Rail transport in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's rail network comprises public transport trains operated by the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRC). The MTRC operates the metro network of Hong Kong and connects the northeastern and northwestern New Territories with the rest of Hong Kong. Approval has been granted for the merger of the MTRC and the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC), following discussions to merge the two corporations for economies of scale and cost effectiveness.

History

The first mode of rail transport is the Peak Tram, serving The Peak, the Mid-levels and the city centre since 1888. Tram started service along the northern coast of the Hong Kong Island in 1904. The British Section of the Kowloon-Canton Railway (now the KCR East Rail), a conventional railway, was opened in 1910. It was not until 1979 that a rapid transit system, the MTR, was opened. In 1982, the British Section of the Kowloon-Canton Railway began its transition towards electrification, with new EMUs providing rapid transit-like service. The Light Rail Transit (LRT, now the MTR Light Rail) began its operation in the Tuen Mun and Yuen Long new towns in 1988. The two railway companies, MTR Corporation Limited and Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, merged on 2 December, 2007, to form a single rapid transit network.

There are several extensions planned or under construction, including the Kowloon Southern Link, the Sha Tin to Central Link and the Northern Link.

MTR

Ten lines, 82 railway stations and 68 light rail stops:

*: between Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau and East Tsim Sha Tsui (formerly part of KCR/KCRC)
*: between Yau Ma Tei and Tiu Keng Leng
*: between Tsuen Wan and Central
*: between Sheung Wan and Chai Wan
*: between Tung Chung and Hong Kong
*: between Po Lam and North Point
*: between Sunny Bay and Disneyland Resort
*: between Tuen Mun to Nam Cheong (formerly part of KCR/KCRC)
*: between Wu Kai Sha to Tai Wai (formerly part of KCR/KCRC)
*: between AsiaWorld-Expo/Airport and Hong Kong
*: 68 stations serving the northwest New Territories

Trams

* Hong Kong Tramways: Double-decker trams, running on the north shore of Hong Kong Island from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan.
* Peak Tram: Actually a funicular railway with six stations, connecting Central and the Victoria Peak.
* Po Fook Hill Elevator: Another tiny funicular railway with two stations, connecting the car park and the upper section of Po Fook Hill Cemetery.

"Note that the KCRC Light Rail system (see above) has many of the attributes of a tramway, including street running".

Cross-border services

Commonly known as Through Train (chi. 直通車), the MTRC and railway companies of mainland China jointly provide cross-border train services from Hung Hom Station, Kowloon, sharing most of the tracks with the HK-MTR lines|East Rail, to destinations in mainland China through neighbouring Shenzhen on three Through Train routes, namely Beijing line (to/from Beijing), Shanghai line (to/from Shanghai) and Guangdong line (to/from Zhaoqing and Guangzhou East). They are operated through the rail network in mainland China, including the Guangshen Railway and Jingguang Railway.

Automated People Mover

There is an Automated People Mover (APM) [http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/tbu/terminal1_transport.htm] , a driverless electric train service, which is located at the basement level of Terminal 1 of Hong Kong International Airport. It travels the length of the 750-metre concourse between the East Hall and West Hall on a circular mode. At a speed of 62 km per hour, each APM carries 304 passengers in four cars. The APM operates every 2.5 minutes from 0600 to 0030 hours everyday. It transports passengers whose flights are located at the West Hall, Southwest and Northwest concourses.

Rail gauges and power supply

Rail gauges and power supply of Hong Kong rails.

List of densely populated places without rail transport

*Hong Kong Island
**Siu Sai Wan
**Kennedy Town and Sai Ying Pun
**Wong Chuk Hang, Aberdeen, Ap Lei Chau and Wah Fu
*Kowloon
**Tai Wo Ping
**Tsz Wan Shan
**Sau Mau Ping and Shun Lee
**Most of Hung Hom, Ho Man Tin, To Kwa Wan, Ma Tau Wai and Kowloon City and most of San Po Kong
*New Territories
**Sheung Kwai Chung, most of Tsing Yi and Chai Wan Kok

Interchanges

References

* MTR Corpororation (2003) " [http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/railway/railway_details.html Railway Details] ". Retrieved October 3, 2005.

ee also

*Rail transport in the People's Republic of China
*List of railways in China
*Transport in Hong Kong