Jump to content

Rail transport in Hong Kong

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Jeremy Hopkins (talk | contribs) at 13:43, 29 March 2012 (See also). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Hong Kong's rail network comprises public transport trains operated by MTR Corporation Limited (MTRC). The MTRC operates the metro network of Hong Kong and the commuter rail network connecting 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 Sha Tin to Central Link and the Northern Link.

MTR

Causeway Bay MTR station on the Island Line.

Ten lines, 84 railway stations and 68 light rail stops:

Trams

Hong Kong Tramways map

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 East Rail Line, 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),[1] 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. Running 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.

Rail Rail gauge Power supply Remarks Signal system Height of platform (mm) Maximum car width (mm) Height clearance Height of overhead cable
MTR Urban[citation needed] lines (Template:HK-MTR box, Template:HK-MTR box, Template:HK-MTR box,Template:HK-MTR box,Template:HK-MTR box,Template:HK-MTR box), MTR Template:HK-MTR box 1432 mm 1500 V DC [1] overhead cable
MTR Suburban[citation needed] lines (Template:HK-MTR box, Template:HK-MTR box, Template:HK-MTR box) (formerly operated by KCR/KCRC) 1435 mm 25 kV AC overhead cable same as railways in mainland China
MTR Template:HK-MTR box (formerly operated by KCR/KCRC) 1435 mm 750 V DC overhead cable
Peak Tram 1520 mm n/a n/a Funicular
Hong Kong Tramways 1067 mm 550 V DC overhead cable
Airport APM
Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad steam-outline
Ocean Park train Funicular

List of densely populated places without rail transport

Interchanges

MTR System Map with effect from 16 August 2009

Other systems

  • Ocean Park Cable Car
  • Lai Chi Kok Amusement Park Monorail
  • Ngong Ping 360

See also

References