The South Island line, identified by light green on the MTR route map, is a rapid transit line of Hong Kong's
MTR
The Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is a major public transport network serving :Hong Kong. Operated by the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL), it consists of heavy rail, light rail, and feeder bus service centred on a 10-line rapid transit network ...
metro system. This line connects the HK business district from
Admiralty station to the
Southern District of
Hong Kong Island and the island of
Ap Lei Chau
Ap Lei Chau or Aberdeen Island is an island of Hong Kong, located off Hong Kong Island next to Aberdeen Harbour and Aberdeen Channel. It has an area of after land reclamation. Administratively it is part of the Southern District. Ap Lei ...
, which was not served by any rail transport prior to the opening of this line. The rolling stock of South Island line is purpose-built for driverless operation. Trains are remotely controlled from the Operations Control Centre in
Tsing Yi
Tsing Yi, sometimes referred to as Tsing Yi Island, is an island in the urban area of Hong Kong, to the northwest of Hong Kong Island and south of Tsuen Wan. With an area of , the island has extended drastically by reclamation along almost a ...
. Approved by the
Executive Council Executive Council may refer to:
Government
* Executive Council (Commonwealth countries), a constitutional organ that exercises executive power and advises the governor
* Executive Council of Bern, the government of the Swiss canton of Bern
* Ex ...
in 2007, the line commenced service on 28 December 2016.
This line was known during planning and construction as the South Island line (East) to distinguish from
South Island line (West), which is still being planned.
History
The initial proposal for the line was in 2002, and went through a number of changes, at times combined with the
West Island line
The Extension of Island line to Western District (previously known as West Island line) is a three-station western extension of the Hong Kong MTR's Island line. Construction of the line began on 10 August 2009, and the two westernmost stations ...
and
South Island line (West). The final alignment corresponds with "option B" of the