The construction work on the rail link started on December 25, 1973 both at Suao and Hualien. The government has ordered the sparing of no effort to carry out the project to promote progress and prosperity in Eastern Taiwan.
民國六十二年十二月廿五日，北迴鐵路南北兩端同時開工，政府決定全力興建，以促進東部的進步和繁榮。