Hung Hom station

Hung Hom (Chinese: 紅磡; Cantonese Yale: Hùngham) (formerly named Kowloon until 1996) is a passenger railway station in Hung Hom Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Its livery is light red. It is an interchange station between the East Rail line and the Tuen Ma line domestic services of the MTR network. This station serves as the southern terminus of the East Rail Line in the early morning, before the first northbound train from Admiralty arrives. The station is located next to the Cross-Harbour Tunnel's northern portal, and thus it is also served by many cross-harbour bus routes. Opened as the new southern terminus of the Kowloon–Canton Railway (KCR) on 24 November 1975, 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 Ma On Shan line, with the combined line being renamed "Tuen Ma line". Hung Hom station also served as the southern terminus of cross-border through-trains from mainland China, which were halted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and officially ended in 2024. History Former Hung Hom station An older station of the same name 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 Museum of History). This old Hung Hom station, a temporary wooden structure, operated from 1 October 1910 (the day the Kowloon–Canton Railway began operation) until 15 September 1921 It was later demolished and replaced by this station on 30 November 1975. Relocation of Kowloon station The old Kowloon station in Tsim Sha Tsui began operation on 28 March 1916. 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. On 5 May 1975, Queen Elizabeth II unveiled a plaque commemorating the opening of the new terminal. 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 southern terminus of the East Rail line. 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 Hung Hom the following morning at 8:26 am. 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 KCR British Section was renamed KCR East Rail in 1996, and subsequently the East Rail line upon the merger of the MTR (metro services) and the Kowloon-Canton Railway (suburban train services) in December 2007. However, China Railway still referred to the station as Jiulong, which was the Mandarin pronunciation of Kowloon, until April 2019. 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. The construction of the East Rail extension to East Tsim Sha Tsui station began on 20 April 2001. Work was undertaken at Hung Hom station to extend tracks 2 and 3 southward, and to demolish the southern concourse of the station and replace it with a new mid-level concourse. Some structural columns, supporting the Hong Kong Coliseum above, had to be demolished and underpinned to make way for the construction of the tracks. Throughout the works, at least three of the four East Rail platforms had to be kept in operation. The extension was opened on 24 October 2004, turning Hung Hom into an intermediate station for the first time. On 16 August 2009, East Tsim Sha Tsui was transferred to the West Rail line following the opening of the Kowloon Southern Link, and Hung Hom became the southbound terminus station of both the East Rail and West Rail lines. Platforms 2 and 3 were transferred to the West Rail line and served as the line's eastern terminus. Meanwhile, Platforms 1 and 4 became the termination platform of the East Rail line with arriving trains alternating between the two platforms. As part of the Sha Tin to Central Link project, two new island platforms were constructed under the eastern side of the existing station podium. The West Rail line was relocated to its new platforms on 20 June 2021, a week ahead of the full opening of the Tuen Ma line. Temporary walkways were placed across the original West Rail line tracks, now defunct, to connect the East Rail line's platforms. On 27 June 2021, the West Rail line was absorbed into the Tuen Ma line. The East Rail line 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 Admiralty. The last train departed from the old platforms at 00:28 on 15 May 2022, and the original East Rail, West Rail line and through train platforms were permanently closed to passengers thereafter. Hung Hom is now an intermediate station on both the East Rail and Tuen Ma lines. On 25 October 2023, it was announced that the MTR Corporation would be invited by the government of Hong Kong to conduct a preliminary study and submit proposals in 2024 for the redevelopment of an approximately 10-hectare area centred on the station. In 2024, an exhibition named “Station Rail Voyage” (「站見」鐵路展 , zaam6 gin3 tit3 lou6 jin2), and renamed "Station Rail Voyage: Explorer" (「載遇•站見」鐵路展 , zoi3 jyu6 zaam6 gin3 tit3 lou6 jin2) in 2026, was held at Hung Hom station as part of the celebration events for the 45th anniversary of the MTR company, with three types of retired trains displayed at the original platforms. The exhibition was originally planned to be held from 27 April to the end of 2024, but was later extended to the end of 2025 due to a high volume of popularity. In 2026, it was renovated and revived with new exhibition elements, some former exhibitions of the MTR Gallery and a paid train cab simulator. The types of trains showcased included: Unrefurbished Metro Cammel E44 unit (144–244–444) MLR train (E112-E71) EMD G16 locomotive no. 56 “I. B. Trevor”. KTT (since January 2025) Cross-border services Platforms 5 and 6 were used by China Railway for cross-border trains to Beijing West (Beijing–Kowloon line), Shanghai (Shanghai–Kowloon line), Guangzhou East and Foshan (Guangzhou–Kowloon line). Cross-border services were first suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, then permanently discontinued in June 2024 due to the demand for cross-border travel having been met by high speed trains terminating at West Kowloon station. Since April 2024, the cross-border platforms have been being used for the “Station Rail Voyage” exhibition. On 17 January 2025, MTR announced that the restricted crossing zone at Hung Hom Station for intercity through trains would be rescinded (to cancel) from that day onwards. Sha Tin to Central Link expansion Background Under the North South Corridor concept, the East Rail line was extended to Hong Kong Island via a new immersed tube tunnel south of the station. At the same time, the West Rail line was connected with the Ma On Shan line via East Kowloon, forming the new Tuen Ma line. 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 Former layout Station layout from 16 August 2009 to 19 June 2021: 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 References External links MTR Intercity Through Train e-Ticketing Services