Jump to content

Central station (MTR)

From Alfawiki
Central station
Company typeRapid transit station
IndustryPublic transport
FoundedFebruary 12, 1980; 46 years ago (1980-02-12)
Headquarters
Central, Hong Kong Island
,
Hong Kong
Area served
Central district, Hong Kong Island
ProductsMTR services: Tsuen Wan line, Island line, Tung Chung line (via connection), Airport Express (via connection)

Central () is an MTR station situated in the Central district on Hong Kong Island. The station features a firebrick red livery, complemented by brown tones on its platforms. It functions as the southern endpoint of the , serves as a stop on the , and is linked through an underground walkway to Hong Kong station, which accommodates the and lines.

Initially called Chater Station after nearby Chater Road, it was engineered to manage a daily passenger volume of 330,000 and was designed to be 380 meters in length, ranking it among the world's longest stations. Presently, Central station handles over 200,000 passengers each day. The span between its most distant exits measures roughly 700 meters.

Early planning stages

Included in the Hong Kong Mass Transport Study released in September 1967, Central station was planned alongside Western Market station to serve as an interchange between the MTR and Island line. The Tsuen Wan line was originally intended to terminate at Admiralty (then known as Naval Dockyard). The initial design placed the station beneath Des Voeux Road Central, stretching between Jubilee Street and Pedder Street.

By 1970, additional studies proposed two interconnected stations: Chater station beneath Chater Road and Pedder station under Pedder Street, designated for the Kwun Tong (then Kong Kow) and Island lines respectively.

Revised Initial System and inauguration

Contracts numbered 106 and 809, covering the construction of tunnels and stations, were awarded to Metro Joint Venture—a consortium including Hochtief AG, Dragages et Travaux Publics, Gammon (HK) Limited, and Sentab.

The facility opened on 12 February 1980 as Chater station, serving as the terminus for the Kwun Tong line. However, only a portion of the station was operational at that time since the Island line had yet to commence service.

While the English designation was Chater, the Chinese name displayed was 中環 (Central), leading to confusion because many anticipated 遮打, a phonetic transliteration of Chater.

Following the launch of the Island line segment from Admiralty to Chai Wan on 31 May 1985, Chater was renamed Central to align with other renamings along the Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan lines that better reflected their service areas. The English name had already been updated to Central in 1982.

The contract for constructing the Island line station was awarded to a joint venture between Aoki and Tobishima. Work began in early 1983, integrating new platforms with the existing structure. The Island line platforms at Central became operational on 23 May 1986 when service extended past Admiralty to Sheung Wan.

Island line development

The contract for building the Island line platforms was granted to the Aoki/Tobishima joint venture. Construction started in early 1983, linking these new platforms with the pre-existing station infrastructure. Central began receiving Island line trains on 23 May 1986 as services expanded beyond Admiralty toward Sheung Wan.

Underground connection to Hong Kong station

Under the Airport Core Programme (1991–1998), a rail link connecting Hong Kong International Airport with downtown was established. To facilitate transfers between Central and nearby Hong Kong station—the southern terminus of both the Tung Chung line and Airport Express—an underground passageway was constructed beneath Connaught Road Central. Originating at the Pedder Street concourse, this corridor connects fare-paid zones in both stations, easing transfers particularly from Central onto the Tung Chung line. There is no unpaid access; passengers transferring between Airport Express and other MTR lines must exit one system and enter another due to separate fare arrangements.

Station layout

Admiralty station consists of four platforms arranged over three distinct levels:

  • Uppermost level: Platform 3 is situated beneath Des Voeux Road Central at Pedder Street. It serves Island line trains heading to Chai Wan and offers a pedestrian connection to Hong Kong station.
  • Intermediate level: Platforms 1 and 2 form an island platform located under Chater Road, catering to the Tsuen Wan line services.
  • Lowest level: Platform 4 accommodates Island line trains traveling toward Kennedy Town.

Passengers transferring from platform 3 to platforms 1 or 2 can use escalators located in the Chater Road concourse. There are also specific escalators linking platforms 1 and 2 directly to platform 4 for convenient transfers.

The Tsuen Wan line platforms are constructed in a straight alignment using the cut-and-cover method. Similarly, most Island line platforms maintain this straight design, except for the eastern portion near Admiralty, which features a curved layout with wider platform gaps due to its bored tunnel construction.

Beneath the Tsuen Wan line platforms lies the Admiralty stabling siding, which is utilized by both lines.

G Street level Exits
P Chater Road concourse –
L1 Pedder Street concourse Customer Service, MTRShops
Hang Seng Bank, vending machines
Octopus promotion machine
Chater Road concourse Customer Service, MTRShops
ATM
L2 Chater Road concourse Customer Service, MTRShops
Hang Seng Bank, vending machines
Pedder Street concourse Customer Service, MTRShops
Subway to Hong Kong station for Template:Rcb & Template:Rcb
Octopus promotion machine, i-centre internet service
Side platform, doors will open on the left
Platform Template:MTR platform Template:Rcb towards Template:STN (Template:STN) →
L3 Platform Template:MTR platform Template:Rcb towards Template:STN (Admiralty) →
Island platform, doors will open on the left or right
Platform Template:MTR platform Template:Rcb Tsuen Wan line towards Tsuen Wan (Admiralty) →
L4 Side platform, doors will open on the right
Platform Template:MTR platform ← Template:Rcb Island line towards Template:STN (Template:STN)


Entrances and exits

Central station stretches underground beneath Chater Road, extending from Statue Square on the eastern side to Li Yuen Street East on the western end, covering a distance of about 700 meters. It comprises 13 access points that link to prominent buildings, retail complexes, main thoroughfares, and various transportation services.

Pedder Street Concourse
Chater Road Concourse

Transport connections

Serving as a pivotal transit hub in Hong Kong, Central station facilitates interchange among the Tung Chung, Island, and Tsuen Wan lines. The vicinity provides a broad array of transportation modes including trams, buses, ferries, and minibuses.

  • Bus services:
    • Citybus
    • KMB (cross-harbour routes servicing Hong Kong Island)
    • Nearby bus terminals:
      • Central Piers Bus Terminus (accessible via exits A or E through footbridges or within the paid area via Hong Kong station)
      • City Hall Bus Terminus (reachable from exit K through a tunnel)
      • Exchange Square Bus Terminus (via exit A using footbridges or within the paid zone through Hong Kong station)
  • Minibus
Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=Central_station_(MTR)&oldid=44333"