Kwun Tong line

Kwun Tong line

Company type	Rapid transit line
Industry	Public transport
Founded	October 1, 1979 (1979-10-01)
Headquarters	Hong Kong , Hong Kong
Area served	Kowloon, New Territories (Hong Kong)
Products	Rail transport services

Kwun Tong line

The Kwun Tong line () is a high-speed transit route within the MTR system in Hong Kong, extending from Whampoa in Hung Hom to Tiu Keng Leng located in Tseung Kwan O, Sai Kung. It consists of 17 stations and offers a total travel time of approximately 35 minutes from one end to the other. As one of the most heavily trafficked lines, it links central and eastern Kowloon through Wong Tai Sin. The alignment is predominantly underground, with a segment elevated, and generally runs along an east-west axis. During morning rush hours, 33 trains operate at a frequency of 29 trains per hour, facilitating a capacity of 85,000 passengers per hour in each direction. On the MTR map, it is represented by the color Green.

Commissioned on 1 October 1979 as Hong Kong’s inaugural urban rail line and the first service operated by MTR Corporation, the Kwun Tong line largely follows the route of the original "Modified Initial System" between Shek Kip Mei and Kwun Tong station. It has experienced more route modifications than any other MTR line, with the latest changes implemented in 2016. Historically, this line traversed Victoria Harbour to provide access to Hong Kong Island through two separate paths; however, these harbour crossings are now served by different lines. Presently, the Kwun Tong line operates almost entirely within Kowloon except for its terminus at Tiu Keng Leng in the New Territories. The line offers transfer points with four other MTR lines: the Tsuen Wan line at both Yau Ma Tei and Prince Edward station, the East Rail line at Kowloon Tong station, the Tuen Ma line at Ho Man Tin and Diamond Hill stations, as well as the Tseung Kwan O line at Yau Tong and Tiu Keng Leng stations.

Initial section

The Kwun Tong line utilizes much of the track laid out in the "Modified Initial System," making it the first MTR route to commence operation, preceded only by the suburban East Rail line during its electrification phase. The project received approval in November 1975 under Governor Murray MacLehose, with services commencing on 1 October 1979 between Shek Kip Mei station and Kwun Tong station. Initially, trains consisted of four cars but were later lengthened to six and eventually eight cars. The line saw two southward extensions: first reaching Tsim Sha Tsui on 31 December 1979, then extending to Central station (then known as Chater) on 12 February 1980. This extension included crossing Victoria Harbour via Hong Kong’s pioneering underwater rail tunnel, finalizing the original Modified Initial System.

With the introduction of the Tsuen Wan line in May 1982, it assumed control over the Modified Initial System section south of Argyle (currently Mong Kok). As a result, Waterloo (now called Yau Ma Tei) became the new terminus for the Kwun Tong line and was officially designated as such. Additionally, Argyle and Prince Edward stations became significant cross-platform interchange hubs connecting with the Tsuen Wan line.

Eastern extension

In 1984, the Hong Kong government granted a franchise for a combined rail and road tunnel beneath Victoria Harbour, which led to the Kwun Tong line being extended through this newly constructed Eastern Harbour Crossing on 6 August 1989, reaching Quarry Bay and linking with the newly inaugurated Island line. An intermediate stop, Lam Tin, commenced operations on 1 October 1989.

The MTR encountered its inaugural derailment incident (excluding former KCR lines) at Kowloon Bay station in 1994 when a loose suspension bolt caused one carriage to derail. Although no injuries resulted, train services were interrupted.

To alleviate overcrowding at Quarry Bay, the Kwun Tong line was temporarily extended to North Point on 27 September 2001. However, following the launch of the Tseung Kwan O line in 2002—which assumed control of the cross-harbour segment—the Kwun Tong line was further extended eastward to its present terminus at Tiu Keng Leng on 18 August 2002.

While the original tunnel connecting the Kwun Tong line to the Eastern Harbour Crossing is not routinely used, it remains operationally available for flexibility purposes. It was reactivated on 16 December 2013 during a disruption on the Tseung Kwan O line, enabling Kwun Tong trains to operate from Lam Tin to Quarry Bay and terminate at North Point—a service not utilized since 2002.

Western extension

During its early-2000s bid for the Sha Tin to Central Link (SCL), MTR Corporation proposed an extension of the Kwun Tong line to serve Whampoa Garden, incorporating an interchange at Ho Man Tin that would connect with an extended Ma On Shan line. This plan aimed to offer an alternative cross-harbour route toward Central South station. In contrast, rival Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation suggested implementing an Automated People Mover system linking Hung Hom and Whampoa.

After the 2007 MTR–KCR merger, the Hong Kong government tasked MTRC with constructing the SCL between Tai Wai and Hung Hom based on KCRC’s revised blueprint. This involved merging the Ma On Shan and West Rail lines into the new Tuen Ma line, while also extending the Kwun Tong line to Whampoa as originally proposed by MTRC. These changes enhanced interchange options at Ho Man Tin and other SCL stations, allowing passengers to transfer to the North-South corridor at Hung Hom for cross-harbour journeys terminating at Admiralty, after plans for Central South station were abandoned.

Construction of the Kwun Tong line extension (KTE; ) from Yau Ma Tei to Whampoa via Ho Man Tin commenced on 25 July 2011 and officially opened on 23 October 2016. Due to limited capacity caused by Whampoa’s single platform configuration, half of all trains bound for Whampoa terminate at Ho Man Tin during peak periods; off-peak services run entirely to Whampoa.

A further extension of the Kwun Tong line onto Hong Kong Island was proposed in RDS-2000 as part of a potential fifth harbour crossing.

Rolling stock

Rolling stock of the MTR Kwun Tong line
Model	Manufacturer	Manufacturing period	Number of sets	Formation	Remarks
C-Train	CNR Changchun	2010–2013	22	A-C-B+B-C+B-C-A
Q-Train	CRRC Qingdao Sifang	2017 to present	13
Former rolling stock of the MTR Kwun Tong line
Model	Manufacturer	Service period	Number of sets	Formation	Remarks
M-Train	Metro-Cammell	01 October 1979 – 15 January 2024	14	A-C+D+B-C+D+C-A	Seven sets reassigned to Tseung Kwan O Line; thirteen units relocated to Island Line.
K-Train	Rotem and Mitsubishi	26 April 2002 – April 2010	13	A-C-B+B-C+B-C-A	Currently operating on the Tseung Kwan O line.

Route description

The Kwun Tong line primarily travels underground in an east-west direction, commencing at Whampoa station and heading northwest, where it connects with the Tuen Ma line at Ho Man Tin station. The track then curves southwest before turning north to intersect with the Tsuen Wan line at Yau Ma Tei station, where the Tsuen Wan platforms are positioned above those of the Kwun Tong line. Running parallel beneath Nathan Road, it provides cross-platform interchanges at both Mong Kok station and Prince Edward station.

After separating from the Tsuen Wan line just beyond Shek Kip Mei station, the route advances eastward to Kowloon Tong station, a major transfer point for the suburban East Rail line. Continuing east through Wong Tai Sin, Hong Kong, it again connects with the Tuen Ma line at Diamond Hill station. The line then heads south, emerging from underground after Choi Hung station. Between Kowloon Bay station and Lam Tin station, it proceeds southeast on an elevated viaduct above Kwun Tong Road.

Past Lam Tin, the line tunnels through a hillside before surfacing at Yau Tong station, where it links with the Tseung Kwan O line. Both lines run beneath the Tseung Kwan O Chinese Permanent Cemetery prior to entering Tseung Kwan O New Town, terminating at Tiu Keng Leng station. Cross-platform interchanges are available at Yau Tong and Tiu Keng Leng stations, mirroring those found at Mong Kok and Prince Edward. Further extension towards the east is limited due to structural constraints at Tseung Kwan O station, situated just beyond where the Kwun Tong line tunnels conclude.

Stations

Below is a compilation of the stations served by the Kwun Tong line.

Station list

Template:STN太子 ... [remaining stations continue unchanged] ...

Livery	Station Name		Images	Interchange; Nearby transport connections	Opening date	District
	English	Chinese
Template:White
	Template:STN	黃埔		—	23 October 2016; 10 years ago	Kowloon City
	Template:STN	何文田		Template:Rcb
	Template:STN	油麻地		Template:Rcb towards Central (direction Tiu Keng Leng)	31 December 1979; 46 years ago	Yau Tsim Mong
	Template:STN	旺角		Template:Rcb towards Tsuen Wan station (direction Tiu Keng Leng) and towards Central (direction Whampoa)			-
	Template:Rcb towards Tsuen Wan station (direction Whampoa)	10 May 1982; 44 years ago

Related Articles

• East Rail line
• Tseung Kwan O line
• Tsuen Wan line

External Resources

• Planned extension to Ho Man Tin and Whampoa Garden (Adobe Acrobat pdf format)