South Island line (East) 南港島綫（東段）
Southbound train of the South Island line approaching Ocean Park
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	MTR Corporation
Locale	Districts: Southern, Central & Western
Termini	South Horizons Admiralty
Connecting lines	East Rail line Island line Tsuen Wan line
Stations	5
Color on map	Light Green (#BAC429)
Service
Type	Rapid transit, driverless
System	MTR
Operator(s)	MTR Corporation
Depot(s)	Wong Chuk Hang
Rolling stock	CNR Changchun EMU (S-Train variant)
History
Opened	28 December 2016 (2016-12-28)
Technical
Line length	7.4 km (4.6 mi)
Number of tracks	Double-track
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	1,500 V DC (Overhead lines)
Operating speed	Average: 38 km/h (24 mph) Maximum: 80 km/h (50 mph)[1]
Signalling	Alstom Urbalis 400 CBTC (Cab signalling, GoA4: UTO)
Train protection system	ATP
Route map East Rail line to Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau Tsuen Wan line Central – Tsuen Wan Admiralty                Island line Kennedy Town – Chai Wan Nam Fung Tunnel Ocean Park Wong Chuk Hang Depot Wong Chuk Hang South Island line (West) to HKU Aberdeen Channel Bridge Lei Tung South Horizons

The South Island line (Chinese: 南港島綫), identified by light green on the MTR route map, is a rapid transit line of Hong Kong's MTR 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, which was not served by any rail transport prior to the opening of this line.^[2] 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. Approved by the Executive Council in 2007,^[3] the line commenced service on 28 December 2016.^[4]

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 and South Island line (West). The final alignment corresponds with "option B" of the 2005 revised scheme, with no intermediate station at Happy Valley included, in order to reduce the travel time to the CBD.

Rolling stock

MTR defines the railway as a medium capacity system. The final order for rolling stock for the new line consisted of 10 new three-car MTR CNR Changchun EMUs using steel wheels. These trains are externally similar to the new existing sets in service on the Kwun Tong line, but are fully automatic and driverless – the second such line in the MTR system after the Disneyland Resort line, and the third such line in Hong Kong.^[5] However, every train has at least one staff for patrol in the traffic hour who is qualified to control the train manually according to the requirements of the Fire Services Department since the commencement of the line.^[6] Trains operate with a frequency of three minutes during rush hour.

Alignment

South Island line viaduct near Holy Spirit Seminary

CNR Changchun EMU with cartoon animals in the windows

South Island line begins in tunnel at Admiralty station, an underground station connecting to the pre-existing Tsuen Wan and Island lines. From Admiralty the line travels southeastwards beneath Mount Cameron through the 3.2 km (2.0 mi) Nam Fung Tunnel, emerging into a covered viaduct at a site between the portal of Aberdeen Tunnel and Gleneagles Hospital, just before Ocean Park station.

The line then continues west on a viaduct through Wong Chuk Hang and Staunton Creek over a nullah, on which the Wong Chuk Hang station was built, and crosses the channel to the island of Ap Lei Chau on the Aberdeen Channel Bridge; after landing on Ap Lei Chau, the line enters a tunnel and continues to Lei Tung and South Horizons stations.

Geographically accurate map of the South Island line

Stations

This is a list of the stations on the South Island line.

List

Livery	Station Name		Images	Interchange; Adjacent transportation	Opening	District
	English	Chinese
South Island Line (East) (SIL)
	Admiralty	金鐘		Tsuen Wan line Island line East Rail line	28 December 2016; 7 years ago	Central and Western
	Ocean Park	海洋公園		—		Southern
	Wong Chuk Hang	黃竹坑		South Island (West) (proposed)
	Lei Tung	利東		—
	South Horizons	海怡半島

Station concourses are staffless, except those of Admiralty and Ocean Park stations. Customers are required to solve ticket problems with this Self Service Point machine. To its left is the information counter, which provides travel and street information only.

The trains do not have driver cabs, allowing passengers to see through the windows in the ends of the trains.

The public car park underneath Ocean Park station.

Construction

Construction progress

A test train approaching Wong Chuk Hang station in December 2015

Project Agreements and Entrustment Agreement for MTR South Island line and the Kwun Tong line extension were signed by the Hong Kong government and MTR Corporation on 18 May 2011.^[7] In August 2012, drilling and blasting work began for constructing the Nam Fung Tunnel, between Admiralty and Ocean Park stations.^[8] The line was built by a Leighton Asia – John Holland Group joint venture.^[9][10]

On 9 December 2013, structural work for Ocean Park station was completed.^[11][12] The first 3-car trainset arrived at MTR Siu Ho Wan Depot on 19 February 2014.^[13] The project was 78% complete by late September 2014, and Nam Fung Tunnel was broken through on 17 October.^[8] In 2015, trial runs began between Wong Chuk Hang and South Horizons stations. 84% of construction work was completed by the end of February 2015. Work in Lei Tung station was prolonged by geological problems, but the MTR claimed it would not postpone the line opening.^[14]

Delayed opening

Expansion works at Admiralty station in November 2016. Underground are a new concourse, and the platforms of the South Island line and the North South Corridor. Harcourt Garden will be restored as a podium garden after the completion of the work.

The opening of the South Island line was originally planned for 2015. On 21 May 2014, an informant told Apple Daily that the commencement date of the line would be postponed by one and a half years. MTR Corporation asserted it would be opened as expected. Yet, the Transport and Housing Bureau revealed the delay of construction work and demanded MTR to review the commencement. Members of the Legislative Council and District Council criticised MTR for hiding the project's progress from the public and demanded a progress report at the Council's meeting.^[15] Eight days later at the South District Council meeting, MTRC announced the delay was caused by the expansion work of Admiralty station. High-density building, underground public facilities and the existing Admiralty station would prolong the work progress, as "safety comes first". However, the claimed 2015 opening date remained unchanged.^[16] In November 2014, a revised opening date of December 2016 was announced.^[17]

In October 2016, MTRC chairman Frederick Ma warned that the opening of the South Island line could be delayed by three more months.^[18] However, on 10 November 2016, he announced the South Island line would open by the end of 2016, saying the engineering team overcame the many challenges in expanding Admiralty Station.^[19] Finally, MTRC chief executive Lincoln Leong officially declared the South Island line would begin operation on 28 December 2016.^[4]

Commencement

On 28 December, before South Horizons station opened, many residents and enthusiasts gathered outside the entrance. MTR managerial officials, including CEO Lincoln Leong, welcomed passengers and rode on the first departure. The first train departed from South Horizons station at 5:55 am, five minutes earlier than usual. After 11 hours of operation, there had been over 92,000 passenger journeys.^[20] However, the day after the line opened, an electrical fault triggered power outages at 2:15 pm, causing lighting systems, escalators, elevators, and fare gates to stop working. The driverless trains were switched into manual mode in order to maintain service. Normal operation resumed after half an hour.^[21]

See also

• Future projects of the MTR

References

Further reading

Papers from Government and Legislature

• "Second Railway Development Study (RDS-2)" (PDF). Highways Department Hong Kong. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 February 2006. Retrieved 27 February 2005.
• "Information paper about the Feb 2005 scheme" (PDF). Panel of Transport, Legislative Council. 21 February 2005. Retrieved 27 February 2005.
• "Background brief on Route 4, South Hong Kong Island line and West Hong Kong Island line" (PDF). Panel of Transport, Legislative Council. 21 February 2005. Retrieved 27 February 2005.
• "Presentation of Feb 2005 scheme by MTR" (PDF). Panel of Transport, Legislative Council. 25 February 2005. Retrieved 5 March 2005.

Press releases

• "MTR Corporation welcomes Government's decision on West Island line and South Island line" (PDF). MTR Corporation. 30 June 2005.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to South Island line.

• MTR South Island line Introduction
• Papers from Legislative Council concerning West Island line and South Island line