Hung Hom (KCR)

Hung Hom () is a railway station in Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is an interchange station between the and the domestic services of the MTR network, as well as the southern terminus of cross-border through-trains to mainland China which has been suspended since 4 February 2020. The station is one of four Hong Kong ports of entry on the MTR network; the others are Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau, and West Kowloon. As the station is located next to the Cross-Harbour Tunnel's northern portal, it is also served by many cross-harbour bus routes.

Opened as the new southern terminus of the Kowloon–Canton Railway (KCR) on 30 November 1975 by Queen Elizabeth II, the station was originally named Kowloon station after the older terminus of the same name, which it replaced. The station was substantially expanded in the 1990s, at which time it was given its present name. The KCR British Section was also renamed KCR East Rail in order to differentiate it from the new KCR West Rail, which opened on 20 December 2003 and was extended to Hung Hom station on 16 August 2009.

As part of the Sha Tin to Central Link project, the East Rail line was extended across Victoria Harbour to Admiralty via a new immersed tube tunnel to the south of Hung Hom. The West Rail line was also extended via eastern Kowloon to connect to the former , with the combined line being renamed "".

History

Former Hung Hom station

once existed on Chatham Road South. It was situated on the former coastline of Hung Hom Bay, at the southeastern corner of the Gun Club Hill Barracks (between the current-day Chung Sze Yuen Building A of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Hong Kong History Museum).

This old Hung Hom station, a temporary wooden structure, operated from 1 October 1910 (the day the Kowloon–Canton Railway began operation) It was later demolished.

Relocation of Kowloon station

The in Tsim Sha Tsui began operation in After decades of economic growth in Hong Kong, the station, situated at the seafront of Victoria Harbour, became too small and had no room for expansion. A new Kowloon station (the current Hung Hom station), situated to the east, was officially inaugurated by Chief Secretary Denys Roberts on 24 November 1975 as the new terminus of the Kowloon–Canton Railway. However, it did not start operating until a few days later. The old terminal at Tsim Sha Tsui was closed on 29 November 1975.

The first passenger train pulled out of the new station the following morning at 8:26 am. On 5 May 1975, Queen Elizabeth II unveiled a plaque commemorating the opening of the new terminal. The new station cost HK$150 million and offered modern new facilities including a spacious waiting hall, a restaurant, a bar, a bookstore, a bank, escalators, and closed circuit television. It was built along with a bus terminus and a multi-storey car park.

The controversial demolition of the old station commenced on 7 June 1978; a new complex of a concert hall and museums were built on Kowloon station's original site, but the clock tower was preserved as a Declared Monument.

Through trains to mainland China started running from Hung Hom station on 4 April 1979.

Renaming and expansion

The new station was renamed Hung Hom station around February or March 1996. The Kowloon–Canton Railway was renamed KCR East Rail in 1996, and subsequently the upon the merger of the MTR (metro services) and the Kowloon-Canton Railway (suburban train services) in December 2007.

A HK$1.3 billion expansion of Hung Hom station began on 16 March 1995, which included a new concourse designed by Foster and Partners. The expansion was completed in 1998. The passenger terminal now hosts ticket offices, waiting areas, shops and restaurants.

After decades of being the terminus station of the East Rail line, Hung Hom temporarily became an intermediate station when the East Rail was extended to East Tsim Sha Tsui station in 2004. This symbolic return to Tsim Sha Tsui of the then Kowloon–Canton railway was followed by the inauguration of a westward Kowloon Southern Link to complete the . On 16 August 2009, East Tsim Sha Tsui was transferred to the West Rail line. Hung Hom became the terminus station of both railway lines.

To minimise confusion after the opening of Hong Kong West Kowloon, China Railways renamed the station on its systems to Hong Kong Hung Hom (previously Jiulong / Kowloon) on 1 April 2019.

The West Rail line was relocated to a new set of platforms on 20 June 2021, a week ahead of the Tuen Ma line's inauguration. On 27 June 2021, the officially merged with the (which already operated as the ''Tuen Ma line Phase 1'' at the time) in East Kowloon to form the new , as part of the Shatin to Central link project. The moved to the new underground platforms beneath the Tuen Ma line platforms on 15 May 2022 upon the opening of the line's extension to . At the same time, the original East Rail line platforms were closed permanently to passengers, and are now used as train sidings. It is now an intermediate station on both lines.

Cross-border services

Platforms 5 and 6 are used by China Railway for cross-border trains to ( Beijing–Kowloon line), ( Shanghai–Kowloon line), and ( Guangzhou–Kowloon line).

China Railway has referred to the station as "Hong Kong Hung Hom" () since 1 April 2019.

As of 4 September 2019, Hung Hom station and its cross-border services cannot be found on China Railways official website, as opposed to high speed services at West Kowloon station.

Thorough train platform fenced off.jpg, Through train tracks fenced off from platform in the COVID-19 pandemic (February 2021)
201609 Z98 waits for departure at Hung Hom Station.jpg, Z98 Beijing West-bound intercity through-train at Platform 5 (September 2016)
Hung Hom Station concourse 2022 05 part4.jpg, Empty waiting area for intercity through-trains in the concourse during the COVID-19 pandemic (May 2022)

Sha Tin to Central Link expansion

Background

Under the North South Corridor concept, the was extended to Hong Kong Island via a new immersed tube tunnel south of the station. At the same time, the was connected with the via East Kowloon, forming the new .

To facilitate this expansion, new platforms were built underneath the Hung Hom station Exit C concourse. The Tuen Ma line platforms sit above the East Rail line platforms. New approach tracks have also been built north and south of the station.

Construction safety scandal

In 2018, a major scandal emerged regarding construction malpractice at the Hung Hom station construction site. In 2015, contractors building the concrete slab forming the Tuen Ma line platform level reportedly cut off the ends of reinforcing bars that were supposed to be screwed into couplers within the diaphragm wall forming the side of the underground station box. The contractor then poured the concrete even though the bars were not connected to the couplers. As a result, engineers have cast doubt on the long-term structural safety of the slab.

The government has demanded that MTR Corporation submit a report on the safety of the station. An independent engineer, C M Wong & Associates Ltd., will conduct safety tests. On 12 June 2018, Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced that she will appoint a commission on inquiry, headed by Hong Kong judge Michael Hartmann, to investigate the scandal.

Station layout

2022年5月-紅磡站夜景.jpg, Hung Hom station exterior at night (May 2022)
Hung Hom Station Tuen Ma Line platforms 2022 10 part4.jpg, Tuen Ma line platforms 2 and 3 (October 2022)
Hung Hom Station East Rail Line platforms 2022 10 part3.jpg, East Rail line platforms 1 and 4 (October 2022)
Hung Hom Station East Rail Line platforms 2022 05 part6.jpg, First class validation machine and queuing area for East Rail line Platform 1, featuring a R-Train.
Hung Hom Station platforms 2022 05 part3.jpg, Glass artwork on the East rail line platform
Hung Hom Station Toilet 2022 10 part2.jpg, Toilets on the Tuen Ma line platform
Hung Hom Station Tuen Ma Line platforms 2022 05 part5.jpg, Artistic exhibition on the Tuen Ma line platform
Hung Hom Station East Rail Line platforms 2022 05 part7.jpg, East Rail line platform (May 2022)
Hung Hom Station concourse 2022 05 part3.jpg, Concourse (May 2022)
Hung Hom Station concourse 2022 05 part2.jpg, Escalators from the concourse to the East Rail line platforms (May 2022)
Hung Hom Station concourse 2022 05 part5.jpg, Station concourse (May 2022)

Exits

An interchange for buses (lower level) and public light buses and taxis (upper level) is located outside the station building. The lower-level bus station is situated at the Kowloon entrance of the Cross-Harbour Tunnel. Elevated walkways connect the station to the Hong Kong Coliseum; Hong Kong Polytechnic University; the residential area of Hung Hom; and tourist attractions in eastern Tsim Sha Tsui, such as the Science Museum and the Avenue of Stars along Victoria Harbour.

* A1 – Hong Kong Polytechnic University
* A2 – Bus terminus on On Wan Road
* A3 – Northeast side of station
* B1 – Walkway to Hung Hom, Royal Peninsula, Harbour Place, Whampoa Garden
* B2 – Walkway to Exit C Concourse
* C1 – Bus Terminal; cross-harbour taxi stand
* C2 – Airport Express shuttle stand; walkway to Harbour Plaza Metropolis, Fortune Metropolis, Metropolis Residence, Metropolis Tower
* C3 – Taxi stand on Cheong Wan Road; Hong Kong Coliseum
* D1 – Walkway to Tsim Sha Tsui East and Hong Kong Polytechnic University
* D2, D3, D4 – Hong Kong Coliseum
* D5 – Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade
* D6 – Walkway to Exit C Concourse

Hung Hom Station Exit A1 2022 05 part1.jpg, Exit A1
Hung Hom Station Exit A3 2022 05 part3.jpg, Exit A3
Hung Hom Station Exit C1 2022 05 part1.jpg, Exit C1
Hung Hom Station Exit B2 2022 05 part2.jpg, Exit B2
Hung Hom Station Exit D3 2022 05 part3.jpg, Exit D3
Hung Hom Station car park Exit of Lift 2022 07 part1.jpg, Lift access to the car park
Hung Hom Station shop 2022 05 part6.jpg, A 7-Eleven outside the station, next to Exit C (May 2022)

References

External links

MTR Intercity Through Train e-Ticketing Services

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Hung Hom
MTR stations in Kowloon
East Rail line
West Rail line
Sha Tin to Central Link
Tuen Ma line
Former Kowloon–Canton Railway stations
Railway stations in Hong Kong opened in 1975
1975 establishments in Hong Kong
Stations on the Beijing–Kowloon Railway