很多城市都有鋪建輕軌，因為它採用電力驅動，相較傳統公車或汽車更安靜，排碳量低，有助於降低空氣污染與碳排放，且對周圍居民與環境的影響較小，此外，有些城市採用它成為都市美學的一部分，與城市景觀融合，在視覺上輕盈又不突兀，所以，我到高雄，特別想要體驗輕軌，感受輕軌與捷運的差別。
高雄輕軌其實已經運行一段時間，但是，我也是趁這次停留高雄多日的期間，才認真地考慮用輕軌作為代步工具來規劃行程，其實，光是現在輕軌沿路上的開通站點，就夠我逛了，所以也不用怎麼規劃，加上我多年前也住在高雄一段時間，也正好趁此機會感受一下高雄的變化。
至於，網路上提到的最美輕軌路段，指的是輕軌美術館站到內惟藝術中心站之間，一道500公尺長的小葉欖仁樹林間，人們都說這路段如同龍貓隧道的優雅，其實，我現場看過，覺得還好而已，而繼龍貓隧道之後，還有一段被說是綠巨人隧道的路段，我覺得也沒想像中驚豔，令我不禁懷疑，是官方太會行銷，還是我欠缺美感。
還有一段號稱無敵海景的路段是真愛碼頭區間亞灣區臨海段，我從輕軌內想看到無敵海景，但是輕軌窗戶上的隔熱貼紙實在是太煞風景了，一個個格狀小洞，不但讓我看不清楚海景，還看到頭暈，不過，輕軌沿線上的知名景點，如真愛碼頭、棧貳庫、大港橋、駁二藝術特區倒是不讓人失望，且讓人有種緩慢但深入探索城市的感覺，對於外地人，更是一種舒服的移動及觀光工具，讓城市的每個角落都變得更容易接近了。
Although Kaohsiung’s light rail has been operating for a while now, it wasn’t until this longer stay in the city that I seriously considered using it as my main way of getting around. In fact, with all the stops that are already open along the route, I didn’t really need to plan much at all—just hopping on and off was enough to fill my day. Plus, since I used to live in Kaohsiung years ago, it was a great chance to see how the city has changed.
Online, people say the most beautiful section of the route is between the Museum of Fine Arts Station and Neiwei Arts Center Station. There's a 500-meter stretch lined with small-leaf banyan trees that people often compare to the “Totoro Tunnel”. But honestly, when I saw it in person, it wasn’t that impressive. After that, there's another area people call the “Hulk Tunnel”, and again, it didn’t exactly blow me away. I started to wonder—are the marketers just too good at their job, or am I just missing the aesthetic sense?
There’s also a part of the line near the ocean that people call the "unbeatable sea view"—between the True Love Pier and Asia's New Bay Area. I was really looking forward to seeing that view from inside the train, but the tinted sticker on the windows kind of ruined the experience. The tiny dotted pattern on the glass made it hard to see clearly and even gave me a bit of a headache.
That said, popular stops like True Love Pier, Pier-2 Art Center, Dagang Bridge, and Warehouse No. 2 didn’t disappoint at all. Riding the light rail gave me this relaxed, slow-paced way to explore the city more deeply. For visitors like me, it’s a really comfortable and enjoyable way to get around—and it makes Kaohsiung feel so much more accessible.
For the best experience view this post on Liketu
