12 h. ago Why are mainland Chinese tourists posing in front of MTR stations in Hong Kong?

Surrounded by a stream of passengers on an MTR platform in Hong Kong on a regular weekday, a couple paused to pose for photos next to a station sign to mark their journey. “We took photos at most of the metro stations we visited, just to record our metro route,” said Arale, a 36-year-old tourist who was visiting the city with his wife, Qing, 37, for the first time. Recording such a visual diary is part of a popular trend on Chinese social media in which people travel around Hong Kong to take...

Politics

4 d. ago Hong Kong to mark July 1 anniversary with 71,000 free MTR tickets: John Lee

More than 70,000 free MTR tickets will be up for grabs on July 1 as part of citywide celebrations to commemorate the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule, the chief executive has said. City leader John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Tuesday he would bring forward his annual policy address by a month to September, in light of the Legislative Council election scheduled for the end of this year. Public consultation is set to kick off on Monday next week. He said the government would...

Politics

2 w. ago Hong Kong’s MTR Corp opens the Island line in 1985 — from the SCMP archive

This article was first published on June 1, 1985. by Francis Li and Louis Liu Massive roll-up as new line opens Huge crowds rolled up to try out the Mass Transit Railway Island line which went into operation without a hitch on Friday (May 31, 1985). An MTR Corporation spokesman said on Friday night more than 136,000 people travelled on the line between Chai Wan and Admiralty stations in the first five hours after it opened for commuters at 2pm. Rostered station staff helped by volunteer MTR...

Politics

2 w. ago Glass window on MTR train cracks on Kwun Tong line on Thursday evening

A glass panel of a window on a train travelling on the MTR’s Kwun Tong line cracked on Thursday night, prompting shocked passengers to disembark at Lok Fu station. The MTR said on Friday that it would investigate the cause of the incident, saying no injuries were reported due to the window’s double-glazed safety glass design. The rail operator said the incident happened at around 7.30pm on Thursday as the train was approaching Lok Fu station and the captain was alerted by passengers to the...

Politics

2 w. ago Hong Kong’s MTR Corp must tackle ‘inadequacies’ in contingency plans: John Lee

Hong Kong’s leader has criticised the MTR Corporation’s “inadequacies” in emergency responses and contingency planning following several recent blunders, including a five-hour suspension in rail services on the Tseung Kwan O line last week. Speaking to the media before a meeting with the key decision-making Executive Council on Tuesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also laid down for areas that the rail giant needed to improve on, following its third disruption in four months caused by...

Politics

2 w. ago Hong Kong’s MTR Corp fined HK$19.2 million and will offer half

Hong Kong’s railway operator, the MTR Corporation, has been ordered to offer a day of half-price fares after being hit with a HK$19.2 million (US$2.4 million) penalty over a five-hour service suspension on the Tseung Kwan O line last week, according to the transport minister. The incident was the third traffic disruption in four months caused by technical failures, drawing strong criticism from lawmakers on Monday. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan also pledged to consider...

Economics

3 w. ago Hong Kong’s MTR Corp hires independent expert to look into train faults

Company will address earlier malfunctions after authorities pledged to audit rail giant’s maintenance capabilities last month.

Politics