Railway enthusiasts yesterday gathered at Chai Wan station to witness the debut of the mainland-made Q-train on Hong Kong's Island Line.

The new Q-train, manufactured in Qingdao, Shandong, departed from the station at 9.47am towards Kennedy Town.

This marked the replacement of the aging British-made Metro-Cammell model, or M-trains, which has serviced Hong Kong's metro network for over 40 years.

A total of 14 new Q-trains have been introduced to the Island Line.

In 2015, MTR acquired 93 Q-trains from CRRC Qingdao Sifang Corporation for HK$6 billion in order to replace their outdated fleet. Since November 2022, all 13 trains on the Kwun Tong Line have been replaced with new Q-trains.

MTR said the new trains feature several improvements, including wider doors, better-designed seats, more hand straps, environmentally friendly LED lighting and "smart servers" for real-time remote monitoring and data analysis to enhance maintenance.

Railway fans expressed excitement at the arrival of the first Q-train on the Island Line, but also expressed nostalgia for the retiring M-trains.

One student, Cheung, expressed his excitement despite the possibility of being late for tutoring due to the event. He appreciated the practicality of the bigger doors and extra handrails in the new trains. "The design is in line with the situation in which many people in Hong Kong take the railway and the Q-trains serving on the Kwun Tong Line have been working well," he said.

Another student, Chung, traveled from Tseung Kwan O station to Chai Wan station to experience the inaugural Q-train trip on the Island Line. Chung liked "the improved travel experience with the larger carriage space and brighter lights" but also expressed sadness at bidding farewell to the M-trains that had been operational in the city since 1979.

A citizen named Chan expressed happiness at participating in the event and cheering with other railway fans. "I am really honored to get on the first Q-train on the Island Line," he said.

MTR reported that the new trains operated smoothly on their first day. The company plans to continue replacing trains on the Island Line and initiate replacement efforts on the Tsuen Wan Line and Tseung Kwan O Line.

The train departs Chai Wan station for Kennedy Town.

Rail fans welcome mainland-made Q-train on Island line