Yau Ma Tei station
| Company type | MTR station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transport |
| Founded | 1979-12-22 |
| Headquarters | Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon , Hong Kong |
| Products | Railway services (Kwun Tong line, Tsuen Wan line) |
Yau Ma Tei, previously known as Waterloo, is an MTR station situated in Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon. It lies beneath Nathan Road, positioned between Pitt Street and Man Ming Lane. This station accommodates both the and lines. It commenced operations on 22 December 1979 and was renamed Yau Ma Tei on 31 May 1985, coinciding with the renaming of Argyle (Mong Kok) and Chater (Central).
Serving as a key interchange, Yau Ma Tei enables passengers to switch between the Kwun Tong line extension toward Whampoa and the Tsuen Wan line. It is especially frequented by northbound travelers transferring to southbound services. The station also supports a large number of daily commuters, including many students attending nearby educational institutions.
The station's color scheme features light grey tones. The red, white, and blue stripes that previously decorated its walls were removed during refurbishment in 2005. Additionally, the original Helvetica signage was replaced with the Myriad font during this upgrade.
History
Initially proposed in 1967 under the name Waterloo, the station was designed as a dual facility connecting the Tsuen Wan Line (on Nathan Road’s east side) and Kwun Tong Line (west side) via pedestrian tunnels, as outlined in the Hong Kong Mass Transport Study. However, this concept was later simplified due to updated population forecasts.
The construction contract (Contract 101), which included this station along with Argyle (now Mong Kok) and Prince Edward stations, was awarded to a consortium comprising Gammon, Kier International, and Lilley Construction. Employing cut-and-cover techniques beneath Nathan Road, the building process caused notable traffic delays, dust pollution, and adversely affected businesses along the route.
The Kwun Tong line extension from Shek Kip Mei to Tsim Sha Tsui opened on 16 December 1979; Yau Ma Tei station itself began service as an infill stop on 22 December 1979. At first, only the upper platform was operational. On 26 April 1982—three weeks prior to the Tsuen Wan line's launch—the MTR Corporation divided the Modified Initial System into separate Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan lines to help passengers adjust to transfers at Mong Kok station. Subsequently, the lower platform was activated.
The Kwun Tong line extension reaching Whampoa station commenced service on 23 October 2016.
Station layout
Between Whampoa terminus and north of Yau Ma Tei, trains on the Kwun Tong line run on the right-hand side of the tunnel—contrary to most MTR lines that operate on the left—due to track configurations between Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok stations.
In preparation for the Kwun Tong line extension through Ho Man Tin that opened on 23 October 2016, platform numbering was altered starting from 11 June 2016; platform 4 became designated for alighting only from 21 August 2016 while platform 3 was reserved for boarding. Following this extension, Yau Ma Tei serves as an interchange point between the Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan lines, each situated on separate levels.
| G | Street level | Exits |
| L1 | Concourse | Customer service counter, MTRShops |
| Vending machines, Automatic teller machines | ||
| L2 Platforms |
Platform 1 | Template:Rcb towards Tsuen Wan (Mong Kok) → |
| Island platform, doors open on the right | ||
| Platform 2 | ← Template:Rcb Tsuen Wan line towards Central (Jordan) | |
| L3 Platforms |
Platform 4 | ← Template:Rcb towards Whampoa (Ho Man Tin) |
| Island platform, doors open on the left | ||
| Platform 3 | Template:Rcb Kwun Tong line towards Tiu Keng Leng (Mong Kok) → | |
Livery
The station's color scheme incorporates shades of light grey and red throughout the concourse and exit areas.
Entrances/exits
- A1: Access to Pitt Street
- A2: Serves Pitt Street, YMCA Kowloon Centre, and Kwong Wah Hospital
- B1: Leads to Nathan Road
- B2: Opens onto Portland Street and 8 Waterloo Road
- C: Provides entry to Man Ming Lane (near Temple Street)
- D: Connects to Waterloo Road and the Metropark Hotel Kowloon