said Tuesday that the MRT Sanying Line will begin operating its full daily schedule, from 6 a.m. to midnight, on Aug. 16, while continuing to offer free rides during the trial period.

The extended operating hours are intended to give the public more opportunities to use the newly opened metro line and allow operators to further evaluate its performance under normal operating conditions, Hou said at a press conference.

The Sanying Line began trial operations on June 30 with free rides. Since Aug. 1, it has operated daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., with trains running every six to eight minutes depending on the time of day.

According to New Taipei City Metro Corp., the line recorded more than 900,000 passenger trips between its opening and late July.

The trial service will offer free rides through Aug. 31, the company said. Fares will then follow the tiered pricing system of the Taipei and New Taipei MRT networks, ranging from NT$20 (US$0.63) to NT$35.