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Known as Takao in early days, Kaohsiung was a fishing village developed from a coastal community. In 1863 (the second year of the rule of Qing Emperor Tongzhi), the Qing Court opened the village as a treaty port to foreign trade, making it an international port. In 1895 (the 28th year of the rule of Japanese Emperor Meiji), the Taiwan Sotokufu started to build the Taiwan Western Railway, and ports in Northern and Southern Taiwan. In 1908 (the 41st year of the rule of Japanese Emperor Meiji), the Taiwan Western Railway was opened to traffic, and Kaohsiung, which was at the southern end of the railway, became the southern hub of land transport. In the same year, the expansion of the port was commenced, due to which land of more than 230 thousand square meters was reclaimed and named Minato Machi (Hamasen). A shoreline railway was also built to connect the southern section of the Taiwan Western Railway and the port. The port expansion and railway construction laid a foundation for the development of intermodal transport (using railways and ships), making it a major feature of the Takao station.
In 2007, the High Speed Rail (HSR) was put into operation, thus turning Taiwan’s western corridor into a one-day living circle. With the co-station shared by HSR Zuoying Station, Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) Xinzuoying Station, and Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit (KMRT), coupled with the circular light rail lines, Kaohsiung has made a giant leap to become a city of great traffic access.