MTR adds eight-car trains to the Island Line

Hong Kong’s railway operator announced on Friday that the Island Line will introduce the new eight-car trains for urban lines starting from next Sunday (Jan 28), replacing the
existing first-generation trains. 

The Island Line is the second urban line with new trains operating following the Kwun Tong Line. The new trains provide a better traveling experience for passengers and come with higher reliability in train operations, according to the MTR Corporation.

The railway operator said various tests on the new trains began on the Island Line last year and the trains have been confirmed safe and sound to operate by the government.

Trains on the Tsuen Wan Line and Tseung Kwan O Line will also be replaced in a progressive manner in the future, it noted.

The MTRC, in 2015, purchased 93 new trains for urban lines at HK$6 billion at the time. With a progressive delivery to Hong Kong, the new eight-car trains for urban lines have been in service on the Kwun Tong Line since late November 2022.

There are currently 13 new trains replacing the first-generation urban lines trains which are gradually reaching the end of their asset life.