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Island Line (MTR)
Encyclopedia
The Island Line is one of 10 lines of the MTR
, the mass transit system
in Hong Kong
. It runs from Sheung Wan
in the Central and Western District
to Chai Wan
in the Eastern District
. The line first opened in 31 May 1985. It currently travels through 14 stations in 25 minutes along its route.
The line is indicated by the colour blue on the MTR map.
authorised the construction of the 13.1 km long Island Line in December 1980, after rejecting plans to extend the tram
to Chai Wan. On 31 May 1985 the Island Line opened with services operating between Admiralty
and Chai Wan stations. Services were then extended to Central
and both Admiralty and Central stations became interchange stations with the Tsuen Wan Line. As part of this extension, each train was extended to eight cars in length. On 23 May 1986, the Island Line extended its reach to Sheung Wan
station.
After the Kwun Tong Line was extended to Quarry Bay
station on 1 October 1989, that station became an interchange station with the Island Line. In a response to passenger congestion at Quarry Bay station, the government recommended the Quarry Bay Congestion Relief Works project, and decided to expand North Point
station to include a second interchange with the Kwun Tong Line, with construction starting in July 1998.
The North Point interchange opened on 27 September 2001, and proved to be a much more efficient method of interchanging, as the new station featured cross-platform interchange
, reducing the time required to interchange from five minutes at Quarry Bay station to less than one minute. On 4 August 2002, North Point and Quarry Bay became interchange stations with the new Tseung Kwan O Line.
line that resembles the deep-level lines of the London Underground
the most, as most of the route and stations along the line are deep underground and consist of cylindrical tunnels. This is the result of a lack of available land, as the construction plans for the line required it to be built under major roads.
The major roads that the Island Line runs under are:
Only the segment of the line east of Shau Kei Wan
has space for track expansion and thus the line emerges to the surface at Heng Fa Chuen, and then on a viaduct
all the way to Chai Wan.
The route of the underground section of the line (as well as the proposed extension to Kennedy Town
) is also served by local trams
at surface level. This brought concerns of the tram system might be abolished when the MTR line was going to be built (See Hong Kong Tramways
for more information about the concern).
Because of the depth of the line, most underground stations on this line (except Admiralty, Shau Kei Wan and Tai Koo
) have curved walls on the platforms, which are due to the routes' cylindrical tunnels, only with a greater diameter
. Of the underground stations not bearing this feature, Tai Koo Station is itself a large tube containing both the concourse and the platform, while Shau Kei Wan, Admiralty, Central stations are built using the cut-and-cover method.
Because most stations were built under roads, most of the platforms are curved, the platform gaps are large. (Only North Point Station, Quarry Bay Station, Tai Koo Station, Heng Fa Chuen Station and Chai Wan Station do not have large gaps)
All but two of the stations along the route have their station names written in Chinese calligraphy as part of the stations' livery. The only stations that do not have this feature are Heng Fa Chuen and Chai Wan, which are also the only above-ground stations. A retired architect involved in the design of the Island Line explained that calligraphy are written in large fonts to alleviate the psychological effect caused by the narrow platforms and the curvature of the walls, in addition to remind passengers what this stop is. This explains why Heng Fa Chuen and Chai Wan stations do not have calligraphy forming part of its livery, as they are built above-ground. This feature is also shared amongst some newer MTR stations such as those on the Tseung Kwan O Line and Lam Tin Station on the Kwun Tong Line.
Also, due to geographical problems, the platforms of stations on this line (Central(Tsuen Wan line platforms use island platforms), Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, Tin Hau, North Point(Before Tseung Kwan O Line was extended to North Point), and Sai Wan Ho) are located on two different levels, this also makes the platform and concourse separated in two parts, so there are some passageways and long escalators on those stations to link between the platform and concourse.
The Island line is an MTR line not crossing the Victoria Harbour
.
Notes
* Proposed stations
^ In construction
Connections with the West Island Line
and South Island Line
project suggested by MTRCL: Note that South Island Line (West Section) corresponds to "West Island Line" run by medium capacity rail in the prelimery proposals, while "West Island Line" as of June 2005 refers to the extension of the heavy rail Island Line to Sai Ying Pun
, University
and Kennedy Town
.
obstacles on the western coast of Hong Kong Island
, and the enormous cost and uncertainties concerning the Hong Kong Government's subsidies for the project. However, the current plan for the new lines to the Southern District
would require parts of the Western extension in order for it to be completed. As a result, the MTR Corporation was conducting extensive surveys as well as public forums to gather opinion and suggestions concerning the alignment of the extension and location of the Sai Ying Pun
, Shek Tong Tsui
and Kennedy Town stations for the West Island Line.
(note: The latest proposal has changed the name of the station University to Shek Tong Tsui, since the panel has unanimously agreed that MTR stations should be named after districts, rather than after public infrastructures or landmarks. However, this does not apply to the Airport Express Line.)
According to implementation options revealed by the MTRC in February 2005, the Island Line will be extended to Kennedy Town, and the South Island Line (West Section) to begin at University station. This option suggests there would be two stations in the areas of Shek Tong Tsui and Sai Ying Pun, between Kennedy Town and Sheung Wan on the West Island Line.
As of 30 June 2005, the MTR Corporation Limited has been given approval to extend the existing Island Line to Kennedy Town, along with two intermediate stations at Sai Ying Pun and University (Shek Tong Tsui). The extension would be approximately 3 km long, making the Island Line the lengthiest urban line (16.1 km) and the one with the most stations (17 stations).
If the North Island Line is built along the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, which is tentatively scheduled to be built after 2016, the Island Line will be split in two; the section from Sheung Wan to Tin Hau will be taken over by the Tseung Kwan O Line, and the Tung Chung Line will oversee operation of the section from Fortress Hill to Chai Wan.
MTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
, the mass transit system
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. It runs from Sheung Wan
Sheung Wan
Sheung Wan is an area in Hong Kong, located in the north-west of Hong Kong Island, between Central and Sai Ying Pun. Administratively, it is part of the Central and Western District...
in the Central and Western District
Central and Western District
The Central and Western District located on northern part of Hong Kong Island is one of the 18 administrative districts of Hong Kong. It had a population of 261,884 in 2001...
to Chai Wan
Chai Wan
Chai Wan , formerly mistakenly known as Sai Wan , lies at the east end of the urban area of Hong Kong Island next to Shau Kei Wan. The area is administratively part of the Eastern District, and is a mosaic of industrial and residential areas...
in the Eastern District
Eastern District, Hong Kong
The Eastern District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. It had a population of 587,690 in 2006. The district has the second highest population while its residents have the third highest median household income among 18 districts....
. The line first opened in 31 May 1985. It currently travels through 14 stations in 25 minutes along its route.
The line is indicated by the colour blue on the MTR map.
History
The Hong Kong GovernmentGovernment of Hong Kong
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, commonly the Hong Kong Government, is led by the Chief Executive as Head of the Government, who is also the head of the Hong Kong SAR...
authorised the construction of the 13.1 km long Island Line in December 1980, after rejecting plans to extend the tram
Hong Kong Tramways
Hong Kong Tramways is a tram system in Hong Kong and one of the earliest forms of public transport in Hong Kong. Owned and operated by Veolia Transport, the tramway runs on Hong Kong Island between Shau Kei Wan and Kennedy Town, with a branch circulating Happy Valley...
to Chai Wan. On 31 May 1985 the Island Line opened with services operating between Admiralty
Admiralty (MTR)
Admiralty station is an MTR station located on Hong Kong Island, in an area often referred to as Admiralty. The station's livery is dodger blue...
and Chai Wan stations. Services were then extended to Central
Central (MTR)
Central station is an MTR station located in the Central area of Hong Kong Island. The station's livery is firebrick red, except for the station's Tsuen Wan Line platform where its livery is dark brown...
and both Admiralty and Central stations became interchange stations with the Tsuen Wan Line. As part of this extension, each train was extended to eight cars in length. On 23 May 1986, the Island Line extended its reach to Sheung Wan
Sheung Wan (MTR)
Sheung Wan is the western terminus of the Hong Kong MTR Island Line.It was originally built in 1970 as Western Market but its construction was discontinued after further planning for the new lines. Upon the construction of the Island Line, the station was finally constructed and opened in May...
station.
After the Kwun Tong Line was extended to Quarry Bay
Quarry Bay (MTR)
Quarry Bay Station is an underground station on the MTR Island Line on Hong Kong Island and Tseung Kwan O Line between Hong Kong Island and Tseung Kwan O New Town in the New Territories, Hong Kong. The livery is teal green.-Location:...
station on 1 October 1989, that station became an interchange station with the Island Line. In a response to passenger congestion at Quarry Bay station, the government recommended the Quarry Bay Congestion Relief Works project, and decided to expand North Point
North Point (MTR)
North Point is a station on the Hong Kong MTR Island Line and the western terminus of the Tseung Kwan O Line. The livery of the station is tomato orange.-History:This station was opened in 1985 upon the completion of the Island Line...
station to include a second interchange with the Kwun Tong Line, with construction starting in July 1998.
The North Point interchange opened on 27 September 2001, and proved to be a much more efficient method of interchanging, as the new station featured cross-platform interchange
Cross-platform interchange
A cross-platform interchange is a type of interchange between different lines in a metro system. The term originates with the London Underground; such layouts exist in other networks but are not commonly so named...
, reducing the time required to interchange from five minutes at Quarry Bay station to less than one minute. On 4 August 2002, North Point and Quarry Bay became interchange stations with the new Tseung Kwan O Line.
Route description
The Island Line is the MTRMTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
line that resembles the deep-level lines of the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
the most, as most of the route and stations along the line are deep underground and consist of cylindrical tunnels. This is the result of a lack of available land, as the construction plans for the line required it to be built under major roads.
The major roads that the Island Line runs under are:
- Des Voeux Road CentralDes Voeux RoadDes Voeux Road Central and Des Voeux Road West are two roads on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. They were named after the 10th Governor of Hong Kong, Sir George William Des Vœux...
(Sheung Wan and Central) - QueenswayQueensway, Hong KongQueensway is a major road in the Admiralty of Central, Hong Kong. It was originally a section of Queen's Road East to its westmost before the Hong Kong Government separated and renamed it as its present name in 1967...
(Admiralty) - Hennessy RoadHennessy RoadHennessy Road is a thoroughfare on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It connects Yee Wo Street on the east in Causeway Bay, and Queensway on the western end in Wan Chai.The road is named after John Pope Hennessy, the Governor of Hong Kong between 1877 and 1882....
(Wanchai and Causeway Bay) - Causeway RoadCauseway RoadCauseway Road is a main road in Hong Kong. Situated in Causeway Bay, it joins Yee Wo Street in the west and King's Road. It is a boundary of Eastern District and Wan Chai District...
(Between Causeway Bay and Tin Hau) - King's RoadKing's Road, Hong KongKing's Road is a major east-west street along the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, extending from Causeway Bay, where it joins Causeway Road, to Sai Wan Ho, where it joins Shau Kei Wan Road.-History:...
(Between Tin Hau and Tai Koo) - Shau Kei Wan RoadShau Kei Wan RoadShau Kei Wan Road , formerly known as Shaukiwan Road, is the main road in Shau Kei Wan and Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong.-History:The road was originally a main road lying on the north coast of Hong Kong Island from Causeway Bay to Shau Kei Wan, passing through North Point, Tsat Tsz Mui and Quarry Bay.In...
(Sai Wan Ho and Shau Kei Wan)
Only the segment of the line east of Shau Kei Wan
Shau Kei Wan (MTR)
Shau Kei Wan Station is a station on the Hong Kong MTR Island line in the neighborhood Shau Kei Wan. Its concourse is located underground, and an island platform is used to serve trains on the Island Line, to and from Sheung Wan....
has space for track expansion and thus the line emerges to the surface at Heng Fa Chuen, and then on a viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
all the way to Chai Wan.
The route of the underground section of the line (as well as the proposed extension to Kennedy Town
Kennedy Town (MTR)
Kennedy Town is the proposed terminus on the Hong Kong MTR West Island Line, an extension to the existing Island Line. The station will serve the Kennedy Town area on the northwestern end of Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong....
) is also served by local trams
Hong Kong Tramways
Hong Kong Tramways is a tram system in Hong Kong and one of the earliest forms of public transport in Hong Kong. Owned and operated by Veolia Transport, the tramway runs on Hong Kong Island between Shau Kei Wan and Kennedy Town, with a branch circulating Happy Valley...
at surface level. This brought concerns of the tram system might be abolished when the MTR line was going to be built (See Hong Kong Tramways
Hong Kong Tramways
Hong Kong Tramways is a tram system in Hong Kong and one of the earliest forms of public transport in Hong Kong. Owned and operated by Veolia Transport, the tramway runs on Hong Kong Island between Shau Kei Wan and Kennedy Town, with a branch circulating Happy Valley...
for more information about the concern).
Because of the depth of the line, most underground stations on this line (except Admiralty, Shau Kei Wan and Tai Koo
Tai Koo (MTR)
Tai Koo is a station on the Island Line of the Hong Kong MTR system. The station is located in Kornhill on the eponymous island and serves the area of Kornhill, including Kornhill Gardens, and Taikoo Shing. Tai Koo has a unique colour scheme; its livery is crimson. Tai Koo station is one of the...
) have curved walls on the platforms, which are due to the routes' cylindrical tunnels, only with a greater diameter
Diameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
. Of the underground stations not bearing this feature, Tai Koo Station is itself a large tube containing both the concourse and the platform, while Shau Kei Wan, Admiralty, Central stations are built using the cut-and-cover method.
Because most stations were built under roads, most of the platforms are curved, the platform gaps are large. (Only North Point Station, Quarry Bay Station, Tai Koo Station, Heng Fa Chuen Station and Chai Wan Station do not have large gaps)
All but two of the stations along the route have their station names written in Chinese calligraphy as part of the stations' livery. The only stations that do not have this feature are Heng Fa Chuen and Chai Wan, which are also the only above-ground stations. A retired architect involved in the design of the Island Line explained that calligraphy are written in large fonts to alleviate the psychological effect caused by the narrow platforms and the curvature of the walls, in addition to remind passengers what this stop is. This explains why Heng Fa Chuen and Chai Wan stations do not have calligraphy forming part of its livery, as they are built above-ground. This feature is also shared amongst some newer MTR stations such as those on the Tseung Kwan O Line and Lam Tin Station on the Kwun Tong Line.
Also, due to geographical problems, the platforms of stations on this line (Central(Tsuen Wan line platforms use island platforms), Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, Tin Hau, North Point(Before Tseung Kwan O Line was extended to North Point), and Sai Wan Ho) are located on two different levels, this also makes the platform and concourse separated in two parts, so there are some passageways and long escalators on those stations to link between the platform and concourse.
The Island line is an MTR line not crossing the Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent...
.
 |
Stations
This is a list of all the stations on the Island Line. The coloured boxes holding the station names represent the respective colour motif for the station.| Livery Livery A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in... and Name |
District Districts of Hong Kong The Districts of Hong Kong are the 18 political areas by which Hong Kong is geographically divided. Each district has a district council, which was formerly known as a district board. The districts were established in the early 1980s, when Hong Kong was under British rule... |
Connection(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Island Line | ||||
| Kennedy Town^ | Central and Western Central and Western District The Central and Western District located on northern part of Hong Kong Island is one of the 18 administrative districts of Hong Kong. It had a population of 261,884 in 2001... |
expected 2014 | ||
| University^ | |
|||
| Sai Ying Pun^ | ||||
| Sheung Wan | May 23, 1986 | |||
| Central Formerly Pedder |
Hong Kong Station for the and |
|||
| Admiralty | * * |
May 31, 1985 | ||
| Wan Chai | Wan Chai Wan Chai District The Wan Chai District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong, located in the north of Hong Kong island. It had a population of 167,146 in 2001. The district has the second most educated residents with the highest income, the second lowest population and the third oldest residents, and is also the... |
|||
| Causeway Bay | ||||
| Tin Hau | Eastern Eastern District, Hong Kong The Eastern District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. It had a population of 587,690 in 2006. The district has the second highest population while its residents have the third highest median household income among 18 districts.... |
|||
| Fortress Hill | ||||
| North Point | ||||
| Quarry Bay | ||||
| Tai Koo | ||||
| Sai Wan Ho | ||||
| Shau Kei Wan | ||||
| Heng Fa Chuen | ||||
| Chai Wan | ||||
Notes
^ In construction
Connections with the West Island Line
West Island Line
The West Island Line is a rapid transit line under construction of the Hong Kong MTR metro system. Planned as an extension to Island Line, the construction of the West Island line depended on reclamation and redevelopment of Western District....
and South Island Line
South Island Line
The South Island Line is a proposed line of the Hong Kong MTR metro system. Construction to the southern end of Hong Kong Island, which is at present not serviced by any rail transport, has been approved by the Executive Council of Hong Kong...
project suggested by MTRCL: Note that South Island Line (West Section) corresponds to "West Island Line" run by medium capacity rail in the prelimery proposals, while "West Island Line" as of June 2005 refers to the extension of the heavy rail Island Line to Sai Ying Pun
Sai Ying Pun
Sai Ying Pun is an area in Western District on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is part of Central and Western District in district administration....
, University
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
and Kennedy Town
Kennedy Town
Kennedy Town is at the western end of Sai Wan on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It was named after Arthur Edward Kennedy, the 7th Governor of Hong Kong from 1872 to 1877...
.
Future development
In 2002, the MTRC announced that it would use HK$300 million to construct the West and South Island Lines, provided that the Government would award subsidies towards the project. No sooner, in May 2002, the first proposal from the MTRC detailed an extension towards Kennedy Town. However the plan was abruptly brought to a halt due to land reclamationLand reclamation in Hong Kong
Land is in short supply in Hong Kong, and land reclamation has been conducted there since the mid-19th century.-Projects:One of the earliest and famous project was the Praya Reclamation Scheme, which added 50 to of land in 1890 during the second phase of construction...
obstacles on the western coast of Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
, and the enormous cost and uncertainties concerning the Hong Kong Government's subsidies for the project. However, the current plan for the new lines to the Southern District
Southern District, Hong Kong
The Southern District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. It is located in the southern part of Hong Kong Island. It had a population of 290,240 in 2001. This district has the fourth lowest population of Hong Kong.-Geography:...
would require parts of the Western extension in order for it to be completed. As a result, the MTR Corporation was conducting extensive surveys as well as public forums to gather opinion and suggestions concerning the alignment of the extension and location of the Sai Ying Pun
Sai Ying Pun
Sai Ying Pun is an area in Western District on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is part of Central and Western District in district administration....
, Shek Tong Tsui
Shek Tong Tsui
Shek Tong Tsui is a town in Sai Wan on the north shore of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. Administratively, it belongs to the Central and Western District....
and Kennedy Town stations for the West Island Line.
(note: The latest proposal has changed the name of the station University to Shek Tong Tsui, since the panel has unanimously agreed that MTR stations should be named after districts, rather than after public infrastructures or landmarks. However, this does not apply to the Airport Express Line.)
According to implementation options revealed by the MTRC in February 2005, the Island Line will be extended to Kennedy Town, and the South Island Line (West Section) to begin at University station. This option suggests there would be two stations in the areas of Shek Tong Tsui and Sai Ying Pun, between Kennedy Town and Sheung Wan on the West Island Line.
As of 30 June 2005, the MTR Corporation Limited has been given approval to extend the existing Island Line to Kennedy Town, along with two intermediate stations at Sai Ying Pun and University (Shek Tong Tsui). The extension would be approximately 3 km long, making the Island Line the lengthiest urban line (16.1 km) and the one with the most stations (17 stations).
If the North Island Line is built along the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, which is tentatively scheduled to be built after 2016, the Island Line will be split in two; the section from Sheung Wan to Tin Hau will be taken over by the Tseung Kwan O Line, and the Tung Chung Line will oversee operation of the section from Fortress Hill to Chai Wan.
See also
- North Island LineNorth Island LineNorth Island Line is a proposed reformation of the existing Island Line and extension of Tung Chung Line of the Hong Kong MTR metro system...
- Transport in Hong KongTransport in Hong KongHong Kong has a highly developed and sophisticated transport network, encompassing both public and private transport. Over 90% of the daily journeys are on public transport, making it the highest rate in the world....
- List of areas of Hong Kong
- Siu Sai Wan StationSiu Sai Wan StationSiu Sai Wan was a proposed station of the MTR of Hong Kong. Plan was revealed in 2001 to extend the Island Line to Siu Sai Wan on the eastern end of the Hong Kong Island, after many calls from the Eastern District Board since 1991...