Tainan is getting a brand-new underground train station, good news for commuters and for the city's image as a regional hub.

• The first stage of Tainan's rail underground project is set to start running by the end of this year.
• The new station's design has been revealed, with an underground concourse holding a ticket hall, a dozen shops, and a service center.
• Facilities include family restrooms, a nursing room, and a prayer room.
• Mayor Huang Wei-che says an unveiling ceremony will be held in early September.
• Local officials hope to switch trains onto the new underground tracks by mid-October.

Outlook: Rail authorities and the city are pushing to have trains running underground before the end of the year.