KCR Light Rail
Encyclopedia
The MTR Light Rail, also known Light Rail Transit (LRT), is a light rail system in Hong Kong, serving the northwestern New Territories
, within and between Tuen Mun District
and Yuen Long District
. It used to be one of four systems of the KCR
network in Hong Kong.
It runs on 1435 mm track gauge
(standard gauge
), with direct current
750V
.
The LRT should not be confused with the Hong Kong Tramways
.
When Tuen Mun
was developed in the 1970s, the Hong Kong government had set aside space for the laying of rail tracks
. There was uncertainty however as to which company would be commissioned to build the train line. In 1982 Hong Kong Tramways
showed interest in building the system and running double-decker
trams on it, before finally being forced to abandon the project. Later that year, the KCRC
decided to build the system. After some research, construction commenced in 1985.
By that time, Kowloon Motor Bus
(KMB) had developed its own network in Tuen Mun and Yuen Long, and there were about 10 routes serving within the district internally, most of them profitable. However, the government introduced the concept of the "Light Rail Service Area" in both districts, forcing the KMB to withdraw all internal bus services in favour of the Light Rail. It also forced the KMB to impose boarding and alighting restrictions for external routes. It was decided that services between town centres and settlements would be provided solely by the Light Rail, while feeder buses operated by the KCRC
would connect remote sites to the network, replacing KMB's equivalent services where applicable.
The system was completed and fully operational in September 1988. The first section was opened to the public on 14 September 1988, with free rides Tuen Mun and Yuen Long; normal, all-day service began four days later, on September 18. The system consisted of two large and three small loops serving most of the public housing
estates
in northern Tuen Mun. Three branches: one to On Ting Estate in the southeast, one to the Tuen Mun Ferry Pier
in the southwest, and another northern branch all the way into the town of Yuen Long
along Castle Peak Road
. It was then known as Light Rail Transit, or LRT, and is also called as the North-west Railway according to the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation Ordinance.
The system was divided into five fare zones, the only transit system in Hong Kong to employ such zoning. The feeder buses have fares independent of these zones, but provide discounts when passengers interchange between these buses and LRT. 70 single-deck LRVs were manufactured in Melbourne and Brisbane
, Australia by Comeng
, and shipped to Hong Kong for the seven LRT routes in the system. Three of the routes were to Yuen Long and the others were confined to Tuen Mun.
and crosses the river that runs through Tuen Mun immediately with a flyover. The line then runs along Castle Peak Road to a road north of the town centre, where it climbs to another flyover and rejoins the main route. The northern end of this extension is still the only non-triangular junction in the entire system.
The southern extension mainly consists of a route linking On Ting and Ferry Pier, on the newly reclaimed land
near the river mouth of Tuen Mun River
, known as "Mouse Island" by locals. A short spur was also built from the extension to another terminus at Sam Shing Estate, located near Castle Peak Bay
. Three LRT routes were diverted (route 505 was extended to Sam Shing), and one feeder bus route (route 559) discontinued as a result of these changes.
Tin Shui Wai
was originally an area with numerous fish pond
s, but was developed as a residential town in the early 1990s. With the increase of internal commuter traffic demand, an LRT spur was built north of Hung Shui Kiu Stop
that opened in 1993, with four stops serving the initial housing areas of the town. The area was further developed in the next few years, and the line was extended by two stops: Chestwood
and Tin Shui Wai Terminus in 1995 (Tin Shui Wai Terminus was renamed Tin Wing
after the opening of West Rail Line). Two LRT routes were established, route 720 to Yau Oi
and route 721 to Yuen Long.
designed most railway stations in the LRT area to interchange with the new West Rail line. The idea was to encourage passengers to use the West Rail Line instead of the Light Rail for longer journeys to free up LRT vehicles for passengers making shorter journeys. For this purpose, an interchange discount system was launched with the introduction of the West Rail Line system, meaning that passengers would pay no more (and in some cases less) to travel on West Rail Line instead of the LRT for the main part of their journey. Although this most recent extension is the largest ever, no new vehicles were purchased. And although rearrangements were made, some infrequent and unreliable services resulted, causing passengers to blame the lack of vehicles and poor arrangement of new services. The KCRC has since modified the inside of some vehicles to allow more standing room for passengers during peak hours. They have also several route alterations to arrange them better.
The system's vehicles consist of four different types of LRV
s. All LRVs are 20.2 m. long and have 3 sliding doors fitted the left side (when facing the running direction from inside). This means that island platforms (except the triangular platform at Siu Hong Stop
) cannot be used at all in the LRT system.
Phase I LRVs were built by Comeng
and put in service in 1988. They are numbered 1001–1070 and accommodate 43 sitting passengers and 161 standees. The driver's cab interior and exterior design was conceived for KCRC by Design Triangle
in 1986. Phase II LRVs were built by Kawasaki
and entered service in 1992. They are numbered 1071-1090/1201-1210 and accommodate 26 sitting and 185 standees. Cars 1071–1090 are cab cars while 1201–1210 are cabless trailers. Phase III LRVs were built by A. Goninan
and entered service in 1997. They are numbered 1091–1110 and accommodate 26 seating and 212 standees. Phase one LRVs have two wheelchair positions while both Phase two and Phase three LRVs have three positions. The newest phase IV LRV's were manufactured by A. Goninan
and CSR
and entered service by December 2009. They are numbered 1111–1132.
Traction systems for both Phase one and two LRVs consist of GTO thyristor chopper and DC
traction motors, supplied by AEG, while drives for the Phase three and four LRVs consist of IGBT VVVF Inverter
s and AC
traction motors provided by Mitsubishi
. The maximum speed for all LRVs is 80 km/h, although the rarely reach that speed because of the many grade crossings between stops and the close proximity between stops in Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, and Tin Shui Wai.
From the outside it is difficult to differentiate between the first three types of LRVs. There are, however, distinct features that one can use to tell them apart; Phase three LRVs still retain their original electronic displays (green) while all other LRVs have had theirs replaced by new displays (orange). Phase I cars also have a wide window at the rear that can be opened in case of a emergency, while phase II cars have a door at the back. The interior of the phase three cars has a greenish look, and the doors are also green. The Phase IV LRVs have a completely different appearance in contrast to the older phase. It has a white exterior livery with olive green and purple line on the side. The shape of the front of the LRV is more streamlined than the older phases. The door opening and closing mechanism was similar to the ones from the K-class cars used in the Tseung Kwan O line and Tung Chung line. The Phase IV has 3 surveillance cameras in each vehicle. Seat belts and wheelchair positions were also available in the phase IV. On older-generation LRVs there is a poach seat but the phase IVs do not maintain this feature. The Phase IV LRV has orange electronic display.
The phase I-III cars are expected to be rebuilt and repainted with a scheme similar to the Phase IV cars.
There are currently 12 routes serving the Light Rail system:
system in Hong Kong to have fare zones and the only one with an honour system
, in which there are no ticket gates. These fare zones apply only to passengers purchasing single-ride tickets from ticketing machines at LRT stops. Since the introduction of Octopus card
s, however, passengers have a choice of ticketing options. All fares indicated below are for adults, while children and the elderly usually pay the concessionary fare, which is half the adult fare.
, and both zones 5 and 5A are only connected to Zone 4. Therefore travelling between zones 5 and 5A is considered as travelling through three zones.
fares are calculated based on the minimum number of stops travelled (from origin to destination stops), rather than the number of fare zones travelled through. All stops have Octopus card entry and exit processors at the entrances to and exits from platform
s. Passengers may enter the system after placing their Octopus card on the reader of an orange-coloured 'Entry Processor' reader. This action is known as validation. At this point, HK$5.80 is deducted from the Octopus card. On completion of a journey, the card previously read by an 'Entry Processor' must be placed on a dark-green coloured 'Exit Processor', where the HK$5.80 less the fare incurred is refunded. Failure to do so within the time limit would cause the fare difference to be forfeited. As a side note, if a person exits the same platform with the same Octopus card, the HK$5.80 previously deducted will be fully refunded.
Found on most platforms, there is also the 'Enquiry Processor', light-blue in colour. Like enquiry processors found in other places, passengers can check the balance on their card, along with the 10 most recent Octopus transactions. If a Personalised Octopus Cards is used, the number of Light Rail credits accumulated is also shown.
Passengers using Personalised Octopus Cards are able to participate in the Light Rail Bonus Scheme. A card on which fares totalling HK$30 (adults) or HK$15 (children/seniors) or more are paid over six consecutive days gets an automatic credit of HK$3 (adults) or HK$1.5 (children/seniors). Octopus cards with student identity stored on which fares totalling HK$12 are paid over four consecutive days get a rebate of HK$3.4.
New Territories
New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory. Historically, it is the region described in The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory...
, within and between Tuen Mun District
Tuen Mun District
Tuen Mun District is one of the 18 administrative districts of Hong Kong. Its name was previously 'Tsing Shan' and it changed in the 1970s. It is the westernmost continental district of Hong Kong, located about 32 km from the Kowloon Peninsula, 7 km southwest of Yuen Long and 18 km...
and Yuen Long District
Yuen Long District
Yuen Long District , is one of the districts of Hong Kong located in the northwest of the New Territories. It had a population of 449,070 in 2001. The district has the youngest population of Hong Kong and the lowest income in the New Territories.-Geography:...
. It used to be one of four systems of the KCR
Kowloon-Canton Railway
The Kowloon–Canton Railway refers to a railway network in Hong Kong which is now combined with the MTR railway system, comprising rapid transit services, a light rail system and feeder bus routes within Hong Kong, and intercity passenger and freight train services to the rest of China...
network in Hong Kong.
It runs on 1435 mm track gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
(standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
), with direct current
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
750V
Voltage
Voltage, otherwise known as electrical potential difference or electric tension is the difference in electric potential between two points — or the difference in electric potential energy per unit charge between two points...
.
The LRT should not be confused with the 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...
.
Planning and commencement
Tuen Mun
Tuen Mun is a town near the mouth of Tuen Mun River and Castle Peak Bay in the New Territories, Hong Kong. It was one of the earliest settlements in Hong Kong which can be dated back to the Neolithic period. In the more recent past, it was home to many Tanka fishermen who gathered at the Castle...
was developed in the 1970s, the Hong Kong government had set aside space for the laying of rail tracks
Rail tracks
The track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
. There was uncertainty however as to which company would be commissioned to build the train line. In 1982 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...
showed interest in building the system and running double-decker
Aerial tramway
An aerial tramway , cable car , ropeway or aerial tram is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion...
trams on it, before finally being forced to abandon the project. Later that year, the KCRC
Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation
The Kowloon–Canton Railway Corporation was established in 1982 under the Kowloon–Canton Railway Corporation Ordinance for the purposes of operating the Kowloon–Canton Railway , and to construct and operate other new railways...
decided to build the system. After some research, construction commenced in 1985.
By that time, Kowloon Motor Bus
Kowloon Motor Bus
The Kowloon Motor Bus Company Limited , a company of the Transport International Holdings Limited, is the largest franchised bus operators in Hong Kong, and one of the largest privately owned public bus operators in the world...
(KMB) had developed its own network in Tuen Mun and Yuen Long, and there were about 10 routes serving within the district internally, most of them profitable. However, the government introduced the concept of the "Light Rail Service Area" in both districts, forcing the KMB to withdraw all internal bus services in favour of the Light Rail. It also forced the KMB to impose boarding and alighting restrictions for external routes. It was decided that services between town centres and settlements would be provided solely by the Light Rail, while feeder buses operated by the KCRC
Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation
The Kowloon–Canton Railway Corporation was established in 1982 under the Kowloon–Canton Railway Corporation Ordinance for the purposes of operating the Kowloon–Canton Railway , and to construct and operate other new railways...
would connect remote sites to the network, replacing KMB's equivalent services where applicable.
The system was completed and fully operational in September 1988. The first section was opened to the public on 14 September 1988, with free rides Tuen Mun and Yuen Long; normal, all-day service began four days later, on September 18. The system consisted of two large and three small loops serving most of the public housing
Public housing
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the...
estates
Housing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
in northern Tuen Mun. Three branches: one to On Ting Estate in the southeast, one to the Tuen Mun Ferry Pier
Tuen Mun Ferry Pier
Tuen Mun Ferry Pier , or Tuen Mun Ferry Terminal, is a public pier located in the southern area of Tuen Mun, Hong Kong.Tuen Mun Ferry Pier, Tuen Mun Pier Head, and Tuen Mun Ferry Pier Stop refer to the street-level transportation hub that is adjacent to the pier and consists of a light rail...
in the southwest, and another northern branch all the way into the town of Yuen Long
Yuen Long
Yuen Long , formerly Un Long, is an area and town located in the northwest of Hong Kong, on the Yuen Long Plain. To its west lie Hung Shui Kiu and Ha Tsuen, to the south Shap Pat Heung and Tai Tong, to the east Au Tau and Kam Tin, and to the north Nam Sang Wai.-Name:The Cantonese name Yuen Long 元朗...
along Castle Peak Road
Castle Peak Road
Castle Peak Road is the longest road in Hong Kong. It runs from Tai Po Road in Sham Shui Po, Kowloon to the very north of the New Territories, serving south, west and north New Territories, being one of the most distant roads in early Hong Kong.-Name:...
. It was then known as Light Rail Transit, or LRT, and is also called as the North-west Railway according to the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation Ordinance.
The system was divided into five fare zones, the only transit system in Hong Kong to employ such zoning. The feeder buses have fares independent of these zones, but provide discounts when passengers interchange between these buses and LRT. 70 single-deck LRVs were manufactured in Melbourne and Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia by Comeng
Comeng
The Comeng train is a type of electric train that operates on the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Australia. They first appeared on the network in VicRail "teacup" livery in 1981 to replace the last of the then-60 year old Tait trains. More were ordered after the failed refurbishment and...
, and shipped to Hong Kong for the seven LRT routes in the system. Three of the routes were to Yuen Long and the others were confined to Tuen Mun.
Extensions
The system's first extension came for the southern and eastern parts of Tuen Mun. The eastern extension branches off the main line south of Siu Hong StopSiu Hong Stop
Siu Hong Stop is one of the Light Rail stops of Hong Kong. It is located in the west of Tuen Mun River and east of Siu Hong Court. Siu Hong Stop belongs to zone 3 for single-ride ticket...
and crosses the river that runs through Tuen Mun immediately with a flyover. The line then runs along Castle Peak Road to a road north of the town centre, where it climbs to another flyover and rejoins the main route. The northern end of this extension is still the only non-triangular junction in the entire system.
The southern extension mainly consists of a route linking On Ting and Ferry Pier, on the newly reclaimed land
Land 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...
near the river mouth of Tuen Mun River
Tuen Mun River
The Tuen Mun River is a river in Tuen Mun, New Territories, Hong Kong. It has many tributaries, with major ones coming from Lam Tei, Kau Keng Shan, Hung Shui Hang and Nai Wai. It flows south, splitting Tuen Mun into a west side and an east side...
, known as "Mouse Island" by locals. A short spur was also built from the extension to another terminus at Sam Shing Estate, located near Castle Peak Bay
Castle Peak Bay
Castle Peak Bay is a bay outside Tuen Mun. Tuen Mun River empties into the bay. In the past, large amount of Tanka fishermen harboured at the bay....
. Three LRT routes were diverted (route 505 was extended to Sam Shing), and one feeder bus route (route 559) discontinued as a result of these changes.
Tin Shui Wai
Tin Shui Wai
Tin Shui Wai is an area of Hong Kong, located in Yuen Long District, in the northwestern part of the New Territories. Originally a gei wai fish pond area, the ponds were reclaimed for the development of Tin Shui Wai New Town in the late 1980s...
was originally an area with numerous fish pond
Fish pond
A fish pond, or fishpond, is a controlled pond, artificial lake, or reservoir that is stocked with fish and is used in aquaculture for fish farming, or is used for recreational fishing or for ornamental purposes...
s, but was developed as a residential town in the early 1990s. With the increase of internal commuter traffic demand, an LRT spur was built north of Hung Shui Kiu Stop
Hung Shui Kiu Stop
The Hung Shui Kiu Stop is a MTR Light Rail stop located on the ground at Castle Peak Road in Yuen Long District, near Hung Shui Kiu . It began service on 18 September 1988 and belongs to Zone 4....
that opened in 1993, with four stops serving the initial housing areas of the town. The area was further developed in the next few years, and the line was extended by two stops: Chestwood
Chestwood Stop
The Chestwood Stop is a MTR Light Rail stop. It is located on the ground at the centre of Tin Wing Road , between Chestwood , Kingswood Villas Phase III and Tin Chung Court , in Tin Shui Wai, Yuen Long District. It began service on 26 March 1995 and belongs to Zone 4.-Neighbouring stops:...
and Tin Shui Wai Terminus in 1995 (Tin Shui Wai Terminus was renamed Tin Wing
Tin Wing Stop
The Tin Wing Stop is a MTR Light Rail stop. It is located on the ground at the centre of Tin Wing Road , Tin Shing Road and Tin Yan Road in Tin Shui Wai Town Centre , Yuen Long District. It began service on 26 March 1995 and belongs to Zone 4.-History:It was originally named "Tin Shui Wai...
after the opening of West Rail Line). Two LRT routes were established, route 720 to Yau Oi
Yau Oi Stop
The Yau Oi Stop is a MTR Light Rail stop located on the ground at Yau Oi Road near Yau Oi Car Park , Yau Oi Estate in Tuen Mun District, Hong Kong. It began service on 18 September 1988 and belongs to Zone 2...
and route 721 to Yuen Long.
West Rail Line
The system remained essentially unchanged until the completion of the West Rail Line in December 2003. Many changes were made, mainly around the new railway stations. The KCRCKowloon-Canton Railway Corporation
The Kowloon–Canton Railway Corporation was established in 1982 under the Kowloon–Canton Railway Corporation Ordinance for the purposes of operating the Kowloon–Canton Railway , and to construct and operate other new railways...
designed most railway stations in the LRT area to interchange with the new West Rail line. The idea was to encourage passengers to use the West Rail Line instead of the Light Rail for longer journeys to free up LRT vehicles for passengers making shorter journeys. For this purpose, an interchange discount system was launched with the introduction of the West Rail Line system, meaning that passengers would pay no more (and in some cases less) to travel on West Rail Line instead of the LRT for the main part of their journey. Although this most recent extension is the largest ever, no new vehicles were purchased. And although rearrangements were made, some infrequent and unreliable services resulted, causing passengers to blame the lack of vehicles and poor arrangement of new services. The KCRC has since modified the inside of some vehicles to allow more standing room for passengers during peak hours. They have also several route alterations to arrange them better.
Rolling stock
Interior_mtr_lightrail1.jpgThe system's vehicles consist of four different types of LRV
LRV
LRV might refer to:*L.R.V. or Luis R. Villafuerte, Jr.*L.R.V. video*Lenticular Reentry Vehicle*Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybė*Light rail vehicle*Lunar Roving Vehicle*Light Reflectance Value...
s. All LRVs are 20.2 m. long and have 3 sliding doors fitted the left side (when facing the running direction from inside). This means that island platforms (except the triangular platform at Siu Hong Stop
Siu Hong Stop
Siu Hong Stop is one of the Light Rail stops of Hong Kong. It is located in the west of Tuen Mun River and east of Siu Hong Court. Siu Hong Stop belongs to zone 3 for single-ride ticket...
) cannot be used at all in the LRT system.
Phase I LRVs were built by Comeng
Commonwealth Engineering
The Commonwealth Engineering Company Limited is the brand name of a former Australian Engineering Company that designed Locomotives, Electrical Multiple Units , Diesel Multiple Units and Trams.-History:...
and put in service in 1988. They are numbered 1001–1070 and accommodate 43 sitting passengers and 161 standees. The driver's cab interior and exterior design was conceived for KCRC by Design Triangle
Design Triangle
Design Triangle is a transport design firm, based in Cambridge, UK. Founded in 1986, Design Triangle specializes in the design of the interiors and exteriors of vehicles for public transport, particularly rail passenger cars.- Rail Vehicles :...
in 1986. Phase II LRVs were built by Kawasaki
Kawasaki Heavy Industries Rolling Stock Company
is the rolling stock production division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Since beginning operations in 1906, the company has produced more than 90,000 railroad vehicles.- Products :...
and entered service in 1992. They are numbered 1071-1090/1201-1210 and accommodate 26 sitting and 185 standees. Cars 1071–1090 are cab cars while 1201–1210 are cabless trailers. Phase III LRVs were built by A. Goninan
United Goninan
UGL Rail is an Australian rail engineering company and specialises in building and re-building railway cars including electric and diesel passenger trains, electric and diesel locomotives, and freight wagons...
and entered service in 1997. They are numbered 1091–1110 and accommodate 26 seating and 212 standees. Phase one LRVs have two wheelchair positions while both Phase two and Phase three LRVs have three positions. The newest phase IV LRV's were manufactured by A. Goninan
United Goninan
UGL Rail is an Australian rail engineering company and specialises in building and re-building railway cars including electric and diesel passenger trains, electric and diesel locomotives, and freight wagons...
and CSR
China South Locomotive and Rolling Stock Industry (Group) Corporation
China South Locomotive & Rolling Stock Corporation Limited is a state-owned enterprise supervised by the State Council of the People's Republic of China...
and entered service by December 2009. They are numbered 1111–1132.
Traction systems for both Phase one and two LRVs consist of GTO thyristor chopper and DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
traction motors, supplied by AEG, while drives for the Phase three and four LRVs consist of IGBT VVVF Inverter
Inverter
Inverter may refer to* Inverter , a device that converts direct current to alternating current** Inverter , an air conditioner that can continuously regulate its output by altering the compressor speed in response to cooling demand** Uninterruptible power supply, which often are based on an...
s and AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
traction motors provided by Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
. The maximum speed for all LRVs is 80 km/h, although the rarely reach that speed because of the many grade crossings between stops and the close proximity between stops in Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, and Tin Shui Wai.
From the outside it is difficult to differentiate between the first three types of LRVs. There are, however, distinct features that one can use to tell them apart; Phase three LRVs still retain their original electronic displays (green) while all other LRVs have had theirs replaced by new displays (orange). Phase I cars also have a wide window at the rear that can be opened in case of a emergency, while phase II cars have a door at the back. The interior of the phase three cars has a greenish look, and the doors are also green. The Phase IV LRVs have a completely different appearance in contrast to the older phase. It has a white exterior livery with olive green and purple line on the side. The shape of the front of the LRV is more streamlined than the older phases. The door opening and closing mechanism was similar to the ones from the K-class cars used in the Tseung Kwan O line and Tung Chung line. The Phase IV has 3 surveillance cameras in each vehicle. Seat belts and wheelchair positions were also available in the phase IV. On older-generation LRVs there is a poach seat but the phase IVs do not maintain this feature. The Phase IV LRV has orange electronic display.
The phase I-III cars are expected to be rebuilt and repainted with a scheme similar to the Phase IV cars.
Stops and routes
Current service patternThere are currently 12 routes serving the Light Rail system:
- Before 23 August 2010, 761P operated special services between Yuen Long and Tin WingTin Wing StopThe Tin Wing Stop is a MTR Light Rail stop. It is located on the ground at the centre of Tin Wing Road , Tin Shing Road and Tin Yan Road in Tin Shui Wai Town Centre , Yuen Long District. It began service on 26 March 1995 and belongs to Zone 4.-History:It was originally named "Tin Shui Wai...
(via Wetland ParkWetland Park StopThe Wetland Park Stop is a MTR Light Rail stop. It is located at the ground of Wetland Park Road , between Hong Kong Wetland Park and Grandeur Terrace , in Tin Shui Wai, Yuen Long District. It began service on 7 December 2003 and belongs to Zone 5A.-Neighbouring stops:-See also:*Hong Kong Wetland...
) at 30-minute intervals from 10:00 to 15:00 daily.
- After the opening of West Rail Line, the demand for Light Rail services between Siu Hong and Yuen Long decreased. Therefore, half of 614 and 615 services were changed to short-distance services operating between Siu Hong and Ferry Pier, numbered and respectively.
- Line 751P is the short-distance service of 751 in Tin Shui Wai, only in service during morning and afternoon peak time and suspends service during public holidays and school holidays
Fares
The Light Rail is the only public transportPublic transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
system in Hong Kong to have fare zones and the only one with an honour system
Proof-of-payment
Proof-of-payment or POP is an honor-based fare collection approach used on many public transportation systems. Instead of checking each passenger as they enter a fare control zone, proof-of-payment requires that each passenger carry a ticket or pass proving that they have paid the fare. Ticket...
, in which there are no ticket gates. These fare zones apply only to passengers purchasing single-ride tickets from ticketing machines at LRT stops. Since the introduction of Octopus card
Octopus card
The Octopus card is a rechargeable contactless stored value smart card used to transfer electronic payments in online or offline systems in Hong Kong...
s, however, passengers have a choice of ticketing options. All fares indicated below are for adults, while children and the elderly usually pay the concessionary fare, which is half the adult fare.
Single-ride tickets
There are six fare zones – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 5A – for passengers purchasing single-ride tickets in Light Rail stops. A trip between two zones costs HK$4, HK$5 for three zones, and journeys further than three zones costs HK$6. Zone 5A was introduced solely for the latest extension in Tin Shui WaiTin Shui Wai
Tin Shui Wai is an area of Hong Kong, located in Yuen Long District, in the northwestern part of the New Territories. Originally a gei wai fish pond area, the ponds were reclaimed for the development of Tin Shui Wai New Town in the late 1980s...
, and both zones 5 and 5A are only connected to Zone 4. Therefore travelling between zones 5 and 5A is considered as travelling through three zones.
Octopus cards
Octopus cardOctopus card
The Octopus card is a rechargeable contactless stored value smart card used to transfer electronic payments in online or offline systems in Hong Kong...
fares are calculated based on the minimum number of stops travelled (from origin to destination stops), rather than the number of fare zones travelled through. All stops have Octopus card entry and exit processors at the entrances to and exits from platform
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
s. Passengers may enter the system after placing their Octopus card on the reader of an orange-coloured 'Entry Processor' reader. This action is known as validation. At this point, HK$5.80 is deducted from the Octopus card. On completion of a journey, the card previously read by an 'Entry Processor' must be placed on a dark-green coloured 'Exit Processor', where the HK$5.80 less the fare incurred is refunded. Failure to do so within the time limit would cause the fare difference to be forfeited. As a side note, if a person exits the same platform with the same Octopus card, the HK$5.80 previously deducted will be fully refunded.
Found on most platforms, there is also the 'Enquiry Processor', light-blue in colour. Like enquiry processors found in other places, passengers can check the balance on their card, along with the 10 most recent Octopus transactions. If a Personalised Octopus Cards is used, the number of Light Rail credits accumulated is also shown.
Passengers using Personalised Octopus Cards are able to participate in the Light Rail Bonus Scheme. A card on which fares totalling HK$30 (adults) or HK$15 (children/seniors) or more are paid over six consecutive days gets an automatic credit of HK$3 (adults) or HK$1.5 (children/seniors). Octopus cards with student identity stored on which fares totalling HK$12 are paid over four consecutive days get a rebate of HK$3.4.