Commuters in Hong Kong should brace for disruptions to their late-night travels as the city’s iconic MTR railway system undergoes major construction to extend the Tung Chung Line.
The MTR Corporation announced on Thursday that services on the Tung Chung Line may end earlier on specific days to accommodate the extension project, which will add two new stations to the line.
“The work can only be carried out during late-night hours when the trains are not in service, typically two to three nights per week,” said project manager Lesly Leung Po-po. “Any slight mishap could disrupt the next day’s train operations, so we need to be extremely careful in our planning.”
The extension will see a new station added at Tung Chung East, situated between the existing Sunny Bay and Tung Chung stations. The line will then continue westward to a new terminal station at Tung Chung West.
To accommodate this construction, a 1.2-kilometer section of the existing track will need to be diverted, which Leung described as the most challenging aspect of the project.
“The diversion is the most challenging part of the project, requiring my team to make use of the non-traffic hours to undergo the construction,” she explained. “Tasks such as hoisting overhead power lines and installing track switches would require the team to work continuously for a few hours, resulting in an extension to non-traffic hours.”
In the worst-case scenario, Leung estimated that the non-service hours could be extended up to four times, with the railway operator notifying the public in advance.
Lawmaker Gary Zhang Xinyu, an engineer with experience at the MTR, agreed that the extended non-service hours are unavoidable given the scale of the rerouting work, which is expected to last several years.
“The MTR is expected to set several Saturday nights for early last train departures, with Sunny Bay station temporarily serving as the terminal for the Tung Chung Line,” Zhang said. “Shuttle bus services will be provided to minimize the impact.”
While the construction may cause disruptions for late-night commuters, the extension project is expected to improve connectivity and accessibility for residents and visitors in the Tung Chung area. The MTR remains committed to completing the work as efficiently and safely as possible.
